The cast and crew of English Vinglish: Can't take their eyes of their leading lady; 'the' Sridevi

 The cast and crew of English Vinglish: Can't take their eyes of their leading lady; 'the' Sridevi 

TBT: The cast of English Vinglish at TIFF After Party: Sridevi shines

Celebrating the stunning reception of English Vinglish at TIFF 2012, the cast and crew of the film at the after-party at TIFF 2012! 

September, 2012

Adil Hussain on working with 'the' Sridevi

 

Sridevi is very quite on the sets. She will crack jokes out of the blue and you will laugh away to glory. She is someone who knows what is to be done precisely. She is very observant at the sets. She can foresee and foretell. There were many occasions where she had suggested how we do the scenes. It had been a wonderful journey to have worked with her. She is very good and I was thrown away by her histrionics at the rehearsals. I had seen her Sadma and did not eat for two days. She was touched when I told her that.

From BehindWoods. com 

 

“ I got a message from a friend of mine around morning 7.45 am about her death and I didn't know how to react because I had just woke up, then I checked on the internet and it was all over. The feeling was strange and bizarre, I felt frustrated and angry about her loss. I didn't have a personal relationship with her after the film, but I felt frustrated with the reason that we won't be able to see her on screen; I am just trying to understand my feeling. It hasn't yet sunk in; the emotions are very difficult to express on her loss”. Adil 

Adil recalls his first meeting with Sridevi, “My first meeting with her was on the look test rehearsal of English Vinglish. I was 3 films old and I was little nervous in front of her. She was sitting in the rehearsal hall and then I was made to sit beside her for the rehearsal, I didn't know how to start a conversation, so I told her I loved her film Sadma (1983) and I couldn't sleep for 2 days and she looked me and felt that I am sincere with my compliments, she instantly had moist in her eyes. I thought ‘oh my god’ this person is so vulnerable; also working with her was so satisfying. I wish I could do English Vinglish 2 with her.” 

Sridevi and Adil Hussain

Adil Hussain spent 30 days with Sridevi, filming her comeback film English Vinglish. During this time, he gained an interesting perspective into the iconic actress's way of working, and realised just why she was so popular with audiences. Adil shares his memories of Sridevi with Rediff.com's Patcy N.

I was shooting in Pondicherry for Lessons in Forgetting when I got a call from an assistant casting director, who happened to be my student from FTII (the Film and Television Institute of India). He told me about this film called English Vinglish and told me that the producer (the film was produced by R Balki and Boney Kapoor) and director (Gauri Shinde) wanted a new face to play Sridevi's husband in her comeback film. 

My student thought I would be perfect for the role. Since there was no WhatsApp in those days, I had to make a CD of the scene, which they had sent me, and send the audition to the production house. 

The next day, I got a call from Balki. He told me he liked my CD and that I was on for the project. I was delighted, as I was going to get to work with Sridevi. I never thought I would ever get a chance to work with her because when I started doing films, she wasn't working. I was asked to come to Mumbai to figure out the costumes, the hair and the look. 

I don't think anyone can forget their first meeting with Sridevi, especially a person like me who was just three or four films old before English Vinglish. I had done one Assamese film and one Bengali. I had also done Ishqiya and Life of Pi, but that had not released yet. 

My first meeting with Sridevi was at Mehboob Studio in Mumbai. The film's director Gauri Shinde had created a makeshift set to record our chemistry and our interactions and to see how we would looked together on screen. I reached late because I had flown in from either Chennai or Delhi. She was already there. I sat at the dining table, in the chair assigned to me. We smiled and the first thing I told her was that I saw Sadma about 30 years ago. I hadn't been able to eat for two days; I had felt a strange churning inside after watching the film. She thanked me, and her eyes were moist. 

