Power of Three: Sridevi edition: Icons only

Cine royalty; Catherine Deneuve, Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi

Rekha, Hema Malini and Sridevi

 

Arjun Kapoor, Sridevi and Boney Kapoor

Sridevi (left) Jayasudha (center) Jayachitra (right)

Teen Deviyaan: Hema Malini, Juhi Chawla and Sridevi

Teen Deviyaan: Hema Malini, Juhi Chawla and Sridevi at a Lux event back in Sept 2005!

Hema Malini, Juhi Chawla, Sridevi, and Kareena Kapoor appeared together on stage at the Lux 75th anniversary celebration event that year, marking the brand's diamond jubilee since its launch in India in 1929. 

This milestone featured these Lux ambassadors—representing different eras of Bollywood—from the 1970s (Hema Malini), 1980s/1990s (Sridevi and Juhi Chawla), and early 2000s (Kareena Kapoor). Shah Rukh Khan also joined for the campaign's first male endorsement. The event promoted special commemorative soap packs, and photos from the gathering confirm their joint stage presence.

The story behind the ad and how it all came about can be read here --> Afaqs/Advertising

Sridevi at the audio launch of Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe in 2002: With Sanjay Kapoor, Esha Deol, Hema Malini

 

This power suit by Sridevi is so beautiful. And Sridevi, 38 at the time, looks so gorgeous. The ill-fated launch of Esha Deol in Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe (2002)... Daughter of the two greatest movie stars of Indian cinema--Dharmendra and Hema Malini--she was a pretty debutant but, sadly ill-prepared. Gautam Rajadhyaksha had said early on that she's too young to jump in and needed growing up, but the keen teen paid no heed. 

Sanjay Kapoor wasn't too bad as the villain this movie btw... but as the film tanked, very few people took note.  

Women in arms: Rekha, Madhuri Dixit, Rekha, Hema Malini: Number One Actresses of India

Women in arms: Rekha, Madhuri Dixit, Rekha Hema Malini: 

Number One Actresses of India... 

Which is such a bizarre way to credit the top stars of their time. 

Legends all and since they left their position, the slots have been left empty. The era and aura of true blue superstars is over. Every Friday the contenders change in a game of musical chairs; during the peak of these ladies, they were undisputed queens as hits and flops rose and splattered on the road, without affecting their position, status or superstardom. 

Wielding Power, Fame, Beauty,Talent: The Leading Ladies of Indian Cinema

Wielding Power, Fame, Beauty ,Talent: The Leading Ladies of Indian Cinema! A whip in hand, armed and.... fabulous!  

Sridevi, Rekha, Hema Malini, Fearless Nadia (I believe), and Bindu.  

The Age of Innocence: Bollywood's leading ladies and their plats: Sridevi, Juhi Chawla to Jaya Prada

The Age of Innocence: Bollywood's leading ladies and their plats: Sridevi, Juhi Chawla, Tina Munim, Poonam Dhillon, Hema Malini and Jaya Prada

In the age of IMDB and Wikipedia, today, every actress' date of birth and age is public knowledge. Until the turn of the century, no actress ever admitted their real age in print! For decades, you'd have to guess the age of Rekha, Jaya or Sridevi based on when their films were roughly released. Every figure and number was up for speculation. 

Anytime a lady was seen as being mature, they'd suddenly doll up in plats and baby pink colours to infuse a modicum of youthful zest on their screen personas. There was a stage when any leading lady would never want to portray the role of 'mother'  as they'd be bracketed as older - no matter how good the role was. 

In First Wive's Club, Goldie Hawn famously said, "There are three stages to an actress in Hollywood; Babe, District Attorney, Driving Miss Daisy!" 

In Bollywood, "Its college girl, Bhabhi, Mother to your Own Co-star of five years ago!" 

Hema Malini, Raakhee, Mousmi Chatterjee et al fell into that trap. Playing the mother role to stars who were either similar age or even older! Aging women out is common till date. 

Bollywood is that living contradiction; the more things change, the more they stay the same. 

 

