The Sridevi centrefold: Cine Blitz's spread in 1989

 

oh the 80s prom dress! A look from Chaalbaaz. Sridevi rockin' out.

Sridevi in the 1980s in Bollywood

The over edit by AI apps... it sort of looks like Sridevi... but it isn't.

The original series are in the archive here - newspaper scans and old magazine images unrestored, but at least it is Sridevi - instead of images that sort of look like her... but are not.

Grok and Gemini image edits is good, just not perfect.  

Sridevi and Sreelatha Grok'd! Sridevi with her only sister

A photo not frequently seen, Sreelatha, Sridevi's only sister, with Sridevi in their Chennai mansion in the mid 1980s. 

Originally published in Cine Blitz magazine, it was a rare insight to the private life of Sridevi back home. 
 

Sridevi as a bride in Jaag Utha Insan (1984)

The trouble with Ai-- be it Gemini, Grok or what have you -- is that when it does image corrections, it overcorrects to the point of non-recognition. Unless the prompt is just right and accurate, and done without laze and constant edit that reverts to the original face of the star, it looks like an alternate cousin. of the original. But not the original.

The above image was a newspaper scan, and colour corrected and restored by Gemini. 

Rare pic: Anil Kapoor with Sridevi in UK during Lamhe

Rare pic: Anil Kapoor with Sridevi in UK during Lamhe 

Collage of the Top 90s Actresses: Madhuri Dixit, Kajol, Sridevi, Aishwarya Rai, Juhi Chawla and Raveena Tandon

Collage of the Top 90s Actresses: Madhuri Dixit, Kajol, Sridevi, Aishwarya Rai, Juhi Chawla and Raveena Tandon 

Sridevi with her favourite photographer: Rakesh Shreshta

Sridevi, Rakesh Shreshta and director Mukul Anand 

The only reason I know of Rakesh Shrestha is because of magazine credits in the late 1980s and early 90s, found in the folds of many a Bollywood-based film magazine-- somehow, all my favourite images (particularly those of Sridevi, Manisha Koirala, on occasion Rekha) were by this mysterious man who seemed to have access, a deep friendship and confidence of ALL the tops stars of their time. Very little is known about him publicly... which might be his wish, but we wanted to secure his status as one of the greats that percolated Mumbai film industry and the juggernaut that is Bollywood.  

So here's a mini dive. The once prominent Indian still-photographer is best known for his extensive work in Bollywood, where he captured publicity stills of major movies, and special photography for over 600 films, making him a prominent part of not just film journalism, but films itself. His images were used to launch stars, films, film magazines, film posters, the iconography of Hindi cinema. 

Born on October 5, 1956, in Bombay (now Mumbai) to a family of Nepali origin, he was raised in the city which would be synonymous with the film capital of the world. A commerce graduate, he initially worked in a colour lab handling accounts before transitioning to photography. Without formal training or assisting others, he started in the early 1980s with a modest camera, initially doing urgent passport photos and building confidence through persistence and self-taught skills.

His breakthrough came after persistently approaching actress Neetu Singh on film sets, eventually shooting her for a magazine cover that launched his career. This led to long-term collaborations with major stars, including Rekha (with whom he worked extensively starting around 1981 and praised for her professionalism, creativity, and technical knowledge of lighting/makeup), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (whom he called one of the most beautiful actresses he photographed), Sridevi, Jackie Shroff, Sanjay Dutt, and many others. 

Notable film credits include still photography for Chandni (1989), Lamhe (1991), 1942: A Love Story (1994), Vaastav: The Reality (1999), and others, often for major productions like Yash Raj Films.

He built a successful career through charm, persistence, and creating comfortable environments for stars. 

After the tragic death of his first wife, Jean, in 2009, he significantly slowed down and largely stepped back from active work to support his beloved son Rohan Shrestha’s photography career (avoiding competition for assignments) and focus on family. He has a second son, Rihaan, from his later marriage.

Shrestha is remembered as a self-made industry veteran who documented key eras of Hindi cinema through his lens. 

In the west, most photographers recap their portfolio in mighty coffee table books and so far, Shreshta has resisted the temptation to publish his incredible work over the past 40 years. One imagines the sheer volume of negatives and series of images of stars to be monumental; a herculean task awaits. We all live in hope he'll publish a book that's not only a retrospective of his personal musings and muses, but an archive of some of the greatest stars that came and went in the transient space that is Bollywood. Stars shine and fade, supernovas are forever-- Rakesh Shreshta in capturing many celebrities is at risk of being one himself. 

My massive archive of Rakesh Shreshta photos are here and here.