TBT: Stardust writer Sonali Kotnis' lengthy interview with Sridevi back in 1996.
Excerpt:
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The ambiance of her house is perfect. The elaborately done paintings and the crystal artifacts awe me. Certain issues I have to skirt around and they are left covered like the sofas in her drawing room. Ask her about her big B (Boney Kapoor of course) connection and she pleads "please forgive me". (I am glad she doesn't go blue in the face denying the liaison).
Professionally of course the diva is on her way to resurrection. What was dubbed as her swan song is now being heralded as her come back vehicle. With Army Sridevi is slated to win the battle. As the buzz goes, the film has everything going for it, rave reviews, chart-busting music, fantastic performances. So we might as well fasten our seat belts, Devi times are here again.
The one woman army is ready to storm her way to the top of victory post. So what if it would only be a personal victory, the rewards of that were far greater.
"I appreciate the fact that Army is getting a positive response in totality and not just for my role alone. Everyone has done justice to their work. Touchwood, I hope Mr Bechara too meets with the same fate."
Sure, the back against the wall performances had a don't mess with me message to her critics.
"I have never wanted to prove anything to anybody, not even to myself. I have put as much effort, be it for a Chandni, Chandramukhi or Army" that was definite, and another thing that was definite was that heroine oriented projects always meant that the heroine is an avenging angel. Was the Hindi film heroine so one dimensional?
"Army definitely is a heroine oriented film but, that central character has been projected in a very different manner and all the other characters are equally important. Most of the thrust in heroine oriented films from the beginning to end, is based on her fury. Anyway I can't think of a heroine oriented film being any different. Our Indian cinema hasn't reached that level as yet. For instance, here heroine oriented means I have to kill somebody, that's where Army is different. Its not that in Army I'm showing my face from the beginning to the end of the film. And I'm still as excited about the project. Actually I am motivated by anything I am comfortable doing".
However, she obviously wasn't motivated enough by her role in Yugpurush. A dream role in a prestigious film opposite Nana Patekar and Jackie Shroff. A move that has triggered a debate on how she doesn't take her career seriously any more.
"The character I was supposed to play in Yugpurush," she explained "Is a very good character. There was only one thorn in the flesh, I was supposed to be playing a prostitute. Somewhere I think I have developed a mental block against playing a prostitute. I get uncomfortable and so I guess I won't be able to do full justice to the character."
That isn't all. In her apathy towards the character Sri has definitely ruffled a few feathers. Nana for one is reportedly cut up with her refusal, since he was very keen to work with her. "Why are you mentioning only his side of the story?" she goes on like a petulant child, "Even I wanted to work with him. I think he is a very convincing actor, unfortunately I didn't get a chance to work with him in Yugpurush, but I am hoping to work with him in the near future."
In spite of this mutual respect, it is rather strange that she didn't even acknowledge him when they came face to face, "Aisa to kuch nahin (Nothing like that). I am not suffering from myopia or any other eye sight problem. The moment I saw him, I wished him and he also wished me. And he asked about my mom's health, that was a gesture that really touched me. It was as if he relating to me as a person not just as an actress."
That was sensitive Sridevi for you. On a tough day did she sit back to analyze where things had gone wrong? "That is a very good thing about me. I always put the worst behind me I'll never think about it. I'll try not to repeat my mistakes."
Where most top heroines go wrong is that once they achieve a certain level, they suddenly turn exclusive and stop exposing. In short they underplay their, till then positive, assets.
"I think whatever our positive points are, once we get complimentary feedback, we overdo it so much that the audience gets fed up of it. For instance, it happened with me. In every project they kept repeating the comedy element with me. Every time I had to roll my eyes and put on the same mischievous grin till it became monotonous. Which is why I make it a point to be different."
There was a point of time when dances were her forte. Then somewhere along the way, Madhuri came up with Ek do teen and usurped her place. And what's more even today when she has a not so successful Yaraana, it still has a hit Mera piya ghar aaya, while even a flop Rajkumar has a hummable, Maine kiye paar saat samundar. Her take over was also easy because Sridevi had stopped doing seductive numbers once she had reached the top.
"I think I overdid the seductive numbers. I don't think the heroine whether it's Madhuri or me or anyone else for that matter can insist that she has to do the same item number in every film. It is totally the producer's or the director's choice. And if I have stopped doing these numbers it is because I have graduated to doing different roles like in Lamhe, Khuda Gawah, or Laadla, where the role didn't need me to do all this jhatak matak. See, I think it is very important for an actress to grow, and whatever the outcome, whether hit or flop, I hope I go down doing more projects like these, which are different".
