Sridevi and NTR: The 40 year age gap and their dozen films together!

Sridevi and NTR in the Telugu film
Vayyari Bhamalu Vagalamari Bharthalu (1982)

When it comes to age gap between co-stars, is there a wider chasm than the one between Sridevi and NTR? 

A 55-year-old NTR romancing 15-year-old Sridevi in Telugu cinema's blockbuster of the 1970s; Vetagadu (1979). 

The success of it meant they acted together again and again, from Badi Panthulu (1972 - when Sridevi was a child star) to Vayyari Bhamalu Vagalamari Bharthalu (1982 -- when Sridevi was the leading lady!). In fact, they worked in a whopping dozen films together:

1. Badi Panthulu
2. Vetagaadu
3. Aatagadu
4. Rowdy Ramudu Konte Krishnudu
5. Sardar Papa Rayudu
6. Gaja Donga
7. Kondaveeti Simham
8. Satyam Shivam
9. Anuraga Devata
10. Bobbili Puli
11. Justice Chowdary
12. Vayyari Bhamalu Vagalamari Bhartalu

When asked about what it was like to act with such senior actors (and eventually senior citizens), Sridevi either laughed off the answer, or said it was an honour to observe and learn from the greats. The thespians and legends from the industry provided Sridevi on-set education as the actress did not attend a film school or had any formal training in the art she eventually mastered. 

To be fair, her answer to the question, "How could you act opposite someone older than your father as a love-interest on the big screen?", varied depending on who the senior stars were! 

Hindsight is 20/20 but we've got to see cinema as a reflection of its times. That was then, this is now... if you hang on, I've got more clichés coming down the pike... 

Legend has it that some of the actors themselves said they were uncomfortable romancing starlets who were younger than their children but, such was cine-life. Funny how the wigs and makeup was more on the men than the women at the time as they tried to curtain if not curtail their vintage self! By today's standards and social mores, the 'romance' on screen is so tame and implied more than explicitly shown. Sridevi till the very end respected her seniors and sought their blessings time and again, when she met them off-set at a film festival or award function. At heart, as many have said, Sridevi was a simple South Indian girl... who became a legend in her own time. 

According to ChatGPT, approximately 80 percent of their films were blockbusters -- pls comment below if any of the info below is inaccurate and we will amend accordingly. Do note however, facts and opinions are not interchangeable! If you 'think' it was a film was hit vs if it really was. For example, though the family drama Vayyari Bhamalu Vagalamari Bhartalu had hit chart-busting songs, not sure it was a commercial success thanks to the high-salary cast of NTR and Krishna! 

I know in film journalism, how you feel or remember a film did, versus the hard numbers affects perception of a movie. Only the producers really know if a film broke even, or left them broke!  

No.	Movie Title	Year of Release	Hit or Flop
1	Badi Panthulu	November 22, 1972	Hit
2	Vetagaadu	July 5, 1979	Hit
3	Aatagadu	April 24, 1980	Flop
4	Rowdy Ramudu Konte Krishnudu	August 8, 1980	Hit
5	Sardar Papa Rayudu	October 30, 1980	Hit
6	Gaja Donga	January 30, 1981	Flop
7	Kondaveeti Simham	October 7, 1981	Hit
8	Satyam Shivam	May 28, 1981	Hit
9	Anuraga Devata	January 7, 1982	Hit
10	Bobbili Puli	July 9, 1982	Hit
11	Justice Chowdary	May 28, 1982	Hit
12	Vayyari Bhamalu Vagalamari Bhartalu	August 20, 1982	Flop