Sridevi is a very professional actress. When I use the word 'professional,' I don't mean the way it is generally understood, where you do your work and leave and are not bothered about other things. For me, 'professional' means she has a vision for her work, a goal. In that sense, she was a thorough professional. She knew what to do. She was sincere, hardworking and honest. As a person, she was extremely reserved, but at the same time, very pleasant to be around. She hardly spoke, but sometimes, she would burst into laughter because someone would crack a joke. That's when we would realise that she had been listening to the conversation the whole time. She is an observant and constructive listener, one of the most important qualities of a good actor. She would also discuss scenes with her co-actors. She would often start giggling and laughing like a child. She had a smiling face. 

We shot English Vinglish for almost a month -- 15, 20 days in Mumbai and the rest in New York. In one of the scenes where I receive a call from New York in the middle of the night, I had to walk to the kitchen, open the fridge, pick up a bottle of water and walk back to the bedroom while I'm on the phone. After the rehearsals she said, 'Adil, can I suggest that you don't pick up the bottle of water and instead, ask me to give you water with just gestures.' That way, I would come across as a misogynist. She brought in those kind of small additions to my character. 

Even though we are of the same age, she is very senior to me in Bollywood. When I worked with her, I felt absolutely comfortable because she was very respectful towards her co-actors. She made me feel comfortable instantly. Like I said, she may have been quiet, but she did not block out people. She would absorb the things around. Sridevi was an actor who had mastered the craft of communicating with her audiences. She embodied a kind of technique which she must have experimented with and found out that the root lies in Indian traditional acting like in Koodiyattam, Kathakali, Bharata Natyam and Kathak, where they look at the audience and perform. Even if there are others performing, they don't look at each other. So she would look at the camera and perform because she knew that the camera is the eyes of the audience. She knew how to use it. This is my reading of her. 

A bad actor will face the camera very untruthfully, but when Sridevi faced the camera, in spite of talking to somebody else in the scene, she managed to make sure her eyes are seen. That's a very difficult technique to master. Modern actors like me have been trained in the Western method of acting. We imagine a wall between the audience and us, so there is a sort of disconnect with the audience. When you see Hollywood and Indian films, the fundamental difference according to me is that we disconnect from our audience and don't let the audience peep into our lives. But Sridevi reaches out to the audience. And she does it very skillfully. 

Most actors in India don't know how to do that. Indians probably love Sridevi more because she has always respected the audience. And yet, like Western actors, she has also retained her honesty and connected with her co-actors as well as her audience. That's very unique. 

Sridevi was a responsible mother. I have heard her talking about her daughters. Once in a while, they came on set. She would make sure she had time for them. I think that's why she could play a mother so wonderfully (in the film). She was a wonderful mother in everyday life. She was always punctual on sets. She was a spontaneous actress and would only rehearse for her movements in front of the camera. 

I met her a couple of times publicly after the shoot as well -- once at Gauri Shinde's residence, where we met to celebrate the success of English Vinglish. We spent the entire evening laughing. We shared jokes about how the group in the English language school behaved. One of the actors wanted to face the camera more (than the others). And then, there was Rajeev Ravindranathan, who played the Tamil character. He would make Sridevi crack up all the time. He would imitate other Southern actors and she would not stop laughing. 

I also went to the Toronto International Film Festival with her, and also met her at the MAMI opening ceremony last year. That was the last time I met her. It was a very short meeting; we just greeted each other. She is always with her entourage. People always flock around her. 

English Vinglish released in 2012. She was never sick when we shot. The only time she fell ill was when it suddenly snowed in October in New York. We were shooting the climax, which was in open air, at the wedding ceremony. She had a cold, but she shot even then. That day I remember I cooked for the cast. I made Rogan Josh, Assamese fish curry with salmon and mashed potatoes in mustard oil. She loved the food. 

I was a fan of Sridevi even though I haven't seen a lot of her films. Her Southern films did not release in Assam, but I have seen her Hindi films like Sadma, Mr India, Chaalbaaz, Chandni, Nagina... My favourite films are Sadma and English Vinglish.

