Sridevi

Gorgeous Sridevi, 21, in Jaag Utha Insan - back in the 1980s. 

Released on July 6, 1984. Its easily one of Sridevi's best Hindi films. 

Stunning Sridevi in Jaag Utha Insan

 

Sridevi, 20, in the Hindi film Jaag Utha Insan. Released on 6 July 1984, this lovely Hindi film is easily the most underrated and rarely seen movies. Legend has it that, according to film writer Rajesh Subramanian, Jaya Prada (the director's favourite) was the first choice but since her dates were committed and clashed with Prakash Mehra's Sharaabi, Sridevi was signed to play the female lead. 

Sridevi worked in the film (and cut her considerable price) to work with the legend K. Viswanath. Sharaabi went on to be a big hit, and Jaya Prada got a few scenes and songs out of it. Jaag Utha Insan was a serious affair that tanked at the box-office and ignited much speculation and rumours about the lead stars, Mithun and Sridevi. Rumours that have refused to die till date!

Exquisite Sridevi in Jaag Utha Insan (1984)

Sridevi's temple scene in Jaag Utha Insan. 

Sridevi, then 21, gave such a phenomenal performance in this 1984 film. 

Directed by the acclaimed filmmaker K. Viswanath and produced by Rakesh Roshan under Filmkraft, Jaag Utha Insan (Awakened Man) is a powerful Hindi social drama that explores love, caste barriers, and spiritual awakening. 

A remake of Viswanath’s own 1981 Telugu film Saptapadi, it stars Mithun Chakraborty as Hari (a Dalit youth), Sridevi as Sandhya (a Brahmin dancer), and Rakesh Roshan as the enlightened Nandu. Supporting roles feature Deven Verma, J.V. Somayajulu, and Sujit Kumar. 

The story follows Sandhya, who falls in love with Hari despite deep caste divides. Sent to perform at her orthodox grandfather’s temple, she is pressured into marrying Nandu. On their wedding night, Nandu perceives her as a goddess devoted to another and releases her through profound wisdom: true caste stems from deeds, not birth, echoing Vedic ideals. Tragedy strikes as societal opposition leads to the lovers’ deaths, delivering a poignant message on humanity over hierarchy. 

his marked the first on-screen pairing of 1980s icons Sridevi and Mithun Chakraborty. Their chemistry sparked an alleged real-life romance during filming that lasted several years. 

  

Jaya Prada - K Vishwanath's favourite - was the original choice for Sandhya but was unavailable due to scheduling conflicts with Sharaabi; Sridevi stepped in. 

Cinematographer P.L. Raj won a Filmfare Award for his evocative work capturing temple rituals and rural landscapes. Music by Rajesh Roshan, with lyrics by Indeevar and standout tracks like Lata Mangeshkar’s “Tarpat Beete” and Asha Bhosle’s other numbers, enhanced Sridevi’s graceful performance. Dialogues came from Dr. Rahi Masoom Reza - who also wrote the dialogues of Lamhe!  

Released on July 6, 1984, the film earned praise for its sensitive direction and bold theme but underperformed commercially, running about 10 weeks in key theaters. It remains a cult classic for its progressive stance on caste and inter-caste love. 

Sridevi with Mithun in their first film together: Jaag Utha Insan: TBT to 1984

Sridevi with her most-talked about co-star, Mithun. 

Their first film together - and the best in the list - Jaag Utha Insan. 1984. Sridevi was 21, Mithun was 34 and twice married already. Famously falling for his co-stars... 

This gen has no idea how big a superstar Disco Dancer Mithun was back then. Now age 76, he shines like the legendary actor he is in films like Guru (by Mani Rathnam), or OMG... unfortunately, he did too many B- C- films that are tagged with his legacy. But not man saw those films, but remember his best performances, not his weak box-office. 

So much has been written and said about Sridevi and Mithun... that we no longer wish to add further dialogue to the conversation. 

3/4ths of their films were superhits. Sad that their best film together, this gem by K Vishwanath, did the worst box-office out of the lot. 80s was a bane on Bollywood in many ways. Some fine films got swept under the rug. 

 

Sridevi as a Goddess on screen 6 times!

 Can you list them all? I think we can eventually - Sridevi appeared as a Goddess, celestial being in nearly half a dozen films. 

Her talent and beauty was just other-worldly... and her face, features, posture, height, limbs, curves, power and ethereal aura was so Goddessian, filmmakers just automatically cast her as the screen Goddess that she was - no casting or auditions needed... 

Above, Sridevi in 1984 in Jaag Utha Insan and then in 1989, in Gair Kanooni! 

Sridevi in dance costume: Purple Reign

 Sridevi, 21, in dance costume: Purple Reign 

 From Jaag Utha Insan. 

Sridevi, Rakesh Roshan and J. V. Somayajulu in Jaag Utha Insan (1984)

Sridevi, Rakesh Roshan and J. V. Somayajulu in Jaag Utha Insan (1984). Sridevi's most underrated performance - and a fine film. 

