Famous fan: "I was spellbound when I saw Sridevi..."

Famous fan: "I was spellbound when I saw Sridevi..."

Natraj Subramaniam, cameraman (cinematographer) for Puli. 

Shatrughan Sinha turns 80! His quote on Sridevi, "Undoubtedly, she's the best actress..."

Shatrughan Sinha was 17 years older than Sridevi and the two worked in only one (flop!) film together, Sherni (1988). 

However, they worked a lot in several stage shows and he memorably handed Sridevi one of her many Best Actress Filmfare trophies.

In 1996, when the press was writing about the end of Sridevi's reign and supremacy, the Bihar behemoth pointed out that she was still a top star and great actress. 

The actor turns 80 today - and we wish him well. 

 

Sonam - of Tridev's Oye Oye fame - remembers Sridevi with love and admiration: Once a fan, always a fan

Years ago, I posted a picture of Sonam with Sridevi - and got barraged with comments from the uninformed twats on twitter and Facebook that it wasn't Sonam - they were confusing Sonam Kapoor (the outspoken first-born of Anil Kapoor) with yesteryear actress Sonam. Well, here's a quick recap of the star; Sonam (born Bakhtawar Khan), popularly known as the “Oye Oye” girl from Tridev, is a former Bollywood actress who enjoyed a brief but memorable career in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In fact, in the span of just six years, Sonam appeared in 28 films; 24 Hindi, 3 Telugu and 1 Bengali movie. 

Born on September 2, 1972, she entered films as a teenager. Her debut came with the Telugu film Samrat (1987), followed by a Hindi launch under Yash Chopra no less, with the much older co-star, Rishi Kapoor.  Sonam lied about her age to land her first film and, when she was just 15, worked in the film Vijay (a good film with great songs, that did average business) with a 20+ year older co-star. A common practice that the industry has yet to shed!

Sonam was a tabloid and film magazine darling, a favourite of photographers like Rakesh Shreshta, Jagdish Mali - she did sensational photoshoots, embraced 80s fashion and was regularly featured in all the glossies! En era of print media power, she graced several covers month after month, year after year. She quickly gained traction with nine releases in 1989 alone; she was no slouch and worked her tail off in multiple movies working multiple shifts. The niece of notable character actor Raza Murad, she was no nepo baby, but worked her way from the ground up, supporting her family.

Her breakthrough arrived with Rajiv Rai’s action blockbuster Tridev (1989), where she starred opposite Naseeruddin Shah. The energetic song “Oye Oye... Tirchi Topi Wale” became a massive hit, catapulting her to pan-Indian fame. Other notable films include Mitti Aur Sona (1989) with Chunky Pandey which gave her the best reviews of her career, Kroadh (1990), the Telugu hit Kodama Simham (1990) with Chiranjeevi. Ajooba (1991) reunited her with her first co-star Rishi Kapoor, and Vishwatma (1992) got her her hit songs once again. She was praised for her youthful fresh looks (she was a teen when she started after all!), dancing skills, and screen presence in an era dominated by established stars.

Sonam married director Rajiv Rai in 1991 and chose to quit acting shortly after to focus on family life. Rai was on top of Bollywood - serving one hit after another, while she gave birth to her son Gaurav Rai before turning 21 and chose maternity over the film fraternity. The couple later moved abroad (around 1997) amid industry challenges and personal reasons, living in the US until about 2012. The age-gap between the director Rajiv Rai and his leading lady Sonam, wasn't a big deal initially but the 17 year chasm between the two seemed ever widening as they split. After divorce, she returned to Mumbai, remarried, and largely stayed out of the spotlight for decades.

Sonam in Stardust 1989

In recent years, Sonam has embraced social media. She made a sudden and notable appearance on Instagram (@sonamkhan_72 ) around late 2022–2023, sharing throwbacks, interviews, and personal stories. Her account quickly gained traction - now boasting over 860K followers - thanks to nostalgic 90s fans rediscovering her iconic “Oye Oye” era, glamorous photos, and candid posts about motherhood and life. Her content mixes vintage clips, fashion, and reflections, resonating strongly with audiences who remember her peak.

Now in her early 50s and looking radiant, Sonam has expressed interest in a comeback with meaningful roles in films and OTT. She remains active as a mother (sharing her journey with her autistic son), reader, music lover, and fashion enthusiast. Her story - from meteoric rise and voluntary exit to graceful digital re-emergence - continues as meets the challenges of life head on.

For Sridevi fans, wondering why this deep dive into the life and times of Sonam? Well, she recently posted a throwback picture of the mahurat [launch] of the film Naaka Bandi, with Sridevi and wrote about what a fan she was of the South Indian icon; 

 

Sonam writes about Sridevi, "I met her at the mahurat of Nakabandi and barely got a hello. She was so reserved it hurt to watch. Like she was holding the whole world behind her eyes. 

