Outtakes from a Showtime cover shoot: Sridevi: Feb

Outtakes from a Showtime cover shoot: Sridevi rockin' 90s

Throwback to February 1991! More pics in the archive here.

Sridevi's photos by Gautam Rajadhyaksha 
 

Sridevi's cover shot from Cine Blitz: August 1991

Sridevi, 28, poses for Ashok Salian. The cover shot of Cine Blitz back in August 1991. The background has been AI modified by... someone. 

The real pics along with the cover story, are in the archive here.

Jitesh Pillai's review of Lamhe back in 1991!

Jitesh Pillai of Bombay went from writing to Filmfare to editing Filmfare. 

Not sure about the sloppy writing above... 

TBT: Star & Style: April 1991: Sridevi Breaks Boney's Hold Over Her

Gossip about Boney Kapoor and Sridevi was circulating in the press in the early 90s, long before their marriage in 1996. Star & Style published this feature in April 1991!

 

Lamhe: Releases on 22 November 1991

 

Dazzling Sridevi at the premiere of Lamhe

Released on 22 November 1991, Sridevi disembarking the stage after picking up her Lamhe release trophy. 

Caption from Tinsel Town says it all;

Gifted Girl: Even if her hero should prove somewhat less than noble in lineage, he's sure to feel like royalty in her loving arms! Born performer, Sridevi gives her audience exactly what it wants. 
 

Rare stills of Sridevi in Lamhe (1991)

 

Released on 21 Nov 1991, Lamhe was sensational. A fan favourite of so many... 

These rare stills of Sridevi trending on Social Media. 

TBT: When Jitesh Pillai reviewed Lamhe in Filmfare

 

Now editor of Filmfare, Jitesh Pillai's review of Lamhe that was published in the magazine back in 1991!

"A turgid storyline is salvaged by Sridevi's joie de vivre. Anil Kapoor looks fresh without this moustache and puts up a competent act. Since zero would be too high a score for Deepak Malhotra's experiments in the acting department, one might instead concentrate on his smashing looks. Manmohan Singh's camera which glides over the verdant locales of Switzerland and England. Shiv-Hari's inspired score and Yash Chopra's glitzy direction truly raise Lamhe above the banal.

-- Jitesh Pillai, Bombay."

Lady in Red: TBT to Sridevi in 1991 posing for a cover shoot

Lady in Red: TBT to Sridevi in 1991 posing for a cover shoot 

Sridevi's straw hat: MOVIE magazine cover shoot outtakes

Sridevi's straw hat: from Sept 1991, MOVIE magazine cover shoot outtakes. Shot by Sridevi's favourite photographer and long-time collaborator Rakesh Shreshta, the cover shoot and cover story ran just days before the release of the highly anticipated Yash Chopra epic Lamhe. 

RELATED FEATURES

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• Sridevi's straw hat image series here and here.
• Sridevi in MOVIE magazine over the years here.
• Sridevi's shoots with Rakesh Shreshta here.

Farishtay: A Film by Anil Sharma

A shockingly awful movie but... it more than recovered its costs! Who knew?! Well, the all-star cast helped the movie recover quickly from the interiors. 

Anil Sharma's films run the gamut. Either horrendous films that are flops, or they are entertaining films that are record breaking blockbusters... 

Well, at least he gave Sridevi a above-average-hit. 

 

Sridevi's denim, glasses, jeans covers: Filmfare, MOVIE, Mayapuri: Era before Exclusive

Sridevi's denim, glasses, jeans covers: Filmfare, MOVIE, Mayapuri: Era before Exclusive

Rakesh Shreshta shot Sridevi in this cute series. 

Sridevi on the cover of Filmfare, May 1991

Sridevi on the cover of MOVIE magazine, Jan 1991

Sridevi on the cover of Mayapuri

Saroj Khan with Sridevi on the sets of Banjaran

Saroj Khan with Sridevi on the sets of Banjaran back in 1991. 

This was one of the 25 films the choreographer and dancer/actress worked together in. 

A lot is said about the Madhuri Dixit and Saroj collabs - and deservedly so - but unlike la Dixit, Sridevi would often insist on Saroj Khan being the choreographer for her big numbers. 

It was a relationship with lots of ups and downs - just like any long, enduring friendships, there's bound to be a little friction but I'm glad they made up quickly and stayed affectionate till the end. 

Saroj Khan had a complicated life - glad there are quite a few interviews and documentaries about the iconic "dance master" aka choreographer/dance director, who truly elevated the art of film dances. She was truly great, beginning to end; her last number, Tabah ho gayi with Madhuri was a worthy swansong. I believe the last song she directed Sridevi was the truly fabulous Hakka ila re in Kaun Sachcha, Kaun Jhootha. 
 

Celebrating the sleeper hit Banjaran (1991): 33 years of Sridevi and Rishi Kapoor's Colourful Surprise

Celebrating the sleeper hit Banjaran (1991). Sleeper? Yep. It was totally written off the first few weeks after the film's release and there are hints in media that Sridevi wasn't a huge fan of this film. She herself went in disguise to watch the movie in theatre and was pleasantly surprised by the audience's reaction to her song and dance routines. 

How do we describe this film? It's a Sridevi and Rishi Kapoor musical, costume extravaganza. Personally, was no fan of this hodge-podge, double-role, too many loud songs, too many colours, reincarnation and revenge beset, deja-vu plot that somehow entertained the masses. The song and dance routines, usually a highlight of a Harmesh Malhotra-Sridevi-Saroj Khan combo, are a bit of a repetitive mess. The costumes are all over the place, the hair, makeup and styling is amped up to such a degree, its a bit of a colour-block-shock on film. The continuity shots are almost a joke; see how the stars' sizes, hair, costumes, makeup changes scene after scene with no interlinking motif. 

Despite saying all that - there's something about it that clearly hit a chord in the interiors, online and in Russia! The movie has a massive cult following for a rather... tepid affair. By all means its not a great film, and yet, nothing can deny its fandom. The number of Russian fans of this film has been extraordinary... Its a lot of colours and movement, the plot is sort of simplistic... something about it works - still works for the fan base as the songs have raked up over a billion hits - even after 33 years! 

The magic of Sridevi - something indescribable. A hit film, is a hit film, is a hit film. Critics be damned. 

Sridevi on the sets of Lamhe

 

Sridevi, 28, on the sets of Lamhe.

Sridevi on the sets of Farishtay (1991): Pretty in pink costume

 Sridevi on the sets of Farishtay (1991): Pretty in pink costume 

Rare pic: Sridevi and Vinod Khanna in Garajna (1991)

Rare pic: Sridevi and Vinod Khanna in Garajna (1991). One of a handful of films that Sridevi worked in - but never got released. 

Beautiful still of Sridevi on the sets of Banjaran (1991)

 Beautiful portrait of Sridevi on the sets of Banjaran (1991). 

Sridevi, "Boneyji is not controlling my career..."

 Sridevi, "Boneyji is not controlling my career..." 

 This pull quote from Filmfare 1991!