Released on 6 July 1984, the Hindi version of legendary filmmaker K Viswanath's own Telugu film Saptapadi (1981) wasn't a huge hit. The tragic love story between a Dalit boy and a Brahmin Girl, played by Mithun Chakraborty and Sridevi respectively in the lead roles, supported by Rakesh Roshan, J V Somayajulu Deven Verma, Sujit Kumar. While the original film was a hit and garnered much acclaim, the Hindi movie didn't touch the pan-Indian audience. 

Sridevi, all of 21, looked, acted and danced like the dream she was. While this film flopped, by 1984, she had already dethroned her senior and raced ahead of her contemporaries and declared the Number One female star of pan-Indian cinema. Sridevi reigned supreme with an unprecedented run of hit films starting with Himmatwala in 1983, followed with successive hits Mawaali, Justice Chaudhury, Jaani Dost (all in '83) followed by the top slots in 1984; Tohfa, Maqsad and Inquilaab. 

Beautiful Sridevi in Jaag Utha Insan (1984)

Beautiful Sridevi in Jaag Utha Insan (1984)

Released on 6 July 1984, it is easily one of Sridevi's most underrated performances and films. Worth a watch. 

Luminescent Sridevi on the sets of Jaag Utha Insan: Her most underrated performance

Luminescent Sridevi on the sets of Jaag Utha Insan: Her most underrated performance. Unlike a Lamhe, which got her plenty of critical acclaim, a cult following, NRI fandom and retrospective recognition, this classic Indian film didn't get much eyeballs and we'd like to rectify that.  Especially in the middling 80s, this is one of her better Hindi films by a mile. 

Sari-clad gorgeous Indian Actress Sridevi: Jaag Utha Insan

Sari-clad gorgeous Indian Actress Sridevi, 21, in the Hindi film Jaag Utha Insan 

How do you see Sridevi? Well...

Sridevi, 21, in Jaag Utha Insan.

Her husband in the film envisioned her as a Goddess. 

Every hardcore Sridevi fan, nods with understanding! 

 

Dazzling Sridevi on set: Indian actress in costume

Sridevi dazzling on the sets of Jaag Utha Insan. 

Easily one of her best performances as an actress and as a dancer on screen. She had just turned 21 and its such a confident and effortless act. 

Sridevi with Mithun: Jab They Met!

Sridevi with Mithun in Jaag Utha Insan. 

The response he got for winning his award this past week... 

BTW how striking and gorgeous Sridevi looks here - age 21! 

Sridevi with a calf!

 Sridevi, 21, in Jaag Utha Insan. One of her best and most underrated performances.  

Defiant Sridevi on Marriage: TBT to 1988 Stardust

Sridevi in Jaag Utha Insan (1984)

Sridevi seemed to be very emphatic about what she wanted. I reminded her of what she had said barely a year ago of marrying the man her mother chose for her. Would she still do it? I asked teasingly. 

Sridevi blushed and brushed it away. “I don’t remember saying anything of the sort!” 

I let that pass. If she chose to feign amnesia on that subject who was I to protest. Besides she has the freedom of changing her mind with every interview. 

“I believe in marriage. But I don’t believe in marrying just for the sake of it. There has to be love also. I have to love the man I marry.” 

But what if her mother, whom she insists she is closest to, objects to the man she chose? 

“I will see to it that she is convinced of the eligibility of the man I intend to marry. I care for her opinion, but I also have to see to it that I take care of my own future happiness. After all, it’s I who have to live with the man I marry and not they,” she said, sounding almost defiant. Wondering if she had said something she shouldn’t be saying, she quickly added, “But of course I shall see to it that they will understand my point of view.” 

Sridevi further hastened to insist that she was not being rebellious. “I’m so fortunate that I have such lovely, understanding parents. I’ve seen so many actresses who have been tortured and forced by their mothers (or fathers) to do all sorts of things. I consider myself lucky when compared to them.” 

-- Sridevi, Stardust Magazine 1988

Rakesh Roshan, J. V. Somayajulu and Sridevi in Jaag Utha Insan (1984)

Rakesh Roshan, J. V. Somayajulu and Sridevi in Jaag Utha Insan (1984)

Getting the Telugu legend JV Somayajulu to appear in a Hindi film... incredible!  Well, the remake of Saptapadi (Telugu classic from 1981), who else but the original actor? 

 

Mithun with Sridevi

 

Mithun with Sridevi

In their first film together - Jaag Utha Insan - its easily one of their better films. 

Pity this wonderful film wasn't a blockbuster - when the following three films they appeared in was. 

Now and then: Sridevi's classic dances

Now and then: Sridevi's classic dances. 

Sridevi in Jaag Utha Insan and nearly a decade later in Chaand Ka Tukdaa.

 

Gorgeous Sridevi, 21, in the film Jaag Utha Insan

 Gorgeous Sridevi, 21, in the film Jaag Utha Insan 

A telling quote from Sridevi: 1993, Stardust

 

"Yes, I've struggled to reach the position I'm in today but it's not been traumatic. Yes, people here try to take advantage when you're new. They manipulate things to suit their means. I'll say there is a lot of manipulations in this industry and people try to run down each other. Maybe I've been a victim to it in the past but today things are different." 

-- Sridevi, Stardust, 1993. 

Left: Sridevi, 21, in the film Jaag Utha Insan (1984)