The golden gown, crown and yellow feathers: The iconic look and accessories of Sridevi as Hawa Hawaii in Mr.India

The golden gown, crown and yellow feathers: The iconic look and accessories of Sridevi as Ms Hawa Hawaii in Mr.India 

Wish she had done a proper photoshoot in this entire look that's become so iconic - god I hate that phrase but its so apt here... 

Sridevi as a bride in Mr India (1987): White gown and glory

Sridevi in Mr India (1987). Her white bridal look from the song and dream sequence! 

Sridevi fan art

Sridevi fan art. Sridevi's iconic blue sari look... 

Sridevi's inspired out as Ms Hawa Hawaii in Mr India: Publicity shots with Anil Kapoor

Sridevi and Anil Kapoor's pre release publicity shoot for Mr India, back in 1986. 

Don't reel back in horror at Sridevi's elaborate, multi-frill, multi-layered outfit with the real fruit studded straw hat! 

It's from her Hawa Hawaii costume - inspired by Carmen Miranda no less. Fun fact, she requested the fruits be real so mid conversation, she could pluck grapes and eat them while she spoke to "Mr Bheja...".  

TBT: On the sets of Mr India

The crowds gather as Sridevi and Anil Kapoor shoot the title song for Mr India (1987). At the time, there were few bigger movie stars in the country - and Sridevi in particular was the biggest female superstar of the country! 

Mr India's Vintage Poster: Released by T Series

T Series got the scoop out of titan HMV back in 1987, the music rights to the super successful Mr.India. 

This vintage newspaper advert --ai colour edited this year--shouting the film's success. 

 

Excerpt: Mr.India Silver Jubilee Party: Did you know pre-fame pre-films Salman Khan attended?

 

Excerpt from Cine Blitz back in 1988, long before Salman Khan made an entry into films, he entered the Mr.India silver jubilee party on behalf of his father, writer Salim Khan. The soon to be superstar was such an unknown back then, the magazine spelt his name wrong, as "Salmaan"! 

"I expected Salmaan [sic], Salim's son to bash up Anil Kapoor at the party, because a few days back, Anil had made a pass at his girlfriend. But Salmaan disappointed me. He had not come to pick a fight, only the trophy. He was representing father Salim, who has co-scripted Mr.India with Javed. But on stage, Anupam the compere, gave the complete credit of Mr.India to Javed. Now Salmaan, has not one, but two scores to settle with Anil Kapoor. En route to their honeymoon, I saw the Reddy's - beanpole Sanjay and bashful Aparna, who are currently the guests of Yash Chopra, with Pam Chopra at the Mr.India party...."

Mr. India premiere: Shekhar Kapur, Boney Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Javed Akhtar...

 

The cast and crew of Mr.India at the grand premiere in Mumbai. 

Can you recognise all the icons?! 

Mr.India was originally written for Rajesh Khanna?! Anil Kapoor was the Replacement?!!

Legend has it that Mr.India was originally written for erstwhile superstar Rajesh Khanna in the title role. Rejected by the famously mercurial legend, he allegedly told off the writers that the  "invisibility" factor was the main hero of the film and he wasn't going to waste his time just lending his voice to the movie. The story and screenplay was written by the iconic Angry Young Men, duo Salim–Javed in what was their last collaboration before their (still inexplicable!) split.

After a few timely script changes by film director Shekhar Kapoor and producer Boney Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, the then still rising star, was cast in the place of 'the' Rajesh Khanna. Kishore Kumar, the playback singer of Khanna in innumerable superhit songs, originally recorded the memorable numbers under the impression that it would be picturised on the screen legend -- even music director Laxmikant Pyarelal were under the same impression, they were composing for the icon Khanna, not newcomer Kapoor! 

But casting musical chairs in Bollywood are nothing new. Only one star was irreplaceable; the diva-licious Sridevi. 

Below: Sridevi in her Charlie Chaplin getup for the movie! 

Rare still: Sridevi and Ajit Vachani in the Bollywood blockbuster Mr India (1987)

Sridevi and Ajit Vachani in the Bollywood blockbuster Mr India (1987)

Sridevi in her Ms Hawa Hawaii costume for the comedy scene. 

