Kader Khan with Sridevi: 17 Films Together over two decades

Fact is, Kader Khan was not given his due in the Hindi film industry. A true giant of Indian cinema, his infinite talents and knowledge, his surreal skills at easing into comedy, melodrama, and villainy with utter ease, his laudable writing, and dialogue delivery... all of it came flooding back to the memory bank as, earlier this week, television comedic genius Sunil Grover—the master of improv and mimicking—appeared in Netflix's The Great Indian Kapil Show (or Comedy Nights with Kapil revival) and gave a tour-de-force, pitch-perfect tribute to the late great Kader Khan.
Looking back at a list of films that Kader Khan appeared in with Sridevi—about 17 films over the course of nearly two decades, from Sridevi's first major Hindi hit Himmatwala in 1983 to Judaai in 1997—I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Kader Khan had one of the funniest and most memorable cameos in Chaalbaaz, though he and Sridevi didn't appear on screen together—but it remains a perennial favourite.

The great man died at age 81 [same year as Sridevi, back in 2018, except Sri was 54!], without much fanfare or celebrity appearances, with few and far between paying tribute. The industry has a way of forgetting those who did so much for it that's borderline cruel, unkind and merciless. Here today, gone tomorrow—the legend deserved a better farewell and more tributes, felicitations and national honours and recognition. Of course, he wasn't in India when he passed, and yet, one wonders if all those he helped took pause? 

Year	Film Name	Hit/Flop Status	Director	Lead Cast
1983	Himmatwala	Blockbustert	K. Raghavendra Rao	Jeetendra, Sridevi, Kader Khan
1983	Jaani Dost	Hit	K. Raghavendra Rao	Jeetendra, Dharmendra, Parveen Babi, Sridevi, Kader Khan
1983	Justice Chaudhry	Hit	K. Raghavendra Rao	Jeetendra, Sridevi, Kader Khan
1983	Mawaali	Superhit	K. Bapaiah	Jeetendra, Sridevi, Jaya Prada, Kader Khan
1984	Inquilaab	Hit	K. Raghavendra Rao	Amitabh Bachchan, Sridevi, Kader Khan
1984	Akalmand	Average	K. Bapaiah	Jeetendra, Sridevi, Kader Khan
1984	Tohfa	Superhit	K. Raghavendra Rao	Jeetendra, Jaya Prada, Sridevi, Kader Khan
1985	Balidaan	Hit	Ravi Tandon	Jeetendra, Sridevi, Kader Khan
1986	Ghar Sansar	Hit	K. Bapaiah	Jeetendra, Sridevi, Kader Khan
1986	Suhagan	Hit	K. Bapaiah	Jeetendra, Sridevi, Raj Babbar, Padmini, Kader Khan
1986	Dharm Adhikari	Hit	K. Raghavendra Rao	Dilip Kumar, Jeetendra, Sridevi, Kader Khan
1987	Majaal	Hit	K. Bapaiah	Jeetendra, Sridevi, Jaya Prada, Kader Khan
1987	Aulad	Hit	K. Raghavendra Rao	Jeetendra, Sridevi, Kader Khan
1988	Sone Pe Suhaaga	Average	K. Bapaiah	Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Kader Khan
1988	Sherni	Average	Harmesh Malhotra	Sridevi, Shatrughan Sinha, Kader Khan
1988	Waqt Ki Awaz	Superhit	K. Bapaiah	Mithun Chakraborty, Sridevi, Kader Khan
1989	ChaalBaaz	Superhit	Pankaj Parashar	Sridevi, Sunny Deol, Rajinikanth, Kader Khan (special appearance)
1997	Judaai	Superhit	Raj Kanwar	Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Urmila Matondkar, Kader Khan

Sridevi makes a splash in Himmatwala: But with the tag Thunder Thighs!

 

Q: Were you peeved by the tag--Thunder Thighs-- once given to you?
Sridevi: Ha! No, I didn't take that seriously. It was given to me at the time of Himmatwala. I was very chubby then, I weighed 75kg. At the time of Chandni, I lost weight and came down to 57kg, which I think helped me a lot to impve my dancing..."

Himmatwala released on 25 February 1983 in India, a runaway success where Sridevi wowed the nation. 

Legends line up; Amjad Khan, Kader Khan with Sridevi. 

17 (or so) films of Kader Khan with Sridevi: Remembering the icon Kader Khan today

Kader Khan worked with Sridevi for nearly two decades, from Himmatwala (1983) to Judaai (1997) in over a dozen films. 

The prolific actor and screenwriter passed on 31 Dec back in 2018 at the age of 81 - the same year Sridevi passed at age 54! In fact, Kader Khan outlived Sri! 

He won only two Filmfares for his dialogues and one for a comedian. When he passed, it made headlines for a day but having moved to Canada, the industry's response seemed... unbefitting of a stalwart who gave the industry sooooo much. 

I wonder what he would have said in his own inimitable style... 