Sridevi Trivia: Rare facts and factoids about the great Indian Actress

Random Sridevi trivia

• Did you know Sridevi acted with three former Chief Ministers? MGR, NTR and Jayalalitha?
• Did you know Sridevi's work ethic, exertion and pushing through when she was ill to wrap a film has been recorded since the early 1980s? Sridevi's self sacrifice, much to the detriment of her own health, has been recorded several times; famously, during the making of Mr.India, Chaalbaaz, Meri Biwi Ka Jawan Nahin, Gumrah, and English Vinglish. 
• Did you know while facing personal loss and tragedy, Sridevi suppressed her profound grief to continue working? Sridevi worked soon after her father's death in Lamhe, and her mother's too, when she completed Judaai soon after the passing of her mother. 
• Did you know, despite doing innumerable (well, numerable -we're working on the list!) rain song & dance sequences, she was not a fan of working on them? She couldn't hear the sound, she wasn't sure the water was clean, she spoke on Baje Payal that she doesn't love the experience of dancing in the rain on set! 
• Did you know Sridevi didn't much care for live interviews - hence rarely did them? During the peak of her career, she barely did five on TV interviews and begged off appearing on Koffee with Karan, Rendezvous with Simi Garewal and Aap ki Adalat and Vir Sanghvi's show. Finally during Mom promotions, while the others were on hiatus, she appeared with Vir Sanghvi.
• Did you know she was a huge fan of Savitri, Shammi Kapoor and Michael Jackson? 
• Did you know among new gen, Sridevi's favourites included Kajol, Vidya Balan, Kangana Ranaut, Karishma Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone? 
• Sridevi was a great fan of fellow Number One heroines, Rekha, Hema Malini and Vyjanthimala? She considered Rekha and Hemaji the ultimate screen beauties and said of herself, 'Some films, I look OK.' 

Sridevi's favourite; Hema Malini, Rekha and Vyjanthimala

Hema Malini, Esha Deol and Sridevi

Hema Malini, Esha Deol and Sridevi. Esha posted this tweet that was so spot on during the fiasco of misreporting on Sridevi back in 2018...

The stylist edit: Same same but different

The stylist edit: Same same but different. Hema Malini, Rekha, Sridevi. Everything has been done before. 

Below: Raakhee in the 1970s, Sridevi in the 1980s

The Stuff Super Women are made of: Steel Scandal Sex Appeal: Sridevi, Hema Malini, Rekha

 

The Stuff Super Women are made of: Steel Scandal Sex Appeal: Sridevi, Hema Malini, Rekha 

Above: Spread from a magazine featuring the top three Indian actresses of Bollywood. Editors and photographers would have KILLED to get all three leading ladies together for a shoot, let alone a movie - but it never happened during the prime of their careers in the 1980s. The three were never in the room at any given time - all shooting on different locations. 

However, backstage of Filmfare one holy night back in 2006, the Teen Deviyan of Bollywood, the three southern sensations were clicked together as never before and.. never again. All number one heroines, all who were at the top of their league, the biggest, the brightest, the most beautiful of their time... 

Happy Birthday Hema Malini : Sridevi's favourite

Hema Malini's reign in Bollywood was unprecedented - as even her contemporaries like Zeenat Aman and Rekha have said, actresses were easily replaceable - unless it was Hemaji. 

Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit didn't have much in common - but both were major fans of the dancing diva Hema Malini - who turns 72 today. 

Happy Days Hemaji. 

A rich archive of images of Hema Malini with Sridevi here. 

Deepika Padukone, Hema Malini and Sridevi

Queens Recognise Each Other; Deepika Padukone has been present at the launch of both Sridevi's book and Hema Malini's book.

TBT: Hema Malini bids Sridevi adieu

Hema Malini

✔@dreamgirlhema

Sridevi’s sudden passing away has left me in deep shock. Can’t imagine how such a bubbly person, a wonderful actor, is no more.She has left a void in the industry that cannot be filled. Boney is a good friend & I’ve seen their daughters grow up. My prayers are with the family

7,766

11:56 AM - Feb 25, 2018

Hema Malini

✔@dreamgirlhema

Paid my last respects to Sridevi. The entire industry was there grieving, some on the verge of breakdown. Such was her aura & magic in films. She lay there, beautiful in a red saree, serene in death & totally at peace.

5,218

3:11 PM - Feb 28, 2018

Arrangements were so well made that the whole atmosphere was tranquil, everything was smooth & executed with finesse - befitting the departed soul. Goodbye dear friend!

1,923

3:12 PM - Feb 28, 2018

Above: All three top actresses of their time; Rekha, Hema Malini and Sridevi.

The set of tweets dedicated to Sridevi above. As Rekha is not on social media, we have no info on what she said or thought during the tragic time.

Sridevi with designer Agnimitra Paul

Designer Agnimitra Paul with Sridevi over the years. 

You can read the entire feature on how Sridevi worked with the designer here on Rediff. com

Rare Pic: Hema Malini with Sridevi at the premiere of Lamhe

At the grand premiere of Lamhe, Hema Malini presented a trophy to Sridevi on 22 November 1991.

The film went on to receive 13 Filmfare award nominations and 5 wins, including Best Actress for Sridevi.

Its interesting to note, though the film was made in a budget of 6 crore and made over 20 crore in due course (largely from the overseas market as the film was written off for it bold theme in India), it's considered a flop by media and trade. Odd considering facts and figures say otherwise.

Easily our favourite film of Sridevi and her performance is beyond reproach.

Below: Rare pics of Sridevi at the grand premiere of Lamhe