When Sridevi burst into Bollywood in 1983, cracking through pots and pans in a flurry of hot orange, shocking pink and dazzling diamantes, she ruptured through the glass ceiling so quickly, it left her contemporaries far behind. Sridevi gazumped the status quo a lot faster than her contemporaries; hit songs, top stars, double roles, title roles, top pay packets and above-title name in the marquee. She learned through observation not schooling, empirical study more than text book - leaving her seniors, contemporaries and competition behind.
There have been other superstars and top actresses who earned their coin early on but Sridevi's fierce momager, the formidable Rajeshwari Ayappan, would not budge when it came to budgets. Even though Sridevi's mother Rajeshwarai didn't have an MBA, she knew supply and demand fundamentals, there was just one Sridevi in a sea of easily replaceable heroines.
Early on, Sridevi's remuneration was a subject of discussion - in that respect, I've often compared Sridevi to Julia Roberts [for the non-desi readers] more than Meryl Streep. Though we can measure up thespian to thespian, Roberts was a point and pinnacle of reference as their salary and status in the entertainment industry hierarchy has always been up for debate and discussion. Why was young Sridevi at 21 charging more than her contemporaries? Because she could.
The Tamil born Telugu icon not only had the highest income but she was also the busiest - she wasn't twiddling her thumb at home as producers didn't want to pay her - they did. And how. Just look at her 1980s filmography - she was averaging 12 Indian films a year for most of that decade [sacrificing health and a personal life]. Sridevi had fabulous contemporaries; great actresses, beauties, dancers, fashion icons, makeup icons, but they had that
je ne sais quoi and oomph factor missing. And luck. Sridevi herself stated that there were many of her contemporaries who didn't reach her heights as luck didn't favour them.
Meenakshi was a Miss India, well-educated, spoke eloquently, was a classically trained dancer in mulitple forms - but did she ever attain Number One status? Or even win a single Filmfare?! Amrita Singh had such power and clout, Rekha, Reena Roy were all fluent in Hindi and had the most inredible diction. Poonam Dhilloon was a Punjabi cherub beauty, Kimi Katkar and Mandakini famously were light eyed, light skinned leading ladies, long before Aishwarya Rai ruled Miss World... but are they as fondly remembered in that era as Sridevi is today? Even after eight years of her passing...
We do no believe in denigrating any of these women - who faced God-knows what in the film industry . The wolves were there early on - as its slowly being revealed today. The ladies made a life and career beyond Bollywood after the industry booted them post marriage and that divisive year of them turning 30. It is only today when leading ladies have opportunities to work after they pass decade road blocks in their life and career. Make no mistake, Bollywood is ageist and sexist till date - they just veil it better. Otherwise, we should be seeing more of gifted actresses like Rekha, Padmini, Dimple...
This collage of leading ladies of Hindi cinema in 1980s, most debuted in the 1970s. Note how painfully young they were when they started, and how quickly their status as a leading lady was pulled from them. Poonam, Amrita, Dimple, Rati, Padmini etc were relegated to character roles - while Sridevi was leading films till the very shocking end...
| Name |
Hindi Debut Film (Year) |
Age at Debut |
Last / Latest Film (Year) |
Age at Last Film |
| Jaya Prada |
Sargam (1979) |
17 |
Rajjo (2013) |
51 |
| Reena Roy |
Zaroorat (1972) |
15 |
Refugee (2000) |
43 |
| Poonam Dhillon |
Trishul (1978) / Noorie (1979) |
16 |
Plan A Plan B (2022) |
60 |
| Meenakshi Seshadri |
Painter Babu (1983) |
19 |
Ghatak (1996) |
32 |
| Amrita Singh |
Betaab (1983) |
25 |
Heropanti 2 (2022) |
64 |
| Padmini Kolhapure |
Ishq Ishq Ishq (1974) [Child artist]
Insaf Ka Tarazu (1980) [Adult, leading lady] |
9
15 |
Panipat (2019) |
54 |
| Tina Munim |
Des Pardes (1978) |
21 |
Jigarwala (1991) |
34 |
| Dimple Kapadia |
Bobby (1973) |
16 |
Azaad (2025) |
67 |
| Kimi Katkar |
Patthar Dil (1985) |
19 |
Humlaa (1992) |
26 |
| Mandakini |
Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985) |
22 |
Zordaar (1996) |
33 |
| Rati Agnihotri |
Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981) |
20 |
Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai (2017) |
56 |
.png)
