Sridevi and NTR in Anuraga Devatha (1982)

Young Sridevi 18, with NTR, 58! 

The Telugu hit Anuraga Devatha released back in 1982. A drama directed by T. Rama Rao (Tatineni Rama Rao), produced by Nandamuri Harikrishna under Ramakrishna Cine Studios, it is a remake of the 1980 Hindi blockbuster Aasha, which featured Reena Roy and Jeetendra Everyone remembers the iconic Lata Mangeshkar song from that film, Sheesha ho ya dil ho, an eternal classic. 

Released on 9 January 1982 (some sources mention 7 January), the movie was a commercial hit, part of the successful Sridevi-NTR pairing streak in the early 1980s. 

The age gap between the two, was 40 years; NTR (Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao) was born on 28 May 1923 and Sridevi was born on 13 August 1963! The film was shot primarily in 1981 (ahead of its January 1982 release) and, at that time,  NTR was around 58 years old, while young Sridevi was around 18 years old! Yes, he was indeed older than Sridevi's lawyer-father!! 

Incredibly enough, Anuraga Devatha is fondly recalled for its emotional story, music, and the on-screen chemistry of NTR and Sridevi despite the significant age difference.

Sridevi in Devatha: Goddess incarnate!

Released in 1982 Devatha (Goddess) is a Telugu film directed by K. Raghavendra Rao, starring Sobhan Babu, Sridevi, Jaya Prada and Mohan Babu. Produced by D. Rama Naidu, the film was a runaway hit that was remade in Hindi as Tohfa (1984), which ended up being the biggest Bollywood blockbuster of 1984. Both Sridevi and Jaya Prada reprised their roles but Jeetendra filled the shoes of the male lead. 

The original template was set early on--the jhatkas with the matkas--the costume, the jewellery, the dance steps, we've seen variations of this in both Himmatwala and Tohfa. Hey, if it ain't broke... Lather, rinse, repeat! 

Sridevi was 18 when she shot the original Telugu film, already a striking young star in Tamil and Telugu language mediums. By the time she was dancing the hookstep of Gori Tere Ang Ang Main, she had already done variations of those movements and mudras for years and did them perfectly at first take - much to the challenge of Jeetendra, who needed the rehearsals. The grace of Sridevi that she never complained and worked with him repeatedly till he got the steps coordinated.  

The mere haathon main step below, deja vu anyone?! 

Sridevi in Sankarlal (1981)

Sridevi, 18, in Sankarlal (1981)
 

A Star Gets Brighter: N.T. Rama Rao with Sridevi on the cover of Sunday magazine

 

Andhra Filmstar-Turned Politician 60-Year-Old N.T. Rama Rao With Heroine

A Star Gets Brighter 

2-8 May 1982, An Ananda Bazar Publication.

Rs 2

Note: Wow, a time when they didn't even name the 'heroine', who just happens to be Sridevi. 

He was 60, she was still 18! 

Sridevi and N. T. Rama Rao in the Telugu film Satyam Sivam (1981)

Sridevi, 18, and  N. T. Rama Rao, 58, in the Telugu film Satyam Sivam (1981) 

The Telugu remake of the Rekha - Amitabh Bachchan Hindi smash Suhaag (which was the biggest hit of 1979), the 40 year age gap was... strange then, improbably now. 

BTW the film also had Rati Agnihotri, 21, with co-star Akkineni Nageswara Rao, 58. 

Sridevi in the Telugu film Illalu (1981)

Sridevi, age 18, in the Telugu film Illalu (1981). 

Two weeks after the release of the Telugu film Guru Shishyulu, the film Illalu was released. For actor Shobhan Babu, the film became one of the most successful blockbusters of his entire career. For Sridevi, it was one of her many superhits. In fact, early on Sridevi had mentioned that hits and flopped didn't personally affect her, it was all part and parcel of a long career in films. 

Sridevi in Bala Nagamma (1981)

Archival image of 18-year-old Sridevi - that snake motif circumnavigated her life early on... 

Sridevi still from the film Bala Nagamma (1981)

Made in Telugu, dubbed into Tamil and Malayalam. 

Starring : Sarath Babu, Sridevi, Heran Ramasamy, Master Babu, Moorthi, Thengai Seenivasan, V S Raghavan,Veera Raghavan, Jaya, K R Vijaya, Kanthimathi, Vijaya Chandrika.

Directed by K Sankar

Produced by T R Srinivasan

Music by Ilaiyaraaja

A bride in yellow? Sure why not. Gorgeous Sridevi. 

Sridevi and NTR in Kondaveeti Simham: 40th anniversary of the Telugu blockbuster

Released on 7 October 1981, today is the 40th anniversary of the Telugu film Kondaveeti Simham. Directed by K. Raghavendra Rao, the film stars N. T. Rama Rao, Sridevi, Jayanthi, Mohan Babu with music by Chakravarthy. 

Declared a blockbuster at the box office, at the time of release, the movie was the highest-grossing film of the year and the highest grossing Telugu film EVER at the time. 

Unlike her contemporaries, seniors or indeed the legion of actresses after her, Sridevi's ability to cherry pick blockbusters has been a rather unique skillset. We've been taking note of her hits and blockbusters - a deep dive report in the making. 

Krishna, Sridevi and Akkineni Nageswara Rao in the Telugu film Guru Shishyulu (1981).

Krishna, Sridevi and Akkineni Nageswara Rao on the sets of Guru Shishyulu (1981).

Age 18, Sridevi among these South Indian legends - before turning into one herself. 

Released on 21 March 1981

Kamal Haasan and Sridevi in Sankarlal (1981)

Kamal Haasan and Sridevi from the song Elankiliyae, in the Tamil film Shankarlal (1981).

Rare pics below of Kamal Haasan and Sridevi behind the scenes, on set of the film.

Released in Tamil on 15 August 1981, but in Telugu as Andagaadu on 6 February 1982. 

Sridevi, age 18! 

Left: Sridevi on the cover of IMN: Indian Movie News: February 1982 edition.  

Below: Rare picture of Sridevi getting ready on the sets of a Tamil film in the early 1980s.