TBT to 1999: Anil Kapoor, "Sridevi is the only actress we have of international potential..."

One of three features where Anil Kapoor discussed life and work with Sridevi over the years. The first posted here, High on Heroines, in the archive and then here, Nostra Dame Us. 

Here's the final one, Anil Kapoor spoke to Filmfare after the controversial marriage of film producer Boney Kapoor and actress Sridevi. 

Excerpt;

"Ab main kya kahun? [What do I say now...]. When we did our first film Mr.India, we shared an actor-actress relationship. By the time we did our last film Judaai together, the equations had changed. We became devar-bhabhi. 

I've said this before, I'll say it again. I truly felt like a spot boy while shooting for Mr.India with her. Everyone from Boney Kapoor and Shekhar Kapur, to the technicians and the light men were tripping over one another to please her. Also, from the very beginning, it was in the back of my mind that my elder brother was trying to woo her. 

Sri, despite being in the industry for years, is very vulnerable. Maybe that's because she was so protected by her family. Even today, she needs that kind of protection. If Boney isn't around her, she looks totally lost. 

I seriously think she should come back to acting. She's the only actress we have of international potential. but she'll have to work on her speech and diction. That's always been a problem with Sri. 

I think Sri has done the maximum number of wrong films. But just by her presence, she made them right. Most of the times, she'd make awry scripts work. I personally feel Chandni was not a great script. She had a big hand in the film's success. I think it was a turning point in Yashraj Films. 

Right now, she's ripe to work with director like Yah Chopra and Shekhar Kapur again. 

-- Filmfare, March 1999