Speaking of different, today Madhuri's list of admirers also were a different lot. Don't you wish you had an M.F. Hussain to paint you in colorful accolades too? Sridevi's "No comments" was punctuated with loud and uncontrollable laughter - comment enough.
Having meaty roles in films had it's negative fallout too. Heroes perceive you as a potential threat. One instance of this is Meri Biwi Ka Jawab Nahin, co-starring Akshay Kumar. Apparently the Khiladi Kumar is apprehensive about doing out dates because he thinks MBKJN is her show all the way. So the film is apparently shelved.
"No, no, no. This is not true. It is Akshay who wants to finish the film, I have received messages to that effect from several people. I think he is very professional in his approach. I don't think he would be creating any problems. And anyway, there is no reason for him to be insecure, meri biwi ka jawaab nahin yeh kaun bol raha hai? pati hi bol raha hai na? And the pati is Akshay Kumar. So why should he be insecure?"
Did she take it a compliment then, when a Karisma walked out of Judaai because she feared that she wouldn't match up to the Sridevi level of histrionics? "Of course I am complimented" Sri smirked. "But I think it was a wrong thing to do on her part. I believe that she thought I would have the better role in the film, but whatever I would be doing in the film would be what the director would want me to. So there is no question of the film being manipulated in my favor. All her fears were totally unfounded."
Hadn't this kind of insecurity ever brought Ma'am to the crossroads. "I remember very early in my career I was supposed to be doing this Telugu film with Shardaji. I was in awe of her. But it was a wonderful experience. I learnt a lot from from the film and her. I have always believed in one thing if there is a challenge I make it a point to take it up. There is one thing a talented co-star always gets a better performance from you," she recalled.
What is the legendary Sridevi's ego like today, battered, bruised, up against the wall or content? "Believe it or not, I don't have an ego. That is one of the first lessons I learnt when I entered this line. Every thing here is so uncertain. One moment you are a goddess and the next moment you are out of work. And under the circumstances the ego is hardly any help. I don't believe in it and I think every actor or actress should learnt to crush their ego even before they learn to act. But here the equation is very strange, so many people who don't know to act also have an ego."
I longed to ask her if the statement was as general as she was trying to make it sound or whether it was a very, very subtle crack at Karishma Kapoor but I let it pass.
Surprisingly Sri's ego has been attributed as the singular reason for her abandoning her career down south mid-stream. "Nahi nahi, I couldn't handle so much of workload. But yet I'd keep doing one project down south every year."
Her retreat from the south was attributed to the fact that, a multi-crore project (with Chiranjeevi) had to bite the dust. "By this logic I shouldn't even be in Bombay after Chandramukhi and Chaand Ka Tukuda!" Her reply was witty. "Yes, the film I did with Chiranjeevi did not do well at the box office but that was because the film I had done with him previously, Apsara was a super hit. In that film I was playing this glamorous celestial being. But in this film I played this deglamourized, blind girl and Chiranjeevi and me were husband and wife in the film. There were no elaborate song sequences or dances or comedy. So the audiences were sorely disappointed and I respect their opinion".
What medium of cinema was she more comfortable with then, Hindi or regional? "To be very honest I'd love to work equally in both places but I have realized that it is humanly impossible. You know, when I'd come to Bombay, all my producers would expect me to be as thin as reed. The moment I'd go down south, the makers there would only ask me one thing, what happened? Are you not well? Why are you losing so much weight?. It was really bizarre what with all that constant losing weight and gaining it. I thought my system would just give way some day. Then I made up my mind that it is better to concentrate here"
The demand of the audience juxtaposed to the creative supply can be a Catch 22 situation. Hadn't the saturation point virus victimized the indefatigable Sridevi yet? "The day I feel that way, I'm going to hang up my boots. And to avoid feeling that way I have consciously cut down my work" Clever, clever.
It was surprising that she hadn't worked out other career options like direction. "Please I am happy as I am. I'd rather be on this side of the camera" she expostulates, appalled at the suggestion. Not one give up, I continue ribbing her.
Can an actress of her calibre draw satisfaction from running around trees or rolling in the snow? Wouldn't she like to do a Rudaali like Dimple? "I would love to. But no one comes to me with offers like that. I think those producers shy away, thinking that my price is too steep".
Price is one of the primal factors that was her waterloo. It is rumored that she was charging an astronomical sum of Rupees one lakh plus per day and an additional kitchen expense of rupees three thousand daily. A packet that made her a non viable proposition from the producer's point of view? "I've never heard any producer saying I was too expensive. If at all a project didn't materialize the fault must've been with the project and not with me. Anyway the price you've mentioned is entirely untrue."
