Updated February 27, 2018 01:34:37

Photo: Indian actress Sridevi was one of the Bollywood's top actresses. (AP: Lionel Cironneau)

After initial reports Bollywood superstar Sridevi died from a heart attack at a family wedding, Dubai police say she drowned in a hotel bathtub after losing consciousness.

Two police officials said the actress was under the influence of alcohol at the time. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to reporters.

The 54-year-old, who for years was one of Bollywood's top actresses, died late Saturday while in Dubai for a wedding.

Her brother-in-law Sanjay Kapoor had told an Indian newspaper she died of a cardiac arrest.

In a tweet, the Dubai police said that her death was "due to drowning in her hotel apartment's bathtub following loss of consciousness".

They added that the case had been handed to the public prosecutor's office, "which will carry out regular legal procedures".

Sridevi, who was at her peak in the 1980s and 90s, was seen as the first female superstar in India's male-dominated film industry.

Sridevi, who used a single name, was known for her comic timing and dancing skills.

Her most famous films included Mr India, in which she played a reporter, and Chandni, where she played a woman choosing between two men who loved her.

AP

Topics: film-movies, arts-and-entertainment, death, india, united-arab-emirates

First posted February 27, 2018 01:11:30