From Rediff. com 

 

“They have underutilised most actors including Sridevi, who I believe was a volcano of talent. She had the talent to win multiple Oscars.”

 

- From The Quint 

Adil Hussain on working with Sridevi: English Vinglish's faultless cast

Sridevi with Adil Hussain on the sets of English Vinglish

The man who played ‪Sridevi‬'s husband in ‪English Vinglish‬, ‪the marvelous theatre actor turned cine-star Adil Hussain‬ on working with Sridevi, “Strangely, I was never intimidated by them [Sridevi, Tabu], though they were larger than life. I had watched their films since I was a teenager. Sridevi was someone far away, so was Tabu. But I had this notion of stars and their tantrums; I had heard so many stories that I thought I would get pissed off. And being from theatre, I knew I wouldn’t take tantrums. I was so wrong."

Sridevi threw him off too during the rehearsal for English Vinglish with her spontaneity and timing. “She had amazing tips. She is so ‘here and now’. Even when she is not in a shot, she is absorbing everything around. She has a 360 degree focus,” he says.

More at Filmfare.com

English Vinglish Ensemble: The cast and crew celebrate at director Gauri Shinde's House:

Sridevi with the team of English Vinglish - at a dinner at Gauri Shinde's house. WOW!

In picture find four of the actors from the film flanking Sridevi and Gauri Shinde; Adil Hussain, Sumeet Vyas, Mehdi Nebbou and Rajeev Ravindranathan.

People say... Feedback on Sridevi's People magazine cover shoot with her children

Sridevi with writer/director Gauri Shinde

The Dec 29, 2012 issue of People mag (with Aamir Khan on the cover) had loads of little tid-bits on Sridevi, listing the actress in several sections.

2012 Top Ten Movies

8. English Vinglish
Starring: Sridevi, Adil Hussain, Mehdi Nebbou
Sridevi as a housewife who is picked on by her family because she can't speak English, touched a chord with fans in Gauri Shinde's debut film.

Reel Queens
Sridevi
With her comeback film English Vinglish become a super-hit, the actress proved she's here to stay.

2012 Most Intriguing

"Sridevi may seem reserved on the set, but she is listening to every single thing that's being said. Her antennas are always up. When she acts, she speaks to her audience, which is a very Indian method of acting. I learnt that quality of conversing with the audience from her, because I follow the western style of acting where your audience is just a fraction of your world. Throughout English Vinglish's shoot, I was devouring her performance which was overwhelming for me.""
-- Adil Hussain, Actor

Adil Hussain, a fan of Sridevi since Sadma: Famous Fan: Actor on Actor

Sridevi's English Vinglish co-star Adil went into depression after watching SADMA

After the commercial and critical success of ENGLISH VINGLISH, the film is now conquering the festival circuits. With glowing tributes at the Toronto International Film Festival, ENGLISH VINGLISH saw a standing ovation at the Marrakech Film Festival. The film is now ready to make its satellite debut.

When we talk of ENGLISH VINGLISH one just cannot ignore the resounding comeback of former numero-uno actress, Sridevi, and her superb acting in the film. And who better than her co-star in ENGLISH VINGLISH, Adil Hussain, to disclose the 'Sridevi experience'.

We started our conversation by asking the highly talented NSD faculty and actor Adil Hussain whether he was a Sridevi fan as well. Without batting an eyelid Adil replied in the affirmative and disclosed, ''You know, I became her fan after watching Sadma. In fact, I must confess I went into depression for a few days after watching the film.''

Prodding him further we queried as to what was Sridevi's reaction when he said the same thing to her, and he replied, ''I will tell you the exact thing. We sat down informally at a dinner table, and I told her about Sadma performance and impact and I could see that she was very touched.''

Well, compliments from renowned theater and cinema personalities like Adil Hussain only consolidates Sridevi's iconic stature.

December 26, 2012 11:53:56 AM IST

By Abid, 

Glamsham Editorial

From Mid Day

Q: How was it working with actresses like Sridevi and Tabu?