Then came Chandni premiere night. I was there too. That night after the movie ended there was immense reaction — mostly a mixed bag within the film industry. Doubt everywhere. But I thought otherwise, and just like that the next day itself I sent her flowers. 

“A queen will be a queen”

I wrote a note along with the flowers. 

I loved her in Chandni and so did the rest of the world.  

Sridevi called Yash Ji and said, “Sonam has sent me flowers which are touching my ceiling.” He told me that when I met him at his office. It was a fan moment for me. Like, Sridevi ma’am even knows my name. Yay!  

She never forgot. She told Yash Ji I was the only actress who sent her flowers. 

When we met again for the Nakabandi patchwork, she thanked me for those roses. That was it. The ice broke. A simple gesture with no agenda made me her my friend, and God, I was so proud of that.

I was very young and she got that because she too started working at an extremely young age. That connection comes with honesty and zero malice. 

After that, she changed with me. The legend fell away. She’d tug at my sleeve, eyes sparkling, giggling like we were back in school. 

I still think of that New York to Bombay flight in 1990. We’d both just performed at Amitji’s concert. For hours she talked. No walls, no silences. Just her being soft, funny, real. Sometimes heartbreakingly honest. 

She left us too soon. But I got to know both of her: the queen everyone worshipped, and the child who just wanted to laugh. 

It was a privilege and an honor to have known her. 

A queen can be replaced but not Sridevi.

I still mean every word I wrote that night:

A queen will always be a queen because she was The Sridevi never meant to be replaced, till eternity. 👑

.

🦋Trivia - after I got married to Rajiv and he was making Mohra I told him to cast her in the movie, after the sad demise of Divya. Due to fate and date issues she couldn’t work in Mohra. She would have been the ideal Mast Mast QUEEN👑

.

Priyanka Chopra: Still watching Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai

PC recently posted that she's still a fan! 

Priyanka Chopra: Still watching Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai! Well, aren't we all...

Actress Shefali Shah, "I was tremendously influenced by Sridevi"

Actress Shefali Shah, "I was tremendously influenced by Sridevi"

The incredible award-winning actress was a fan - she joins a long roster of famed Sridevi mega fans. 

Ayesha Takia with Sridevi in Sur Kshetra (2012): Happy 40th to the talented Takia!

 Ayesha Takia with Sridevi in the reality TV show, Sur Kshetra (2012) 

Ayesha turns 40 today. A lovely, natural actress who gave it all up for marriage and motherhood, she was very good from the get go - Socha Na Tha, is such an underrated gem. And her performance in Dor is nothing short of phenomenal. 

Alas box-office didn't favour her during her last few years in the industry and, after a a series of expensive flops, she left the industry. But no one remembers her flops, when people think of her, they think of what a fine performer she is and one of the most natural, gifted actresses - who should make a comeback in something good.  

Hopefully, she'll agree! . 

This image from Boney Kapoor produced reality TV show Sur Kshetra, where Sridevi made a surprise appearance. Ayesha is of course a famous fan of Sridevi, who appeared briefly on the show back in 2012 - afterall, the show was produced by her chubby-hubby! 

Kapil Sharma with Sridevi and Boney Kapoor at Filmfare Awards 2017

Wishing standup comic Kapil Sharma the very best today - the most famous Indian comic today turns 45. 

During the 62nd Filmfare Awards back in 2017, the emcee of the night, Sharma had a fun, cheeky moment with Sridevi and Boney Kapoor while talking about the 2016 demonetisation of ₹500 and ₹1000 notes.

He turned to the front row, looked at Sridevi and playfully asked how she was managing her ghar ka kharcha after the note ban, teasing her that she must have had “piles of cash” stashed away at home. Sridevi, being the sport she always was, burst out laughing and took the joke beautifully, turning it into one of those light, memorable filmy moments with Kapil.

Kapil has repeated said on his show (in all its avatars!) that Sridevi was one of his favourite actresses - it would have been fun to see Sri and Kapil share the stage together - alas. Just wasn't meant to be.

Lucky for Kapil - he did run into her at an event years before he became the multi-crore earing Netflix superstar. 

PS: More than Kapil though, in absolute awe of the chameleon comic brilliance of Sunil Grover. He was great as Gulzar, Mithun, Dharmendra (in the past), and so on. But his capture of Salman Khan and recently of Kader Khan has been next level. They need to create a special award just for him. 

