TBT: Sridevi arriving at Filmfare Awards: Dressed to the hilt for her Best Actress win

 

In a tell-all interview, Pankaj Parasher revealed that Sridevi knew days before the award show that she was going to win Best Actress at Filmfare for her performance in Chaalbaaaz - and that's the only way she would turn up for the show. She was so busy in 1989/1990 period that to fly down to Mumbai, a trophy and award had to be dangled at the end of the stick! 

Sridevi was a workaholic, a dozen releases a year was not uncommon, so she didn't waste time at parties, events and award shows unless pertaining to her film/work. When Sridevi made her first appearance at the Hindi Filmfare awards nite, all eyes were on her - she rarely made public appearances.

Mithun and Sridevi on the sets of Jaag Utha Insan

 

The Shocking Age Actresses Started Working in Movies

Sridevi, age 13, as leading lady of Tmail film Moondru Mudichu

Shobhana, age 13, as leading lady of Malayalam film April 18

The shockingly young ages of iconic Indian actresses. This... would not be allowed legally now! 

 

Rekha, 15, in Saawan Bhadon

Sridevi in blue and yellow: With Jeetendra, with Anil Kapoor

 

Sridevi in Indian attire in yellow and blue on set. From Tohfa, to Lamhe. 

Sridevi in and as Roop ki Rani...

 

For all its flaws, I did see Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja a few times... on VHS... just to see Sridevi's comedy, her song and dance routines and the over-the-top costumes that were made for the film. 

Loud, brashy, Broadway style routines that Sridevi made look easy... Even this feather and sequins confection above was just the right amount of... too much! Sridevi's fab in the comedy scenes in the entire film. 

It could have used some finer editing - way too long and dragged out. As was the production - famously so. The costume caper made a lot of money - but not enough, or over the budget and scale of this epic... fiasco. 

There was a certain amount of hostility the press felt towards the makers (there's a YouTube clip of Boney Kapoor vs the press from 1993 that sounds like courtroom warfare more than a meet the press encounter)... I was a teen when the movie came out so didn't understand why they were after the makers - I mean, they made a movie, why was the press so aggressive in its questioning?! Someone pls enlighten us! 

Anyhoooo, all water under the bridge. There have been bigger budgets, bigger flops, bigger tragedies. The film is a great weekend watch for hardcore Sridevi fans. She's soooo immensely watchable even in terrible movies. I've seen Naaka Bandi, Banjaran, Heer Ranjha, particularly Nigahein, just to see gorgeous, gorgeous Sridevi. 

Sridevi : Madhuri Dixit: The gold emroidered red sari

 The stylist edit: The classic red sari 

Shatrughan Sinha turns 80! His quote on Sridevi, "Undoubtedly, she's the best actress..."

Shatrughan Sinha was 17 years older than Sridevi and the two worked in only one (flop!) film together, Sherni (1988). 

However, they worked a lot in several stage shows and he memorably handed Sridevi one of her many Best Actress Filmfare trophies.

In 1996, when the press was writing about the end of Sridevi's reign and supremacy, the Bihar behemoth pointed out that she was still a top star and great actress. 

The actor turns 80 today - and we wish him well.