TBT: Rishi Kapoor in the wake of Sridevi's untimely passing

Rishi Kapoor spoke to the media soon after it was confirmed that Sridevi had passed. He spoke with much fondness reminiscing about his co-star; “I think Sridevi was the one actor who lit up the screen like no one else did. I didn’t work with Sridevi until 1984, when we first starred in Nagina. Initially, I thought she was a very shy person and arrogant, as she didn’t talk much. Later, I realised it was not arrogance but just that she was not comfortable speaking in English or Hindi, because they were not her main languages.

One of my very first conversations happened with her during a rather awkward moment. We were shooting and the camera’s film magazine ran out. While the crew was changing the magazine, the bright lights were still on for about three minutes and we stood in that position with the whole unit around us. I told her, “Sridevi, you danced very well.” She smiled and said, “thank you”. She then added that she saw Khel Khel Mein four times. That was very sweet of her. Those were the first words I heard from her.

She was a complete actor, a fabulous dancer and a person who could just switch faces. She could be quiet and be in her own mood, and then suddenly do a great comic scene or a tragic one…

During Chandni, we became more friendly and got along really well. When she was carrying her first child, Boney Kapoor had come to meet her on the set of our film Kaun Sachha Kaun Jootha (1997) and she had said, “This is my last film and last few days of shooting.” That was the last time I worked with her.

I see her films today and I know how she focused on the nuances, and tried to look different each time. She believed in breaking the typecast. She was a very gifted artiste and I don’t think there has ever been a female actor in Bollywood who attained such glory and marvellous heights.

She was truly Chandni and Bollywood will miss its moonlight.”