Film producer and director Umesh Mehra turns 73 today - he famously fought with Sridevi during and post-production of the Hindi film, Guru [Starring Mithun and Sridevi]. A film that started production in 1987 and released early in 1989, despite it being the biggest hit of the Mithun-Sridevi combo, Sridevi never worked with her notorious co-star or director ever again.
As the producer/director turns a year old today, a look back at his career.
Umesh Mehra: A Career of High Peaks, Sharp Turns, and Lasting Curiosity
Umesh Mehra, born in 1953, remains one of the more intriguing figures of 1980s–90s Bollywood. As the creative force behind Eagle Films, he carved out a niche directing slick entertainers that blended action, glamour, and mass‑friendly storytelling. ie he wasn't one lining up nominations and he wasn't on the awards circuit, but his movies did well.
His films often reflected the commercial pulse of their time — unapologetically mainstream, star‑driven, and designed for the single‑screen audience. Mehra’s career spanned over two decades, during which he collaborated with some of the biggest names in Hindi cinema, from Rekha to to Jeetendra to Mithun Chakraborty to Akshay Kumar, and delivered several box‑office successes that defined the era’s masala sensibilities.
He directed Rekha in the thriller Jaal - a personal favourite film that was a massive hit for Rekha, as the film relied solely on her superstar status. She's fantastic in the movie and given several moments to shine - despite her erratic off screen persona in the 1980s, on screen, Rekha delivers gold. Mehra and Akshay Kumar worked in a few hit films, and he directed Sridevi and Mithun in the first blockbuster of 1989, Guru. However, no one involved with the film looks back on that chapter with fond recollections despite being a decade ending hit.
⭐ The Famous Umesh Mehra–Sridevi Feud
One of the most talked‑about chapters of Mehra’s career was his fallout with superstar Sridevi. Their clash reportedly began during the making of Guru, where creative disagreements escalated into a complete breakdown of communication. Industry insiders long whispered that Mehra felt Sridevi was too demanding and interfered with production decisions, while Sridevi’s camp believed Mehra failed to provide the clarity and professionalism she expected. The rift became so pronounced that the two never worked together again, despite Sridevi’s meteoric rise and Mehra’s continued presence in commercial cinema. Their feud became part of Bollywood folklore - a reminder of how combustible star/director dynamics could be in the pre‑corporate era.
To top it all, in the film Guru, Sridevi objected to a kissing scene with Mithun Chakraborty due to her personal boundaries and the strained relationship with her once close co-star. Initially, she had agreed to the scene, Mehra alleged, but later requested its removal, stating that it went against her comfort level. Despite her objections, the director shot the scene using a body double without her consent, which led to significant turmoil among Sridevi and her family. He claimed the stars did the deed, Sridevi's family counter-claimed it was fake and the scene maligned the image of the actress. They took legal action to remove the scene from the film, highlighting Sridevi's strong stance against on-screen intimacy. It was such an ugly spat that both refused to work with the other despite the massive commercial success of their collaboration.
Eerily enough, Madhuri Dixit worked with Mehra in the Jackie Shroff led film Vardi, and later discussed how uncomfortable she was working in Mehra's movie. After much delay, Guru released on Jan 1, 1989 with Sridevi, Vardi released with Madhuri Dixit that same week - on Jan 6, 1989, and both top actresses never worked with him ever again, rarely bringing up Mehra's name in print. Rekha went on to work with Mehra and the steamy scenes of the song and dance routine In the Night no Control, was so controversial in the 90s that the Censor Board slapped the film with an Adults-only certificate! Yes really! Sex and violence - the film was Mehra's biggest hit, Rekha's biggest hit that decade, and another notch on action Kumar's portfolio.
In fact, Mehra’s biggest hits include the Mithun Chakraborty–led Ashanti (1982), the thriller Jaal (1986), and his biggest commercial triumphs came with Akshay Kumar; they worked in three films together, back-to-back; International Khiladi (1999), Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996) and Sabse Bada Khiladi (1995). Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi cemented Akshay Kumar’s action‑hero image and is easily Mehra's biggest commercial hit. Most of Mehra's movies showcased his flair for pacing, glamour, and mass appeal. In the 1980s, he had a successful winning formula with Mithun - they worked on 8 films together, and in the 90s, as Mithun's career faded, and young Akshay Kumar came on to the scene, Mehra worked with Kumar in three films. Even though all their collaborations were successful, Mehra and Kumar never worked together after International Khiladi which released in 1999, a culmination of the Khiladi trifecta. Hit films, but in no measure great films, only the producers and masses were happy.
Hits and flops aside, the film maker was certainly no darling of the critics and never won a single award as director or producer (apart from a lifetime achievement award handed out in 2021!) in his 25 year career! Spanning from 1978 to 2003, the only time he was on stage was when he was giving away a trophy!
Mehra’s career saw steep declines, one after another starting with Qila (1998), a critical and commercial disaster that tragically ended up being the great Dilip Kumar's final film. Dilip Kumar did not care for the experience and retired from cinema altogether! When the IP of Khiladi waned, International Khiladi (1999) underperformed, and Yeh Mohabbat Hai (2002) with newcomers tanked, his final film sealed Mehra's fate. The collapse at the box office effectively ended his directorial journey which began in 1979 with Hamare Tumhare.
Little is heard from Mehra now, apart from his stints on TV that are not reliant on opening weekend ticket sales. The pressure of Bollywood is such that you can be a veteran filmmaker of 20-30 years, but all they remember is your last flop, a history of hits quickly forgotten.
Bollywood is not for the weak; the weak of heart or weak of wallet.
Now mostly retired, we see glimpses of Umesh Mehra on social media. He recently posted photos of himself with Sridevi and clearly has let the dust settle. I believe the two eventually settled out of court and the offending scenes were removed from Guru so the film could release. The producers obviously prefer to remember how much money they made, not the bump on the road.
Mehra can today reflect on his legacy as a successful film maker whose career ups and downs reflect the changing tides and times of Bollywood. He went with the flow - and when the flow stopped, so did he.