Adil Hussain: I was lucky and I believe anybody would feel the same in my place. This may sound clichéd but I learned a lot from them. You’re on the sets with Sridevi who has like 200-plus films under her belt and I’m there with only around 12 feature films so far. And then there’s Tabu whom you observe and admire for the way she maintains herself in front of the camera before and after she hears the word ‘action’. Both of them just effortlessly switch from real to reel.

-- Mid Day. com

Adil Hussain: Sridevi is extremely professional

Adil Hussain, who played the role of Sridevi's husband in the recent movie 'English Vinglish', says the actress was extremely professional in terms of delivering on the film sets.

"She (Sridevi) is extremely professional. She knows to deliver. She does work with the highest ability. It was a learning experience for me," said Hussain, who has also worked in films like Ishqiya and Ang Lee's Life of Pi.

Hussain said the actress "who took a self imposed journey behind the clouds", has now made a comeback as a star, as she always was.

"I was apprehensive because she is a star. I watched her during her earlier films. She is a great actress with a fantastic sense of understanding of acting," he said.

Hussain says that Sridevi is reserved on the sets but cracks jokes at the same time. "She was reserved on the sets but cracks jokes. She will come up with some word and we will crack up," he said.

Sridevi played the role of a housewife, who struggles to learn English, in the comedy-drama directed by Gauri Shinde. The film received a positive response and Sridevi's comeback was hailed by the audience.

From Business Standard
Press Trust of India / Panaji 
November 28, 2012, 15:15

Stills of English Vinglish: Sridevi, Adil Hussain, Mehdi Nebbou

The husband or the lover? Should Sridevi have left her family where she's constantly overlooked for the besotted eyes of the Frenchman? The debate online is fast and furious. And mostly fun. English Vinglish has sparked many a fun conversation about monogamous matrimony and the heady dreams of unrequited love.... 

 

Honour to be Sridevi's Husband says Adil Hussain: The cast of English Vinglish comes together

Actor Adil Hussain, who appears in the films Life of Pi, English Vinglish and Bombay's Most Wanted, Agent Vinod among others, is about to enter another stratosphere of fame as he stars with India's greatest leading actresses Tabu, Vidya Balan, Kareena Kapoor and the legendary Sridevi. 

An actor of repute, he himself seems smitten by the stunning Sridevi. "...there is English Vinglish with Sridevi. "I play a stupid Indian husband in the film. Without wanting to say a cliche, I'll still add that it was an honour to work with Sridevi and play her husband," he adds." 

More at Times of India: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mira-Nair-is-like-an-elder-sister-Adil-Hussain/articleshow/11229093.cms

Sridevi's co-star in English Vinglish is... Adil Hussain

That Sridevi has returned to acting with Gauri Shinde's English Vinglish is old news.

That she is playing a homemaker, who in order to please her husband and family, enrols for an English speaking course is also something people know about. But what few know is that Adil Hussain is playing Sridevi's husband in the movie.


Says a source, "Though the movie has been described as one where Sridevi starts learning English to please her husband, that's not exactly correct. Adil is playing Sridevi's husband in the movie. He is a typical Indian male who undermines the contribution of Sridevi in the household. He isn't a villain but he behaves this way only because he is conditioned to such ways of thinking. However, there is a deep love between Adil and Sridevi. Both of them have played their age on-screen."

Adil has shot with Sridevi from July 7 to July 23. "Adil's next schedule with Sridevi is in the US from September onwards," the source adds.



Adil, however, is contract-bound and doesn't entertain any queries regarding this project. As a parting shot, the unit member says, "In recent Hindi movies, Adil has been playing husbands of famous stars. First, it was Vidya Balan in Ishqiya. Then, it was Tabu in Life of Pi. Now, it's Sridevi in English Vinglish. That's a hat-trick!"

Priyanka Dasgupta TNN | Jul 24, 2011, 11.44AM IST


From The Times of India.com