In addition, her demeanor seemed to be from the old school of thought, she gave the impression of being cold and unapproachable, that is why she hadn't really established a camaraderie with her workmates. "I am not on backslapping terms with all the unit members. I have to really know somebody well before I can warm up to that person. I have a very one track mind when I am on the sets I blinker myself to all the other surroundings and concentrate on my work. I don't do this purposely so I hope no one has taken offense to this".
In Rangeela Ram Gopal Varma is said to have spoofed on her as a Hindi film heroine who was of the 'ask Mummy' variety. "I've seen Rangeela. Are you referring to the heroine who refused to dance? Is it a spoof on me? I don't think so. Because I've worked with Ram Gopal Varma in two films and had he felt that I was so troublesome in the first film, I'm sure he wouldn't have repeated me in his second venture..... Do you really think that was me?"
Her refusal to come to terms with reality makes her rout a painful spectacle. Even today she is hurt when a song is added in Army with Shah Rukh. What she doesn't want to face is that it is done merely keeping his star draw in view. "I have no misconceptions about all this because I know that Shah Rukh's may be a special appearance, but the entire story is motivated because of him. His character is very important and that song is an integral part."
Since she has worked with a Jeetendra, Amitabh and Dharmendra in the past and she is working with an Akshay, Shah Rukh and Salman currently, where did she feel that the two generation differed? "When I worked with Jeetendra, Amitabh and Dharamji I was not mature at all. I was more in awe of the stars, learning my Hindi. Today I am a part of this generation. I am comfortable with the language and so I am at ease."
Most heroines suffer from a Fedora complex, the fear of aging. I wondered about if she had suffered from that insecurity. "I don't know, I haven't faced it yet" she laughed uproariously. "Anyway I don't believe in it. I think why only actresses? Everybody should grow old gracefully. It is very easy for me to say this now when I'm young but when I'm growing old even I might go to pieces. You never know."
Today in introspection was she happy with all the sacrifices she had made for her career? Be it her education or marital status? "There is one thing I always dreamt of, an ideal life and that is the one I'm leading." She expostulates, not letting the mask slip. "To get something you've got to stake something. It's all a gamble. Do you think as a college student or a housewife I would have this fame or money? Anyway this is only the first half of my life's motion picture, the second half is yet to come. There is still time for marriage and it is never too late to learn."
So she thought the glamour compensated for everything, "I am not going to be acting all my life. Whatever I've missed out on, be rest assured, I'll live it up." Strong words indeed.
How often did she suspect a person who declared his love for her to be a gold digger? "Why only me? I think any actress must be facing this insecurity. Even if I find the right man I wonder what his ulterior motive is. And believe me, even if I find the richest man in the world, this fear will plague me."
Honestly, how many marriage proposals had she turned down before she realized it was too late? "Do you think It's too late?" She stumps me with her bluntness. I can't believe this is the woman the media calls the tigress. No, I assure her, and she continues. "I left this department completely to my mom. If ever I heard about any boy it was only as to why he was rejected. I was completely ignorant about every thing else. I genuinely felt when the time comes my mom will find me a Mr. Right, now with her failing health, I realize I'll have to take care of that side too."
Is there she regretted about that phase? "To be very honest, I regret not taking certain decisions. I would like to rewind my life and not have to explain certain decisions I take." I appreciate her honest appraisal. It strikes me that she isn't answering my questions any more. Her last statement was more an admission to herself.
I notice also how every query of mine about the current man in her life, Boney Kapoor, is silently side tracked. That's one question she's not ready to answer yet! In quest for this interview-athon I trail her highness from her house to the photo shoot and then on to her dubbing. I have been a spectator to her reasoning, bantering, growing, scoffing, pretended intelligence and feigned naivete. But two things have remained etched in my memory. One is her patience as an interviewee and the other is the gorgeous pleasant Devi's translucent, peaches and cream complexion.
Take my word folks, this time it is love.
As for the signs of the mid life crisis I'd set out searching for, I returned empty handed. And believe me, I've no regrets. Just talking to the last STAR actress was reward enough.
By Sonali Kotnis
Stardust, July, 1996
Images below - all shot by Rakesh Shreshta.
check ARMY Wikipedia it was big hit not a descent earner. Rectify your statement.
ReplyDeleteWikipedia - and you - are wrong. Army did just ok at the box office! We were there! We remember!
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