TBT: The first review of Mr.India: Anil Kapoor and Sridevi's first blockbuster: Shekhar Kapur's Classic

The principal photography of Mr. India began on 6 July 1985, and the film finally released on 25 May 1987 ie 37 years ago today!!

A rare find (left), and major throwback, the early reviews of the experimental, high-concept film that became an all-time favourite of a generation, Mr.India. 

I believe this was published in Filmfare magazine back in 1987. Excerpt;

Desi Superman

Mr India heralds a new hero who does the disappearing act to turn the tables on the enemies of the nation. And has a lot of fun in the process. 

Too much pre-release hype can boomerang. So much was promised by Mr India--the last Salim-Javed script to be directed by Shekhar Kapur who had Masoom to live up to. The story is a judicious mix of many imported and indigenous elements not taking itself too earnestly thought all those elevating sentiments of patriotism, of the common man fighting the internal and external enemies are present. These cliched props of sentiment, suitably updated to keep nice with the times are as inevitable as that deadly foreign hand insidiously working to destabilise our country. In fact, Mr India repeats the destabilising mantra with such repetitive run that you wonder if Salim-Javed and Kapur are not having you on. Besides, there is this uncanny anticipation of the current scenario--the villain Mogambo who wants to destroy India prior to conquering it and struts about like a megalomaniac in a blond wig and an outlandish uniform embroidered with zari dragons and stomping along on cowboy boots. He also demands the Nazi salute. This composite bad man is modeled on those extravagantly mad villains who make the Bond films such fun. Mr India could have been high camp but the production company of Kapoor and Kapur (Boney Kapoor and Shekhar Kapur) believes in marathons of stretching a gag till it snaps with a rebounding effect. They don't believe brevity is the soul of wit. 

Mogambo only provides the outlandish extravagance demanded by the scale of the film. They couldn't have Krypton and Gene Hackman. So they settle for a mad Mogambo (Amrish Puri) doing a parody of a latter day Chengiz Khan who has read Indian history very assiduously. To counter his diabolical plans for India is another avatar of Brahmachari. Arun Verma (Anil Kapoor) doesn't have Shammi Kapoor's breezy vitality but he tries hard. And comes up with an over-grown boy scout charm. He runs an orphanage on lots of love and very little money made form giving music lessons. The gaggle of youngsters are not individualised except for the cherubic Tina--finally made into a sacrificial lamb to feed Arun's righteous anger and pull our heartstrings. There is also the bespectacled Jugal, a sly conspirator who knows that the mysterious hero Mr India is none other than the harmless Arun bhaiyya. Kapur is marvelous with children even en masse. They are endearingly believable not the revolting moralists wished on us in film after film prattling high sermons in childish lisps. 

The film is undoubtedly Sridevi's. As Seema, the intrepid reporter of the 'Crimes of India', with an editor who is being driven mad by the vagaries of Bombay telephones, she is equal to any occasion. Initially, she's prickly with the children till they melt her heart which should've turned into stone if she were a rime reporter worth her typewriter. She sizzles as Miss Hawa Hawaii, cabaret dancer extraordinaire doing a combination of belly dancing and other gyrations born of the choreographer's fevered imagination, with élan. Even if it is an overweight élan. The director gives her the privilege of a Chaplin homage. The set piece in a tough gambling joint where Seema goes on rampage a la Charlie is not strictly necessary for the plot but is a loving homage to slapstick. Can a Hindi heroine escape drenching, even if she is number one? The I love you number is a blue one--literally as well as in its orgasmic writing by the lovelorn heroine. To balance this is the sprightly parodic medley of past hits, quite amusing. More amusing than Roshanlal of Buniyaad trying to date the events through his offkey rendering of popular film songs. Here, it is an occasion for self-congratulatory nostalgia for Laxmikant-Pyarelal. 

Mr India announces that India has come of age as far as special effects go. The tricks of an unseen man entering a room sitting on a chair, draining a bottle of Thrill and smoking a cigar will do Hollywood proud. Where the firm of Kapoor and Kapur has slipped is in wrapping up Mr India much too neatly with no room for surprises or a sequel. When they domesticated Superman into a softie and transplanted H.G.Wells' Invisible Man to a beachside Bombay bungalow, they should have kept Mr India's identity secret from Seema-Lois Lane. But leaving a love story dangling midway, however tantalisingly is anathema to our box-office formula. Here was a chance to create a comic stirp hero with a series of adventures keeping the heroine mooning about Mr Mysterious while the modest half of the hero looks on with amused knowingness. This demands a sophistication which the film makers are not willing to concede to the audience or to themselves. 

