Although Sridevi burst into the national consciousness in a flourish of colour, amrapali outfits, pots and pans in Nainon main Sapna (Himmatwala, 1983), the seminal film that switched many non-Sri fans to hardcore fanatics was undoubtedly Chandni (1989). Gone was the gawky teen with gaudy colours. Voila, the polished perfection of a chiffon-sari clad diva.
Though Sridevi went to win the Best Actress award for Chaalbaaz that same year, the box-office bonanza and the better film (purely for originality and overall polish) was clearly Chandni. Less of a movie, more of a movement, Chandni shifted the barrage of Bollywood movies from the cacophony of mindless violence and ear-shattering music, to love, harmony and Bollywood bliss. And the projection of the ideal Indian woman was dipped in moonlight.
We saw this 1989 film again recently and were mesmerised all over again. Sridevi is divine in the film. Sridevi is divine. Period.
See the entire archive of Chandni images, articles, quotes, gifs etc here.
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