The Chandni audio triptych that unfolded

 The joy of getting the HMV audio of Chandni, unfolding the stills from the movie... 

Stunning Sridevi in Nigahein (1989)

 

The uncredited as such but Sridevi was a superhero in Nigahein - she stopped bullets, saved the guy - not the other way around, was a magical shape-shifter...  She fought her own battles, didn't need a man, the hero, to rescue her.  It was also indicative of her life off-screen, she didn't need a big hero in her film - she was the highlight of several title/double roles for a reason. She was the great Sridevi. 

And my god she looked incredible in the movie. Have seen this film umpteen times just to see Sridevi in all her glory and gorgeousness. 

Sridevi with Yash Chopra on the sets of Chandni back in 1989

 

The filmmaker and his muse: Magic was being made here. Sridevi with producer/director and visionary Yash Chopra on the sets of Chandni back in the day. 

Yash Chopra was born on September 27, 1932. 

Sridevi's chiffon saris from Chandni (1989)

The prevailing memory of Sridevi in Chandni would be her innumerable outfits and ensembles in white... But for a brief moment, Sridevi appears in this chiffon sari looking effortlessly elegant and immeasurably beautiful during a song sequence. 

Yash Chopra's musical made a seismic shift in the way Bollywood movies were being made at the time. Worth watching, and re-watching again. And again. 

The gorgeous rom com and musical, Chandni (1989). 

Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi in Chandni (1989)

Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi in Chandni (1989)

Chandni's mellow yellow saris: Not just white for Sridevi

Of the 63 or so ensembles, saris, salwars and wowsa wardrobe looks Sridevi sported in and as Chandni, most people remember her predominantly in white in the film - as this luminescent Goddess on the big screen. This was back in 1989 and Indian fashion at its peak. Sridevi worked every look, colour and style in the movie. Some of our other fan favourite looks were more of this sun-kissed yellow. 

Fact of the matter is, Sridevi looked good in every colour. 

Rare pic: Sridevi and Rishi Kapoor on the sets of Chandni (1989)

 

Sridevi in Chandni: Hiya!

Sridevi, 25, in Chandni: Hiya! 

Could she be any cuter... 

Released on 14 Sep 1989, the film was a runaway blockbuster. A classic of the genre from the 1980s, the rom-com-musical. 

Chandni (1989): Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi in Switzerland

Sridevi's iconic title-role and film, Chandni. She and Rishi Kapoor sparkled in the film. Flawless performances by both.

Released on 28 November 1986. 

Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi in Chandni

Everything you wanted to know about the film and a collection of pics from this flawless movie here.

Sridevi in Chandni

Sridevi

Click to enlarge

Celebrating Chandni: 37 Years of a Yash Chopra Classic

 

Released on 5 September 1989, its 37 years of a Yash Chopra-Sridevi-Rishi Kapoor-Vinod Khanna-Shiv Hari-'s classic! The film had a flawless cast on screen, and crew off screen. 

Can't believe its been 37 years! 

I remember watching the VHS cassette of this early on and being mesmerised by the movie... 

Chaalbaaz (1989): Sridevi and Sunny Deol

Sridevi and Sunny Deol on the sets of Chaalbaaz. 1989.

Sridevi's fashion, makeup, how the fiml was shot, the fast edits... the movie was a director's tour de force.... sadly Pankaj's films after that have... not been great. 

Sridevi collage in Screen: Throwback to 1989

A memorable look from Nigahein - gorgeous Sridevi on set. She looked so beautiful in every frame, the editors published all the shots instead of just one.

• Nigahein Release Date: August 11, 1989

• Chandni Release Date: September 14, 1989 (wide release on September 15, 1989)

The difference between August 11, 1989, and September 15, 1989, is 35 days, which is exactly 5 weeks.

 Sridevi at the peak of her power, prowess, prestige and beauty. 

Sridevi and Rishi Kapoor: Remembering Chintuji on his birth anniversary

 

One of the most successful, enduring careers in Bollywood, Rishi Kapoor was one of a kind - and a severely underappreciated actor of consequence and importance. The ease in front of the camera, dialogue delivery, keeping up with the times, his investment in his roles, his uncensored opinions, his way with words, confidence, temperament... everything was larger than life and meant for the big screen. 

His brutal honestly got in his way on occasion - well, mostly on social media, but he'll forever be remembered for his performances, hits, and the legacy of the Kapoor name that lasts till date.

Remembering him on his birth anniversary today. He fought cancer for long, without declaring it in the public, but succumbed to it at age 67. Pity. He would have turned a hearty 74 today but alas... fate had something else in store for him. 

He acted with Sridevi in only six films - but what films! Perhaps most memorable, Chandni - in 1989. As Sridevi herself stated, had it not been for Rishi Kapoor providing the perfect foil, the film couldn't have worked. Sridevi had the title role, was in nearly every frame, but Rishi Kapoor's effortless acting was a masterclass, and he held his own. He should have won Best Actor for this film too. But... Filmfare works in mysterious ways... 

Sridevi with Rishi Kapoor in Chandni (1989)

Remembering Rishi Kapoor today on his birth anniversary. Born on 4 Sep 1952, Rishi Kapoor's underrated performance in Chandni needs to be revisited. He was fantastic; matched Sridevi step by step. Be it in the comedy, drama, the songs and dances... a natural foil to the exuberant Sridevi. 

He was the most fun, outspoken man of his time. Always gave great interviews. 

Sridevi's blue lenses in Nigahein (1989)

Sridevi screengrab from the film Nigahein.

The costumes, the lenses... 

Sridevi in her only sequel. 

The Sridevi poster in Newspapers

 

This vintage newspaper scan makes me soooo nostalgic. To rifle through the papers, hunt for what's running and where - and to see the iconography of Sridevi in her famous Chaalbaaz pose... Literally a journey back to 1989!

Sridevi: The pink fashion turban series

 

Sridevi in Chandni

 

Every still and frame of Sridevi in Chandni... 

Sridevi in Nigahein: The First Superheroine

Sridevi’s iconic performance in Nagina, often remembered alongside its 1989 sequel Nigahen, firmly established her as Bollywood’s premier modern day superheroine. She effortlessly channeled supernatural shapeshifting - reminiscent of Mystique from the X-Men - combining extraordinary sight, uncanny speed, and an aura commanding enough to stop a crowd of men in their tracks. On and off the screen, she carried an undeniable, larger-than-life presence. 

Released shortly before Chandni (1989), Nigahein (1989) captured Sridevi at the absolute zenith of her physical charm and dramatic prowess. While Fearless Nadia - an Australian-born actress who famously starred in Hunterwali (1935) - pioneered the action-heroine archetype in early Indian cinema, her legacy remains obscure to most modern audiences. By contrast, Sridevi brought the female-led fantasy genre into mainstream pop culture.

Although Nigahein initially received tepid reviews from critics, audiences embraced it immediately. Made on a modest budget, the film recovered its costs within days and went on to become profitable, if not a blockbuster like its predecessor Nagina. 

Above: All images have been AI modified and enhanced

Sridevi in pink: Classic 80s fashion, makeup for Cine Blitz

A serious throwback; April 1989, Cine Blitz cover shoot. the glamour of the 80s - the entire series of pics in the archive here.