-- Maithili Rao

Bombay June 22-July 6, 1987

• We have of course 87 posts, 100+ images and features about Mr India here.
• News about Mr India 2 over the past 25 years here!

Iconic Bollywood Film Poster: Mr India: Anil Kapoor and Sridevi

Iconic Bollywood Film Poster: Mr India: Anil Kapoor and Sridevi

 

Bollywood Memories honours Sridevi and Anil Kapoor in Mr.India

Bollywood Memories honours Sridevi and Anil Kapoor in Mr.India 

Loads of pics from the 80s on Instagram this week as Mr.India celebrates 35 years of relase. 

35 years of Mr.India: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Boney Kapoor, Shekhar Kapur's Bollywood Blockbuster

35 years of Mr.India: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Boney Kapoor, Shekhar Kapur's Bollywood Blockbuster!

Clip of images posted by the film's producer Boney Kapoor on his official Instagram

We have of course loads of posts, galleries, features about the film right here - in fact, over 84 posts now in the past 22 years. 

Below, rare pics from the sets of the film. Even Jeetendra dropped by! 

A Legend on Set: Sridevi on the sets of the song Hawa Hawaii in Mr India back in 1987

A Legend on Set: Sridevi on the sets of the song Hawa Hawaii in Mr India back in 1987

TBT: Premiere of Mr.India May 25, 1987: 34 Anniversary of Iconic Indian film

34 years ago today, Mr.India was released on 25 May 1987. One of Sridevi and Anil Kapoor's most memorable blockbusters and all-time favourite film of a generation of cine-goers. Shekhar Kapur's second directorial venture - it was the second biggest hit of '87 (it lost out the prime number one position to Hukumat (Dharmenda film) which is remembered for.... um... nothing really! [Years from now a generation of film fans will similarly wonder about Radhe - why was it such a big ratings hit when the movie was so God-awful!]

Below, rare pictures from the grand premiere of the blockbuster, Mr.India. 

Rare glimpses of what went on that memorable night back in the summer of 1987. 

Young Hrithik Roshan arrives with father Rakesh Roshan for the premiere of Mr.India

Above: Sridevi with her only sister Sreelatha at the premiere of the movie. We think the young girl was probably Maheshwari... 

Sridevi with choreographer Saroj Khan, Amrish Puri, director Shekhar Kapur, Anil Kapoor, music director Laxmikant with his wife - and film producer Boney Kapoor. 

Vinod Khanna with Sridevi 

Above: The cast and crew of Mr.India: Cinematographer Baba Azmi, Anil Kapoor, ?, Sridevi, Amrish Puri and writer and lyricist Javed Akthar. 

Below the Lehrein Retro video feature on the lavish premiere of the movie! 

We have 90 posts on the film Mr.India in our archives here.

The only awards Mr.India won during its time here. 

Shekhar Kapur tweets about Mr.India: Bollywood's favourite film

 

Shekhar Kapur

@shekharkapur

·

1h

Lessons of Life : Great plots don’t make hit movies, great characters do. Mr India had Mogambo, Miss Hawa Hawai, Arun Bhaiya , little Tina that died .Larger than life Anil Kapur as #MRindia , Daga and Teja, Fu Manchu and who could forget Calendar (Khanna do khana so)

Excerpt from a magazine interview in the 1980s with Mr.India's director Shekhar Kapur, "Mr. India's success is frightening because of the problems it will create for my next film."

Rare pic: Sridevi on the sets of Mr.India getting ready to Charlie Chaplin herself

Rare pic: Sridevi on the sets of Mr.India getting ready to Charlie Chaplin herself! 

Vinyl and publicity stills of Mr India: Sridevi and Anil Kapoor's blockbuster

 Vinyl and publicity stills of Mr India: Sridevi and Anil Kapoor's blockbuster