Happy Children's Day: Sridevi as a Child Artist in BW Indian films

 Happy Children's Day: Sridevi as a Child Artist in BW Indian films 

As y'all know, have covered Sridevi's life and times now for nearly 35 years in media and find solace in knowing that unlike dozens of child artists on film, Sridevi's tenure as a child star in south films wasn't a difficult one. Under the eagle of her mother Rajeshwari, young Sridevi only worked in films that had the approval of the family, she worked only limited hours and did not endure heinous child abuse that other actors have spoken of when they reflected on their times as a young artist on film in India. 

Here's a brief look at Sridevi as a young performer over the years in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films. 

There are a few bloggers and re-writers of cine history who have said Sridevi was forced to act as a child, to earn money for the family and they worked her hard - this is not a well-researched theory. Sridevi said repeatedly in interviews because of the strict presence of her mother Rajeshwari, she never had to endure hardships. Yes, she worked hard and did several films as a child - including giving an award-winning performance before she turned 10 - but she was not a victim of circumstances, but, because of the power and agency of the matriarch in the family, sailed through set life with relative ease. Also note in the many films she appeared in as a child, she's only in the movies for part of the movie - not always from first frame to last, so she may have appeared in them, but didn't always carry the film on her tiny shoulders. 

Yes, we've seen the clip of young Sridevi being hit by a car - but that was an accident, it wasn't an intentional act of abuse! Sridevi endured much more later in life as an adult (including the time when an actor proposed to her, she rejected him and he tried to run her over with a car!!! - more on that later!). 

Though shy, Sridevi had a lot of grit and steely resilience within her; not every aspiring star reached the pinnacle like she did. And it all started with those baby steps on film... 

On Children's Day today, we honour the work of a young icon; Sridevi. 

Check out this Indian Express feature: 7 memorable performances by Sridevi as a child actor