Below, some films that featured both Sridevi and Kader Khan. According to A I, the two appeared in 17 films together -- but like with all things AI, it needs to be fact checked assiduously. Update on the list in the coming weeks... 

Sridevi's shocking minis: Amjad Khan, Kader Khan with Sridevi in Himmatwala (1983)

 Sridevi's shocking minis: Amjad Khan, Kader Khan with Sridevi in Himmatwala (1983)

Kader Khan with Sridevi in Ghar Sansar (1986)

Remembering Kader Khan today on his death anniversary. He worked with Sridevi in sooooo many films in the 1980s. 

How fate works, they both passed in the year 2018 - Sri age 54 in Feb, Kader Khan in Dec, age 81. 

What lives. What legacies. 

Kader Khan with Sridevi in Ghar Sansar (1986)

 

34 years of Jawab Hum Denge: Sridevi with Jackie Shroff, Kader Khan and Shatrughan Sinha

34 years ago, on the 6th of Feb, 1987, Sridevi joined the cast of Jawab Hum Denge with the lead cast of Jackie Shroff, Shatrughan Singha, Kader Khan, Amrish Puri and Asrani. 

A typical Bollywood masala film, it's nice to see Sridevi and Jackie Shroff together in a film as they did very few together. Not a huge fan of the film, mostly memorable for the song Hairan Hoon Main Aap Se... and.. that's about it. Sridevi as a cop, had its moments.... 

Kader Khan with Sridevi in Ghar Sansaar (1986): Rakesh Roshan, Jeetendra and Sridevi on set

Sridevi at the launch of Ghar Sansar (1986) with the cast and crew - which intially included Kader Khan, Jeetendra, Rakesh Roshan and others.

Did you know? The story going around was that the producer wanted to sign Sridevi for the film but the inaccessible superstar was hard to reach. He asked his good friend, producer and actor Rakesh Roshan (who had already worked with Sridevi), to ask the leading lady to do the film. Sridevi agreed and Rakesh Roshan was also signed for the film. 

However, when he finally got the script and the character he was supposed to essay, Rakesh Roshan realised, the role with the negative shade wouldn't suit him. The role required him to be a young peeping tom - Roshan told the producer it would be better to sign another actor instead. Gulshan Grover was eventually signed for the film.

Below: Rakesh Roshan over the years with Sridevi - at a party hosted by him in 2013 and on the set here in 1986!

Sridevi, Jeetendra, Jaya Prada, Kader Khan and Shakti Kapoor in Tohfa (1984)

Tohfa (Gift) is a 1984 Indian  film, produced by D. Ramanaidu under the Suresh Productions banner and directed by K. Raghavendra Rao.

With Sridevi, Jeetendra and Jaya Prada in the lead roles, with music composed by Bappi Lahiri. The film is a remake of the Telugu film Devata (1982). The film upon its release was a massive commercial success, grossing ₹45 million at the domestic box office, becoming the highest grossing Indian film of 1984.

The film's narrative follows siblings Janki and Lalita who both fall for Ram, their good friend. When Lalita learns that Janki loves Ram, she steps back and allows her sister to marry him. It was a direct remake of Raghavendra Rao's Telugu blockbuster Devatha (1982), with Sridevi and Jaya Prada reprising their roles.

At the 32nd Filmfare Awards, Tohfa received three nominations: Best Comic Actor (Kapoor), Best Music and Best Lyrics "Pyaar Ka Tohfa Tera."

A moment to note Sridevi's sheer will power and work ethic. In 1984 alone, Sridevi was a part of a whopping 11 films in multiple languages;

Telugu

1984     Babulugaadi Debba     

1984     S.P. Bhayankar         
1984     Kanchu Kagada         
1984     Kode Trachu                                 

Hindi

1984     Jaag Utha Insan         
1984     Akalmand         
1984     Inquilaab         
1984     Tohfa         
1984     Maqsad         
1984     Naya Kadam
 

Malayalam

1984     Premabhishekam    

 

 

 

Mawaali (1983): Sridevi, Jaya Prada, Jeetendra, Aruna Irani, Shakti Kapoor and Kader Khan

Mawaali (Rogue) is a 1983 Indian  film, produced by G. Hanumantha Rao by Padmalaya Studios banner, presented by Krishna and directed by K. Bapaiah. 

The film stars Jeetendra, Sridevi and Jaya Prada in the lead roles, while Shakti Kapoor, Shreeram Lagoo and Kader Khan are featured in supporting roles. The music for the film was composed by Bappi Lahiri. 

The film is a remake of Telugu movie Chuttalunnaru Jagratha (1980), starring Krishna and Sridevi, which was later remade in Tamil as Pokkiri Raja (1982) which starred Rajnikanth and Sridevi. 

Sridevi has replicated her role in Telugu and Tamil adaptations, while Jayaprada  reprised Sridevi's role in Hindi adaptation. 

Mawaali was a commercial success grossing ₹40.7 million at the box office, becoming the sixth highest grossing Indian film of 1983.