Sridevi

 

Sridevi from the song Jeevan Jyot Jale from the film Aulad (1987) 

Long before daily soap operas monopolised Indian television, 1980s Hindi cinema supplied all the high-voltage family melodrama an audience could ask for. Released in 1987, director Vijay Sadanah’s Aulad stood as a fine example in the genre, weaving a classic tale of swapped infants, tragic train crashes, and the agonising conflict of rival motherhood.

Anchored by Jeetendra, Sridevi, and Jaya Prada, Aulad emerged as a certified box-office hit. Central to its theatrical success was a hit soundtrack composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal, with lyrics by Anand Bakshi. Songs like the spirited Kishore Kumar and Kavita Krishnamurthy duet "To Phir Ho Jaaye" and the poignant "Ek Maa Ka Dil" provided the emotional beating heart of the narrative, lingering on radio charts long after the film's theatrical run.

At the center of the storm was the iconic rivalry and synergy between Sridevi and Jaya Prada. Having shared the frame across roughly 15 films in Hindi and Telugu - including smash hits like Tohfa and Mawaali - their pairing was pure marquee gold. Contrary to popular memory, Aulad was not their final bow together; they reunited that same year in Majaal [produced by Jaya Prada's family no loess!]. Yet Aulad offered one of their most compelling dual setups, pitting two formidable screen personas against each other in the moral atonement of sacrifice.

While the film leaned heavily into the era's dramatic formulas, Sridevi’s performance as Devki drew unanimous praise. Transitioning effortlessly from a breezy, street-smart entertainer to a grief-stricken mother navigating unimaginable loss, she delivered a performance of remarkable vulnerability. Her expressive eyes carried the full weight of the second half, elevating standard tear-jerker tropes into genuine emotional drama. A dubious decade defined by grand theatricality, Aulad proved that Sridevi’s absolute mastery of dramatic gravitas was unmatched.