Sridevi in pink: Classic 80s fashion, makeup for Cine Blitz

A serious throwback; April 1989, Cine Blitz cover shoot. the glamour of the 80s - the entire series of pics in the archive here. 

Sridevi's favourite things: An exclusive with the Queen of Bollywood

Collecting sunglasses from her trips abroad and discovering antique silver jewellery pieces, are her passions. Owning a fleet of cars-a Honda, Fiat, Maruti, Ambassador and a Toyota-she longs to possess a Mercedes. It's not that she can't afford to but...

"Mummy said no, because the roads are so bad and it's not practical," pouts Sridevi. What she doesn't know as yet is that soon, she's going to be presented with one on her birthday. That's one thing she loves presents1 

"My family is always buying me wonderful things, but I never reciprocate! Even on their birthdays, they never receive any gifts from me. I'm just too lazy!"

A shopping complex at T-Nagar, a weekend home on four acres of land, a preview theatre, a three-star hotel... she feels she has it all !

"It's only when you don't have, that you desire more. I've never expected anything from life or anyone. Maybe that's the reason I'm rarely disappointed. I'm happy with whatever fate has given me, because I'm not a greedy person. I have very simple tastes."

Ardent fans, sometimes resort to drastic measures to meet her!

"They place various obstacles on the road, so that my car doesn't zoom past them!"

Some even throw themselves in the way. But the superstar fears for them.

"I don't want them to be lathi-charged by the police." Mobs don't frighten her, as long as they're kept at a safe distance.

To get away from all this frenzied excitement that a mere glimpse of the star causes, she escapes to her farm house, about an hour's drive away from Madras. It's her favourite place. Sprawled across a vast 100 acres of land, and rice fields, coconut trees, chikoo trees and pineapple and vegetable plantations. 

Plus, would you believe, squash courts, swimming pool... It's here that she relaxes. "I envy Lata, when I see her sleeping till late in the mornings while I leave for shooting. Here, I catch up on my sleep and swim in the pool, without feeling any prying eyes on me."

-- Cine Blitz Magazine 1989

You can see the entire cover shoot here in the archives. 

Sridevi: TBT to April 1989

Sridevi: TBT to April 1989. The cover shot for Cine Blitz. 

So much more in the archives here and here. 

 

Did you know Farah and Sanjay Dutt were supposed to be in Khuda Gawah with Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi?!

Did you know Farah (Naaz) and Sanjay Dutt were supposed to be in Khuda Gawah with Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi?! 

We've posted before about the Sanjay Dutt drama - when circumstances led to his replacement with Nagarjuna - but this newfound scan from the early 90s plays out the drama behind the scenes between Farah and the film's director Mukul Anand. 

Farah and Sridevi had a few things in common, they were mononymously famous, hit Bollywood in the 1980s, and had one major thing in common, they were presented beautifully - and dare I say the best - in Yash Chopra movies. Farha's debut in Faasle - white salwaars and Switzerland included - and Sridevi in Chandni, the look is... so similar. Why Farah's name in Faasle was Chandni too [Rekha's name in Silsila was Chandni as well!].  

This report (L) on the behind the scenes machinations of the epic Khuda Gawah... well, I don't know what is true or not - film tabloids in the early years were/are notoriously unreliable. But an interesting page from the archives of Bollywood cinematic history. 

The original poster of Khuda Gawah

Excerpt from Cine Blitz:

"... Mukul was paying more than enough attention to his other heroine of Khuda Gawah Sridevi, giving Farha the cold shoulder. But Farha has never been one to take things lying down... The problem between them started from the time the mahurat cards of Khuda Gawah were printed. 

"I was given the lower billing. My name was the last among the stars, as if I do not have any standing of my own in the industry," she explained furiously. Hurt to the core, she continued, "That's the reason I did not attend the muhurat [launch] though I was very much in town. I have never felt more hamulated in my entire life." 

"Manoj is a friend and that's why I was doing the film. I know that if Mukul must have convinced him to put my name last," she remarked knowingly. 

Though Farha could not pinpoint the exact reason for the misdemeanor on Mukul's part, she guessed it must be her refusal to play up to him. "Just because he's directing Amitabh in three films, everybody goes Mukulji Mukulji and will nod their heads in agreement to everything he says. They are all hypocrites, but I am muphat [outspoken] and can't become a dummy to please him." She was indignant.

Farha refused to acquiesce to the fact that losing out on a Bachchan starrer would be detrimental to her career. "I don't need an Amitabh starrer to make it big. After all, I can only play his daughter. In Khuda Gawah I am one." 

She further argued justifying her move. "There is no guarantee that the Amitabh film will do well.,. It's destiny and I have over fifty films now, which shows that people do want me." So she prefers to resign herself  to her fate and work with B.R.Ishaara and S.R.Pratap rather than accept Mukul's offer...."

-- April 1989, MOVIE magazine. 

Mukul Anand on the making of Khuda Gawah, MOVIE magazine excerpt: 

Mukul Anand: "During the making of Khuda Gawah, the role we offered Sunju was the best that could be offered to him at that stage of his career. At that time he was dying to do the role. Even Nagarjuna was very happy with the role. The role had not been cut further. If we had cut Sunju's role, we would have to cut Sridevi's role as well. Sunju's absence in the film was a loss for us both. However, Sunju and I don't talk about all this now. 

MOVIE: Ajay Devgan insists that he was the first choice to replace Sunjay in Khuda Gawah until certain strings were pulled in favour of Nagarjuna. Is it true? 

Mukul Anand: Ajay Devgan was considered as a replacement for Sunjay. A lot of actors like Rahul Roy and Akshay Kumar were also looked into. But since the role needed somebody with a set image, Nagarjuna was taken. He was in his own right a star and very keen to work with me. 

 

The classic 80s Prom Dress: Sridevi in 1989

Outtakes from Sridevi's cover shoot for Cine Blitz, April 1989! 

See the entire series in the archive here.

 

TBT: Star Power: Sridevi on the cover of Cine Blitz, April 1989: 80s fashion, makeup, hair!

A #Tbt to April 1989, when Sridevi was the queen of the marquee. 

Cover story of Cine Blitz - rockin' several 80s fashion trends all at once on the cover shot by Gautam Rajadhyaksha.

Filmfare April 1989: Sridevi rocks a hot pink fashionable turban

April 1989 Filmfare cover with Sridevi. Shot by Gautam Rajadhyaksha.  

This hot pink turban series is soooo... 80s.... And Sridevi looks stunning in it.

 

Pretty in Pink: Sridevi in April 1989: Cover shoot series with the late great Gautam da

Roop Ki Rani; koi shaq? (Sridevi). 

Sridevi. A shoot she did for Cine Blitz with Gautam Rajadhyaksha. Gorgeous. See entire cover shoot here at earlier post.

Sridevi in 1989: Think Pink: Cine Blitz cover girl: April 1989 cover shoot

April 1989 cover shoot with Sridevi for Cine Blitz magazine; working every trend of that colourful decade!  

The puffy hot pink top, the fringe, the makeup, the wigs, the high-ponytail, the long lashes, the lenses... Sridevi looks so gorgeous no matter what!

Shot by the late great Gautam Rajadhyaksha, who kept his shots simple and focused on the face and features to let the stars - not the ambiance - shine, was a perennial favourite of Sridevi and vice versa.