In September 2013, English Vinglish was considered, shortlisted in fact as a submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, from India.
The film didn't make the cut, but an entire generation of cine-goers and international audiences, critics, media owners know of Sridevi because of this film and her "triumphant" return and performance. Having met, interacted with a wide array of international journalists and editors, many have broken into a smile when they discussed that "gorgeous lead" in English Vinglish, a reference not only to Sridevi's iconic beauty but the subtle perfection of her faultless performance.
Though she had done somewhere around 250 films (and a TV show), in a career spanning 50 years, in five languages... Sridevi was still mesmerising audiences by showcasing her talent, an infinity-pool of pleasant surprises.
While other stars, especially our noted legends, had become a caricature of their former glory days, repeating and often presenting formulaic performances to a jaded audience familiar with their signature style, Sridevi was consciously trying not to repeat herself. She seemed to refresh herself with every cine-outing, basking anew in the arch lights especially during her second innings, post marriage and motherhood. Every decade, it was a new Sridevi on screen. Forever enchanting, even in mediocre films. Just.. a fount of mystery and revelations.
Of course we are disproportionately biased in our view - this site has been going on for 21 years, 7,665 days now as an ode to our all-time favourite actress, nay icon.
So we say this with a lot of self-awareness; had Sridevi's life not been to abruptly cut-short by cruel fate, she would have been the first Indian actress to collect the golden statuette. We have little doubt.
Sridevi had the capacity, ability to inspire and awe. Her steady growth from wide-eyed ingenue at age four to her swansong at age 54, her performances (particularly in conjunction with her persona off-screen), were nothing short of a miraculous, meteoric, constant elevation. She was constantly shedding the old ways of theatrical acting to a more composed, refined, attuned to the pulse of the audience actress like no one else in her generation, bar none. She was on her way to the pinnacle... until life tripped her.
There was a wildly inaccurate cartoon of Sridevi and Shashi Kapoor trending soon after the Academy posted pictures of the two stars in their elegiac In Memoriam section. It is not the same as winning an Oscar but an acknowledgement of their contribution to cinema. It's a fine nod to her passing, but it is not the same as an ovation that Sridevi deserved in her lifetime.
As the Academy opens up its membership to a wider, international audience, I wonder, just as the National Award was presented to Sridevi posthumously, if the Oscars would present Sridevi an honourary one - like they did Satyajit Ray - for her 50 years dedicated to cinema, entertaining over a billion people around the planet?
Over the past two decades, we've interacted with fans from Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Russia, Canada, Germany, France, Maldives (albeit the Indian diaspora there), US, UK, Afghanistan, Czech Republic< Armenia. War torn Syria fans have sent us messages via social media... It's... overwhelming.
Somewhere along the way, Sridevi crossed borders with ease and elegance, as her anklets reverberated beyond arbitrary lines and language.
RIP Sridevi.
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