Priyanka Chopra's Tribute to Sridevi in TIME magazine

 

Abhishek Bachchan fans out at Sridevi: 50 and Fab Bachchan Jnr rings in another year

Abhishek Bachchan fans out at Sridevi: 50 and Fab Bachchan Jnr rings in another year - we wish the actor well. 

Sridevi's fanclub beyond borders: Yalda Hakim

Indian actress Sridevi's magic knew no passports, no borders, no boundaries drawn by wars or maps. She was a luminescent phenomenon representing an entire era in Indian cinema, and her light reached far beyond the glittering screens of Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam cinema—into refugee camps, distant living room televisions, silver screens, pirated VCDs, DVDs and the hearts of people who might never have set foot in India. 

One such heart belonged to Yalda Hakim, the acclaimed Afghan-born Australian journalist who today is a leading voice and Lead World News presenter on Sky News, known for her sharp, fearless interviews with global leaders and her unflinching coverage of conflict zones.

Picture this: Yalda was born on June 26, 1983, in Kabul, Afghanistan—a time when Sridevi, at just 20 years old, was already the undisputed number one actress in Bollywood and a pan-Indian superstar. By the early 1980s, Sridevi had conquered hearts with her electrifying dance moves, her effortless shift between comic timing and intense drama, and films that became cultural phenomena. She wasn't just an actress; she was a phenomenon. In the early 90s, when Hakim was still a child, Sridevi was touring Afghanistan with the all-mighty Amitabh Bachchan, shooting in the difficult terrain, a grand, epic, meant-for-the-large screen Hindi film, Khuda Gawah. 

As Yalda's family fled the Soviet-Afghan War when she was barely six months old—enduring a harrowing journey on horseback to Pakistan before finding refuge in Australia in 1986—Bollywood's glow somehow followed them. Growing up in Sydney after settling there, Yalda attended Macarthur Girls High School and later earned a Bachelor of Arts in Media from Macquarie University. But long before journalism became her calling, cinema—especially Hindi cinema—was a quiet companion in displacement. Afghan families, like many South Asian diaspora communities, carried fragments of home through music and movies. Pirated VHS tapes, grainy Doordarshan broadcasts picked up somehow, or later DVDs—Sridevi's films traveled across borders in ways official diplomacy never could.

And among them was Khuda Gawah (1992), the epic drama where Sridevi played a fierce Pashtun woman, Benazir (L), in a story set against the rugged landscapes of Afghanistan. Shot partly in beautiful Afghan locales (with some creative liberties), the film resonated deeply in the region. For many Afghans and those in the diaspora, it was more than entertainment—it was a rare portrayal of their culture on a grand scale, with Sridevi's commanding presence making the character feel authentic and larger-than-life. Yalda, born right around the time Sridevi was at her peak, would have grown up in a world where such films were shared stories of pride and escape.

When Sridevi passed away suddenly in 2018, Yalda didn't stay silent like a distant observer. She poured out her grief publicly: "Goodbye hawa hawai - queen of Bollywood Sridevi. A loss not just to India but a whole generation like mine who grew up watching her films. She had charm, charisma and wit." On X (then Twitter), she mourned Bollywood's first true female superstar, and on Facebook, she echoed the same sentiment with a poignant post referencing that iconic "Hawa Hawaii" number from Mr. India. 

These weren't casual words from a celebrity journalist—they were the raw emotions of a lifelong fan.

Sridevi's on-screen strength as a warrior woman mirrored the resilience many in the Afghan community knew too well. This is what makes Sridevi's fame truly global, even in ways she might never have fully realized. She didn't need Hollywood crossovers or international awards circuits to touch lives continents away. Her films crossed refugee routes, language barriers, and political divides. Yalda Hakim—now a powerful voice —represents that invisible thread. 

Even unknown to Sridevi herself, her legacy lives beyond borders (we get maximum views from our neighbours!) and she shaped global conversations in unknown ways. That's stardom that transcends—timeless, borderless, and profoundly human.

Yalda Hakim

@SkyYaldaHakim

Saddened by the death of #Sridevi. Bollywood’s first female superstar. She had charm, charisma and wit. A loss not just for Bollywood & India but also my generation who grew up watching her films.

Famous Fan: Mithun Chakraborty!

 Mithun, "Sridevi is the most fantastic actress and the loveliest person I've ever come across. Some may think she's aloof, but she's so lively and warm. Just to see her work is an inspiration."

--Cine Blitz February 1986

Sridevi inspiring Shilpa Shetty

Sridevi inspiring Shilpa Shetty time and again! 

