Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi Together: 7 Superstar Projects, Films, TV and Stage Shows

 

Amitabh Bachchan presents Sridevi her Best Actress Filmfare trophy for Chaalbaaz

"Amitabh sings Jooma Chumma to Sridevi in The Show of all Shows!" 

As the headline reads, this was 'the' greatest show of shows held on stage in London with an ALL STAR cast led by Amitabh Bachchan, Sridevi, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Neelam, Anupam Kher... 

While compiling the list of projects that 'The last emperor' and 'The last empress' worked on together, ie Amitabh and Sridevi, here's something to note; they had a 100% success rate!!! 

Sridevi did ONE interview in 1987, where she briefly mentioned that she preferred not to do films where she had little to do and as an aside said, like her films with Amitabh Bachchan, where she was mostly there for the song and dance routines but didn't have a meaty role. For those who know cinema history, Sridevi was not the first actress to point this out. Hema Malini famously said the same in the early 1980s that, though she worked in several films with Amitabh Bachchan, it was no career-defining title role. Sridevi's quote did the circuit for years before she acted with Big B in Khuda Gawah, where she, not B, had a double role. 

Their films were blockbusters; their stage shows were smash hits and even Big B's guest appearance was talked about all year. Sridevi's adorable appearance on Bachchan-led Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? ie Kaun Banega Crorpati, was a TRP hit too.

Name	Year of Release	Status
Inquilaab	25 January 1984	Hit
Khabardaar	1984	Shelved
Aakhree Raasta	6 June 1986	Hit
Jooma Jooma Night in London	1991	Hit
Khuda Gawah	8 May 1992	Hit
Ram ki Sita, Shyam ki Gita	1992	Launched but never made
English Vinglish	14 September 2012	Hit
Kaun Banega Crorepati [TV]	7 October 2012	Hit

RELATED FEATURES

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• Amitabh Bachchan with Sridevi over the years here. 
• Rare images from the sets of Khabardaar--with Sridevi, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Prada, Kamal Haasan--here. 
• Rare photos from the launch of Ram ki Sita, Shyam ki Gita here. 
• Sridevi on TV over the years here. 

The cast and crew of Inquilaab back in 1984!

Cine Blitz 1986, Sridevi, "When I first started shooting with him, I used to keep my distance. Just give my shot and keep away, but Amitji made me feel very comfortable. I was touched because he didn't behave like a superstar with me, or have any nakhras [tantrums]. He was very simple and very normal. He said he had seen Sadma and praised my acting a lot." 

The Shelved films of Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi together;

1. Khabardaar (1984)

Director: T. Rama Rao 

Co-stars: Kamal Haasan, Jaya Prada (along with Amitabh and Sridevi).

Status: Largely completed (reports say ~50% shot) but shelved and never released.

Details: It was a psychological thriller involving themes like mercy killing. Amitabh reportedly walked out or was dissatisfied with his role/characterization, and the producer shifted focus to Aakhree Raasta (1986), which reused some elements/cast (Amitabh in a double role with Sridevi and Jaya Prada). 

2. Ram ki Sita, Shyam ki Geeta 

Launched ~1989-1990, planned for early 1990s

Director: Ramesh Sippy.

Details: A romantic comedy where both Amitabh and Sridevi were to play double roles.

Status: Mahurat (launch) happened with much fanfare (photos with Anupam Kher, etc., are widely circulated), but the film was never made. One reason cited was the director's dissatisfaction with the script. 

Trivia: The iconic song "Jumma Chumma" (later used in Hum, 1991) was originally composed/recorded for this film. Allegedly. Sridevi went on to perform the song a number of times on stage during the Jooma Jooma tour!