The cast of Bhagwaan Dada: Tina Munim, Rajinikanth, Sridevi, Rakesh Roshan and Hrithik Roshan

The cast of Bhagwaan Dada: Tina Munim, Rajinikanth, Sridevi, Rakesh Roshan and Hrithik Roshan. 

Superstar Rajinikanth with superstar-in-the-making, young Hrithik Roshan. 

 

TBT: Sridevi's last birthday hosted by celebrity designer (and best friend) Manish Malhotra: Aishwarya Rai, Rekha, Vidya Balan, Rani Mukherjee, Tina Munim, Shabana Azmi attend

Throwback to 2017! Manish Malhotra hosted a party to celebrate Sridevi’s 54th birthday, and of course, the entire crème de la crème of Bollywood showed up; an A-list line up of iconic Indian actresses celebrating the female fraternity of film icons. It turned into this rare, magical gathering where actresses of note from different generations came together, looking absolutely stunning and owning every bit of their power. 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Vidya Balan, Rani Mukerji, Rekha, Tina Ambani, and of course, the birthday girl Sridevi herself — all in one room, smiling, laughing, and clicking those gorgeous photos that just scream timeless elegance and sisterhood.

Vidya Balan looked completely starstruck, like she couldn’t believe she was sharing the same space with all her idols under one roof; Filmfare Awards nite would have died to get this lineup together for a cover, let alone their (increasingly questionable) awards ceremony. 

The energy must have been unreal. I can’t stop wondering what these fierce, legendary women were talking about. Was it scripts, life, family… or were they secretly plotting global domination with their unmatched talent and grace? Or maybe they were just laughing about how the media loves to pit strong women against each other and create unnecessary drama where none exists.

Either way, it was such a refreshing sight — real admiration, no shade, just pure celebration of each other’s journeys. 

Big shoutout and blessings to Manish Malhotra for always creating these special spaces where Bollywood’s most powerful female forces can come together, bond, and shine unapologetically. 

More of this please!

Sridevi's last Birthday Celebrations at Manish Malhotra's home with A-list stars.

A rare clip of Sridevi surrounded by industry friends; the A-list of Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Rani Mukherjee, Rekha, Shabana Azmi, Tina Munim/Ambani, at Sridevi's best friend, designer Manish Malhotra's house. And Jitesh Pillai was there for... whatever reason. 

 

Sridevi, Rakesh Roshan, Tina Munim and Rajinikanth in Bhagwaan Dada in 1986

Sridevi, Rakesh Roshan, Tina Munim and Rajinikanth in Bhagwaan Dada in 1986

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. 

 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Vidya Balan, Rekha, Tina Munim, Shabana Azmi at Sridevi's birthday

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Vidya Balan, Rekha, Tina Munim, Shabana Azmi at Sridevi's birthday party hosted by Manish Malhotra at his palatial apartment - back in 2017. 

Rekha G making Sridevi laugh... 

Ah memories. 

Happy Birthday Sridevi - wherever you are. 

PS: Also in pic Jitesh Pillai, the infamous editor of Filmfare. His written interviews are ok but his on screen video clips are cringe. 

Tina Ambani (nee Munim) with Sridevi

Tina Ambani (nee Munim) with Sridevi

TBT: Sridevi at Tina Ambani (ne Munim)'s Birthday Bash

TBT: Sridevi at Tina Ambani's birthday bash on Feb 11 2018. A few days before... 

Sridevi and Tina Munim were contemporaries in the early 1980s and even did a film together - Bhagwaan Daada. The two busy stars met long after and stayed good friends. In fact, the Ambanis went out of their way to help Boney Kapoor during Sridevi's untimely passing and tragic death. 

Bollywood's leading ladies celebrate Sridevi: Rekha, Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukerji, Vidya Balan, Tina Munim, Shabana Azmi

TBT: Sridevi (श्रीदेवी) with her predecessors, contemporaries and successors in Bollywood! At her last birthday at the residence of Manish Malhotra...

Among others, in the picture find Sri with Rani Mukerji, Tina Munim, Rekha, Vidya Balan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shabana Azmi.

Dazzling in white Sridevi at Kunal and Niharika Jhunjhunwala wedding: Tina Ambani, Boney Kapoor

It was a starry night at the Jhunjhunwala occasion as celebrities graced the event of Kunal and Niharika’s sangeet. 

The high profile ceremony of Rakesh Jhunjhunwala’s nephew and Raju Jhunjhunwala’s son, Kunal and his lovely bride-to-be, Niharika was attended by noted celebrities such as Sridevi who was accompanied by husband Boney Kapoor, actress Poonam Dhillon, power couple Anil and Tina Ambani, director R. Balki and many more. 

Among all the celebrities, Sridevi simply shone. She was positively radiant in her shimmering white saree draped elegantly around her.

Info from Bollywood mantra

Legendary Chinese director Zhang Yimou with Indian actress and Icon Sridevi: Tina Ambani, Gauri Shinde and Janhvi Kapoor too at MAMI 2012

 Sridevi, Sridevi’s daughter Jhanvi, Chinese director Zhang Yimou, Indian director Gauri Shinde and 
former actress/socialite Tina Ambani pose as they attend the opening ceremony for 
the 14th Mumbai Film Festival in Mumbai Oct. 18. 
(AFP/Getty Images)

Sridevi with one of the greatest directors in world cinema, Zhang Yimou.

Would be soooo amazing to see Sridevi in an international venture. One day perhaps...

Pic from here.


In picture, L to R: Sridevi, Janhvi Kapoor, Zhang Yimou, Gauri Shinde and Tina (Munim) Ambani

Sridevi and Tina Ambani remained friends from the early days - when they worked together in films in the 1980s till the very end...

Sridevi at Mumbai film festival MAMI (2012): Sri's designer Manish Malhotra Saree

Sridevi was asked to light the lamp at MAMI, 2012. One of Mumbai's most prestigious film festivals, fresh off the success of the well-received (and with Sridevi's universally appreciated performance), English Vinglish, Sridevi graced the occasion looking absolutely ravishing.

Gorgeous in yet another Manish Malhotra creation, Sridevi arrived at the event with her husband Boney Kapoor and eldest daughter Janhvi.

Actress Jaya Bachchan, director Ramesh Sippy, billionaire Anil Ambani with wife Tina Munim-Ambani, and other dignitaries from the film industry and captains of industry attended. Sridevi and Tina Munim worked in movies together back in the 1980s and caught up with each other.

Jaya Bachchan congratulated Sridevi on her amazing performance in English Vinglish and embraced her.  From one great actress to another....