Sridevi, fondly called by titles such as “the ultimate screen goddess,” “First Female Superstar,” and “Chandni,” among others, was known by many adjectives, but inside she remains a very simple, down-to-earth person.
Sri The Magic
In real life, she would come across as a tame, slightly afraid, self-conscious girl next door who can’t even speak proper Hindi and doesn’t know the culture, but with the camera rolling, a magic happened—here comes the vicious, charming, confident girl who can speak fluently, act like a dream, be a performer who can’t do any wrong, who is unable to miss a beat, and portray any emotion.
“She was a different person in front of the camera,” recalled Saroj Khan, the legendary choreographer, who said, “Sridevi was a fine person, a good dancer, and an excellent actor. Dance came easily and naturally to her. Every time she slipped into a different costume, she appeared different. It was like magic.”
I used to wonder whether she had comprehended my instructions or not. But the moment I uttered, “Action,” God knows what happened to her. She transformed into a dream; eyes lit up, and body language changed whenever she faced the camera. Until then, she would be a dead woman.”
Early life and Breakthrough
Born as Shree Amma Yanger Ayyappan on August 13, 1963, Sridevi began her career as a child actor at the tender age of 4 in a Tamil movie called “Kandan Karunai” in 1967. She continued to taste success as a child artist in Telugu, Malayalam, and Tamil films. Sridevi’s versatility knew no bounds.
At just 13 years old, she portrayed Rajnikant’s stepmother in the 1976 Tamil movie “Moondru Mudichu.” She goes on to do many iconic films down south, such as Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Meendum Kokila (1981), Premabhishekam (1981), Vazhvey Maayam (1982), and Moondram Pirai (1982).
She made her debut in Hindi films with “Solva Sawan (1979),” which was a disaster. After 4 years, she comes back as a queen in “Himmatwala (1983),” which became a turning point in her career, propelling her towards immense success. Her subsequent films, like Mawaali (1983), Justice Chaudhury (1983), Tohfa (1984), Maqsad (1984), Masterji (1985), and Karma (1986), were instant successes, establishing her as the singular force in Hindi cinema.
Critical Acclaim
In between her blockbusters comes a little gem, Sadma, a remake of her own 1982 Tamil classic “Moondram Pirai,” which also starred Kamal Hasan and was directed by Balu Mahendra. Playing a girl suffering from “retrograde amnesia,” she mesmerised the cinegoers with her beautiful performance. Clad in simple clothes, funny hair, and a face devoid of makeup, Sridevi’s depiction of a child in a woman’s body is a lesson in naturalism.
After the success of Karma (1986) and “Nagina” (1986), Sridevi becomes the top actress of the time. The overwhelming success prompted director Harmesh Malhotra to promptly announce a sequel. “Nagina” established that Sridevi didn’t need a male star to make a film successful. Making her the force to reckon with, on and off screen, capable of carrying a film independently. Rishi Kapoor concurred, expressing in a 1987 interview with India Today that in “Nagina,” it was Sridevi all the way, carrying the film entirely on her shoulders.
Is Sridevi a Hero?
Sridevi challenged the conventional norms of Bollywood, where heroines were often secondary. Her significant screen time and influence overpowered the hero, redefining the role of Hindi film actresses. The media dubbed her “Female Bachchan” as she achieved status on par with her male counterparts. Notably, she chose to stop working with Amitabh Bachchan, a move considered rebellious in an era where every actress aspired to be paired with him.
In an interview, Sridevi expressed her perspective, questioning the creative opportunities for artists in films starring Amitabh Bachchan, saying, “What’s there for any artist to do in a film starring Amit ji?”
In 1987, she was paired with Anil Kapoor in “Mr. India,” directed by Shekhar Kapoor. The film went on to become a blockbuster, sending her fans into a frenzy with “Hawa Hawai” and “Kate nahin katati.” Critics of the time even said that the film should have been called Miss India! The November issue of “Showtime” put her on the cover and asked, ‘Is Sridevi a Hero?’
