Sridevi still rules

At a time when her contemporaries have settled for character roles or are struggling to make an impact once again, Sridevi proved that she was the Queen Bee of Bollywood for a reason. 2012 saw the actress making a comeback with a strong role in English Vinglish — a film that didn’t have any major male protagonist. Sridevi’s slender shoulders proved more than capable of carrying off the film.

But the actress is modest about her coup. “There was no strategy or planning behind my comeback. I didn’t work on a film for 15 years because my priorities had changed. The reason I decided to act in English Vinglish was because it suited my age and sensibility. Honestly, we didn’t even think that it would become a cult film,” she says, flashing her radiant smile.

Didn’t the acclaim that followed make the diva wish she’d returned to the big screen earlier? “I was never very competitive,” Sridevi says with a shrug. “Even today, when I’m asked about how I feel about being a part of the 100-crore club, I don’t bother. My job is to understand my role in a film and to act. That’s all I worry about.”

Sridevi as Shashi in English Vinglish

There certainly wasn’t any anxiety attending her big return. Sri says it’s unfair to use terms like “comeback” for veteran actors. “After having done so many films, I don’t think it’s fair to call it that. It’s just that actors of our generation can now afford to sit back and choose the work they want to do,” she adds.

Her hiatus from the arclights was spent nurturing her two girls, Jhanvi and Khushi, and Sri takes great pride in chaperoning them around. “My children bring positive energy in my life. They’re the reason I got back to work after so many years,” she says.

Considering the photogenic image the girls make alongside their glamorous mum, questions about a filmi career are inevitable. But Sri says the decision to take up an acting career is one she and husband Boney Kapoor have left to the girls: “It’ll be their call. I’m their mother, but also their best friend. So I’ll support them in their decisions.”

From the Asian Age
Dec 30, 2012 - Reena Kapoor