Sridevi with her mother Rajeshwari : Happy Mother's Day!

First born to Ayappan Rajeshwari (nee Reddy) Sridevi was close to her mother and rarely left her side. Today, in honour of Mother's Day (every day is mother's day!), we look back at the OG momager, the strict, sari-clad, sensational Rajeshwari. 

Rajeshwari Reddy was from Andhra Pradesh, and her native land is Tirupathi. When she married Tamil lawyer Ayappan Naidu, she became Ayappan Rajeshwari (as is the norm in the south of having surname leading before name). She had two daughters; eldest Sreedevi, then Sreelatha. When you find original autographs of Sridevi, she always signed off simply as A, Sreedevi. aka Ayappan Sreedevi. 

Every other iteration of Sridevi's alleged name is wrong - and widely circulated without verification of simple fact-checking! 

In fact, we are aware our site is essentially mislabeled, it should be "Sreedevi" not "Sridevi!" But every credit in films, it has been spelt "Sridevi" as we are honouring the professional work of the iconic Indian actress, we are taking her professional nomenclature. 

Before Sridevi became an enduring icon of Indian cinema, the foundation of her extraordinary journey was laid by her mother, Rajeswari. Long before she became the legendary stage mother who famously managed every aspect of her daughter’s soaring career, rumours have it that Rajeswari harboured artistic ambitions of her own in the bustling film studios of Madras [which became Chennai later!].

Hailing from Tirupati, Rajeswari arrived in Madras during the golden era of South Indian cinema. Drawn to the vibrant arts scene, she initially ventured into local drama troupes and stage plays. Her ambition eventually brought her to the movie sets, where she made fleeting, uncredited appearances in black-and-white Tamil and Telugu productions during the 1950s and 1960s. Working primarily as a background extra and group dancer, her brief moments on celluloid went without screen credits or formal documentation, leaving her filmography lost to early trade history.

Sridevi's mother (L) and grandmother (R). 
The caption is referring to Janhvi Kapoor
ie that's Janhvi's grandmother and great-grandmother! 

Realising that a successful acting career was not in her destiny, Rajeswari shifted focus after marrying lawyer Ayyappan. When her young daughter displayed an innate talent for performance, Rajeswari channeled her unfulfilled artistic passions directly into nurturing Sridevi's path. Entering the industry as a child artist at just four years old, Sridevi had in her mother a fierce protector and sharp manager. Rajeswari took complete command - navigating contracts, handling finances, and curating film roles across Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema. 

Below clip trending on social media (Instagram mostly) of the generation of ladies who were seen on the big screen. Please do note - this has not been verified by anyone in the family and as its on Insta', we take newsbyte on this with a pinch of salt. Until the family confirms whether she was or wasn't an actress, we can only assume - going by what's been circulated online with this short clip to back it up. 

When it came to protecting Sridevi’s career, the "momager" was an uncompromising force. Legendary for her ironclad negotiation tactics, her stance on remuneration was absolute: if a producer wanted Indian cinema’s premier star in their film, they paid full price - ask Yash Chopra or Boney Kapoor! 

Her oversight extended far beyond financial contracts. She maintained absolute creative control over Sridevi’s styling and visual presentation - famously refusing to let producers cut her young daughter’s hair to suit a role. Driven by a vision for Sridevi’s long-term artistic legacy, Rajeswari actively sought out meaty, central characters, ensuring her daughter was never relegated to mere eye candy beside the leading men. 

Surprisingly progressive for her era, Rajeswari paid little mind to conservative social mores, comfortably greenlighting bold, high-fashion outfits in the 1970s that frequently scandalised traditionalists. To further protect her daughter’s reputation and career in a turbulent industry, she even educated herself in legal matters. Whenever media outlets or industry insiders crossed a line into defamation, Rajeswari was quick to file lawsuits, establishing a formidable shield that allowed Sridevi to reign supreme on screen.

While Rajeswari's own time in front of the camera was brief and forgotten by film registers, her brief experience in the studios gave her the industry acumen needed to build one of Indian cinema's greatest superstars. Her brief stint on set ultimately laid the groundwork for a unmatched legacy behind the scenes.  

Title card from Banjaran

Title card from Moondram Pirai