Sridevi rockin' out in Chaalbaaz There was a lovely fan theory that in the song Raste main woh khada tha, Sridevi was doing a sartorial tribute to Janet Jackson, Madonna and Liza Minelli!
Surprised?
We are completely on board with this notion.
Here's a side by side with Sridevi and the inspired looks from her western counterparts. Obviously its not an exact imitation (or as Diet Sabya would state "Gandi Copy") but the tribute factors are key elements that are hard to miss. You can't un-see it folks, so here's a deconstruction of the looks Sridevi sported in the comical song, with the lineage behind it.
(L) Janet Jackson released her iconic Rhythm Nation in September 1989.
(R) Sridevi's film Chaalbaaz came out a few months later, December 1989.
It's a matter of record that Sridevi was a huge fan of Michael Jackson and has brought it up in several interviews over the years. But she obviously couldn't imitate the male pop icon when she was working full-time (and overtime!) in Bollywood. Instead, she adopted his famous sister's leather clad, all black, permed wig look look for a stanza in Raste Main Woh Khada Tha. Right down to the intro step.
Madonna's single Like a Virgin was released in 1984 - and she was a youth icon in India throughout the 1980s. Notice her poster in Salman Khan's room in Maine Pyar Kiya (released Dec 1989). Sridevi's look is far too alike to not be a rather obvious take on Madonna's iconic stage show ensemble; the white jacket, durag, puffy skirt, leggings - all the way down to the white kitten heels! Madge of course rather famously took the jacket off to reveal a lace corset-bra type contraption, and if you notice in the second stanza, as Sri strips off her jacket, she shakes her finger and goes off-screen to change to her third and final look. Sridevi was considered bold for her time - but even she wasn't pushing the envelope to the extent her Madgesty did.
This took us the longest time to decipher. But it wasn't until a clip on YouTube of Liza Minelli with her short bob doing a jig in Cabaret popped up that you can see the un-obvious tip of the hat to Broadway and Ms Minelli.
No copyright infringement is intended by anyone (us included btw!) but the nod to the sign of the times is memorable.
One of the looks Sridevi had in the song Tera Beemar Mera Dil, the satin dress, the red lipstick, the diamonds, the off-shoulder silhouette, the crinkled lines... Its an inspired take as well on Madonna's look from Who's That Girl (1987).
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