The Stardom Of Sridevi
Sridevi’s stardom reached new heights with the 1989 blockbuster “Chandni.” Adorned in flowing chiffons, it was her film through and through. Rishi Kapoor remarked in an interview, ‘I feel like a homosexual in her arms. It may not be long before she sings songs to me, rather than vice versa.’ She overshadowed seasoned actors like Rishi Kapoor and Vinod Khanna, making them look like supporting characters. Yash Chopra repeated her in Lamhe (1991), again giving her the role of a lifetime as a mother and daughter in a generational saga, earning her a Filmfare Best Actress Award.
In ChaalBaaz (1989), she has a double role opposite two superstars, Rajnikanth and Sunny Deol. The roles of both looked like an extended cameo in a “Sridevi Show.” It was the time when people started calling her “Mai” as a symbol of respect. Pankaj Parashar once said, “Everyone had started addressing her as Mai. That was the kind of power she was wielding now in the industry. I was once having lunch with Vinod Khanna, Amrish Puri, and Shatrughan Sinha on a film set when all three suddenly stood up with respect. I heard voices saying, “Mai aa gayi,” and saw Sri entering the room.”
Sridevi achieved a unique milestone by being the sole leading lady to portray a double role in the Amitabh Bachchan film “Khuda Gawah.” How she agrees to do the film with Bachchan is a story of legend; even Filmfare has done a cover story with the tagline ‘How Amitabh Wooed Sridevi?’ when he sends a truckload of roses for Sridevi.
Two decades later, in “English Vinglish” (2012), Amitabh Bachchan made a cameo appearance, while Sridevi staged a remarkable comeback without relying on a big hero, as she often did in her heyday.
Personal Life
Success apart, her personal life had its share of challenges. She started working at the age of 4, and hers was a story of a lost childhood. She lost her father while shooting for Yash Chopra’s film “Lamhe” (1991) and later her mother to a brain tumor. Amidst these trials, Sridevi found solace with his long-time collaborator and friend, film producer “Boney Kapoor,” with whom she married in 1996 after completing the movie “Judaai.” She has two daughters, Jahnvi and Khushi.
Sridevi’s last film role was in the thriller “Mom” (2017), again without a hero, marking her 300th film. She gets great acclaim for her performance as the mother of a girl who has been raped, tortured, and left for dead. She posthumously won the National Film Award for Best Actress for “Mom.”.
The Tragedy
In February 2018, Sridevi, along with her husband Boney Kapoor and younger daughter Khushi Kapoor, went to Dubai to attend the wedding of Boney’s nephew Mohit Marwah. After the wedding festivities, Boney and Khushi returned to India, while Sridevi stayed behind for a few more days.
On the evening of February 24, 2018, Boney Kapoor flew back to Dubai to surprise Sridevi. He arrived at her hotel room at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel around 5:30, met Sridevi and planned to go out for dinner. Sridevi went to refresh in the bathroom, but when she did not come out after quite some time, Boney knocked on the door but did not get any response. He then forced open the door and found Sridevi lying motionless in the bathtub filled with water.
Police and paramedics were informed, but it was too late. She was already dead when paramedics arrived and attempted to resuscitate her. Her body then taken to the General Department of Forensic Medicine for an autopsy.
The initial reports suggested that Sridevi had suffered a cardiac arrest. However, the autopsy report later revealed that the cause of death was accidental drowning. This revelation added to the shock and confusion surrounding her sudden demise.
The Reactions
The news of Sridevi’s death sent shockwaves across India and the film industry. Tributes and condolences poured in from fans, friends, colleagues, and public personalities. The entire nation mourned the loss of one of its most beloved actresses.
Sridevi’s mortal remains were flown back to Mumbai in a private jet. Her funeral was held with full state honours. Thousands of fans came together to pay their last respects. The film industry came together to bid farewell to the legendary actress, whose contributions to Indian cinema were unparalleled.
This was the end of an extraordinary life, which was part of the public consciousness for most of her life. A life spent in the media galore ends surrounded with cameras
Sridevi on IMDB
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