Dilip Kumar, "Sridevi is a wonderful artist, dancer..." A Legend who was a Famous Fan of "the great Sridevi"

Remembering Dilip Kumar on his birth anniversary today. Often touted as the greatest Indian actor of all time, Dilip Kumar was born 11 Dec 1922. The legendary superstar worked with Sridevi in only two films, both in 1986, the blockbuster Karma and the hit film Dharm Adhikari. Had the film not been shelved, they would have worked together again in Raasta. 

Dilip Kumar did the mahurat of Lamhe, while his beautiful wife, erstwhile actress Saira Banu, presented Sridevi with her Chandni silver jubilee trophy back in 1990. Sridevi was famously an ardent fan of Dilip Kumar--really there are no Indian actors who were not--and, in turn, Dilip Kumar is said to have given high praise to Sridevi when they were working together, albeit briefly. It is rare to find a clip of Dilip Kumar praising younger stars, but he did say Sridevi was a fine artist and dancer [above clip]. 

It is alleged, that Dilip Kumar told Subash Ghai, film producer and director of Karma, "This girl has beauty of Madhubala, acting of Meena Kumari, dance of Vyjayanthimala, grace of Waheeda Rehman, stardom of Rajesh Khanna, popularity of Amitabh and that all-combination made one and only Sridevi, People will never forget her as long as cinema lasts." 

As there is no recording or clip or print scan of this hyperbolic praise of Sridevi [as much as we agree with it!] from that era, it remains questionable. The 80s was not only a strange decade for films, it was stranger still when it came to film journalism! So we'll take this quote with a pinch of salt. 

What cannot be denied of course is Saira Banu's recent post remembering Sridevi and the erstwhile star's high praise of the actress[below]. 

Um... we'll take the figures with a questionable quote too... 

Ram Gopal Verma fans out at Sridevi. Again.

Will there ever be a RGV comeback? Or is he all bark, no bite?! 

He's been doing the interview circuit again and fans out at Sridevi. Apparently Rangeela was made with Sridevi in mind but she rejected it. We have every film magazine from that era, and Sridevi never brought up the film. Except in once instance... 

Famous fan: Isha Koppikar calls Sridevi her biggest motivation

On Zoom's latest interview with actress Isha Koppikar, she fans out at Sridevi yet again. 

Check it out here.  

Note she points out Sridevi's acting in several films, not just one. 

 

Asin turns 40! Famous fan of Sridevi, South Indian actress Asin

Asin gives a hug to Sridevi; yet another famous fan. 

The actress who made an impressive debut in Bollywood and was immediately compared to Sridevi -laughably- came and went so quickly. Opting for marriage over movies, perhaps she chose well. 

Trouble is of course, her all-too-brief stint in Bollywood means she'll be soon forgotten by this new gen of movie goers as the audience has short-term memory. I think of that lead actress in Hum Kisse Kum Nahin (1977!), where she made a big splash, big hit, big co-stars, hit songs... and now, we can't even remember her name. Wonder if fate will do the same to Asin; made a big splash in Ghajni, had hit songs, huge co-stars (Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar!) and then... fizzled out like yesterday's damp champagne. 

Perhaps she'll return to movies or OTT as the trend seems to be currently. Box-office might fade, talent doesn't. So let's see. 

 

Famous Fan: Simran, "Sridevi is my role model!"

 

When young Simran burst into the scene in Bollywood back in 1996 with Tere Mere Sapne, she didn't leave much of an impression as an actor, though she was a pretty girl who danced well in the hit song Aankh Maare, from the same successful film. A movie that launched four newcomers--not one nepo baby!--Arshad Warsi, Chandrachur Singh, 

Priya Gill and Simran, its surprising that Simran was the one who truly made it - and that too in Tamil cinema. 

At age 49 she remains striking and has constantly improved as an actor. Chandrachur left the scene, Priya Gill had a hit or two then disappeared, and Arshad Warsi's been essentially Arshad Warsi in every film; a likeable funnyman who dances pretty well in his plus-sized bod. A career defining role(s) in Munna Bhai, he's been a working actor for nearly three decades - nothing to be sniffed at. Simran's run the gamut of genres in Indian cinema and done exceedingly well. And why wouldn't she, after all, her role model is/was Sridevi! 

Urmila Matondkar honours Sridevi.

Urmila Matondkar honours Sridevi.

"For me, the last Number One was Sridevi. After Sridevi, there's been no one. Madhuri is still around, so she's still part of the competition now, but Sri was Sri!"

A famous fan of Sridevi - like so many others. 

Famous fans of Sridevi

 

Abhimanyu Singh attacks Sridevi: Heart thumping climax of Mom: TBT to 2017

 

Abhimanyu Singh attacks Sridevi: Heart thumping climax of Mom: TBT to 2017

Abhimanyu's quote on Sridevi's professionalism. She was aware of her legendary status but not crippled by it.