Rare film posters of Hindi film Majaal: Sridevi, Jaya Prada and Jeetendra

Rare film posters of Hindi film Majaal: Sridevi, Jaya Prada and Jeetendra fight for top billing! Produced by Jaya Prada's husband, was a surprise that Sridevi agreed to work in the film considering this was the peak of the rivalry between the two--in fact, it was brought up in the press;

Stardust: Dear Sridevi, Your rivalry with Jaya Prada, is really too much. Despite her efforts to make up with you, you still resent her and continue to hate her. I believe that you stretched your ego clashes so far that you sulked and fought for top billing for the film Majaal in which you are a co-star with Jaya Prada. Isn't it foolish and downright petty for a top star like you to stoop so low and fuel a cold war? 

Jivraj Verma. Poona 

Sridevi: "Yes, I'm aware of the cold war between Jaya Prada and me, because people have been going on and on about it. The world has been right in thinking that Jaya Prada and I are not friends, because I am in the industry to work and not to socialise. Once the camera is switched off, I acknowledge no other presences, but mine. But please, I don't hate her, because if I were to sit hating a person it would mean attaching too much importance and Jaya Prada is certainly not worth it. Contrary to public opinion, Sridevi doesn't have to fight for top billing, she gets it, because the audience knows that she deserves higher billing than Jaya Prada." 

-- March 1987, Stardust

Either way, movie came out fine. Sridevi's role wasn't cut or Jaya's role wasn't extended to make her look better. Film was shot exactly as intended. BTW a rather mediocre film with rather forgettable songs (or memorable for all the wrong reasons!). 

Jeetendra, Jaya Prada and Sridevi on trial: Majaal!

Released on 24 April 1987, its 38 years of the Hindi film Majaal. Produced by Srikanth Nahata (husband of Jaya Prada), it was a huge surprise that Sridevi agreed to do the film considering the fire and feud of the leading ladies was raging in the 1980s. The media even asked Sridevi if she was worried that they'd--her arch nemesis-do harakiri with her role. Well, despite what went on behind-the-scenes, all the stars kept it professional on set and the film, a remake of the Telugu film Sravana Sandhya (1986) which itself was remake of Tamil film Pournami Alaigal (1985), was made as intended and ran successfully. 

Watching the film now, nearly four decades later, the drama and trial is interesting to watch - Bappi Lahiri's music, the costumes and the song and dance routines however, have not aged well. 

Sridevi and Jeetendra in Majaal

Released on 24 April 1987, a film produced by Jaya Prada's husband no less, this was Sridevi's olive branch of sorts to her arch rival and her family. Sridevi agreed to work on the film despite the tumultuous history between the two Telugu actresses. 

The movie is pretty standard fare from the 80s, as Jeetendra famously called Jaya and Sri, his 'bread and butter'! 

Sridevi in a yellow chiffon sari: Telugu magazine cover

 

Sridevi in a yellow chiffon sari from the Hindi film Majaal (1987), but image used in Telugu tabloid. 

Sridevi and Jeetendra in Majaal (1987): A film produced by Jaya Prada's Husband!

Sridevi and Jeetendra in Majaal: A film produced by Jaya Prada's Husband! 

1987 was the last year Jeetendra and Sridevi worked together. By then Jeetendra was 45 and Sridevi 24 and without a doubt, queen of Bollywood. With her making great strides up the box-office and salary scope, she became increasingly expensive for Jeetendra's medium budget Madras re-makes. He went on to make many more films with Jaya Prada and Rekha, and even Bhanupriya. In fact when you look at the look and costumes of Bhanupriya in a film like Tamacha, the wardrobe and styling leans heavily on the Sridevi look from 1983. Unfortunately, the crew couldn't repeat the success of the magial Sridevi-Jeetendra combo. 

Sridevi in Majaal

Sridevi as a lawyer in Majaal. 
 

TBT to 1987: War of the roses: Jaya Prada and Sridevi in Majaal

Jeetendra, Jaya Prada and Sridevi in Majaal

Stardust: Dear Sridevi, Your rivalry with Jaya Prada, is really too much. Despite her efforts to make up with you, you still resent her and continue to hate her. I believe that you stretched your ego clashes so far that you sulked and fought for top billing for the film Majaal in which you are a co-star with Jaya Prada. Isn't it foolish and downright petty for a top star like you to stoop so low and fuel a cold war? 

Jivraj Verma. Poona 

Sridevi: "Yes, I'm aware of the cold war between Jaya Prada and me, because people have been going on and on about it. The world has been right in thinking that Jaya Prada and I are not friends, because I am in the industry to work and not to socialise. Once the camera is switched off, I acknowledge no other presences, but mine. But please, I don't hate her, because if I were to sit hating a person it would mean attaching too much importance and Jaya Prada is certainly not worth it. Contrary to public opinion, Sridevi doesn't have to fight for top billing, she gets it, because the audience knows that she deserveds higher billing than Jaya Prada." 

March 1987, Stardust

Rare still of Sridevi as a lawyer on the sets of Majaal.

The film was produced by Jaya Prada's husband and there was a dance off between the two divas (TBH a better one in Maqsad) that was pretty on the nose about how the leading ladies felt about the other. The actresses were 24-25, spirited in their tiffs and taunts to the other (which we've studiously recorded in the archives!). 

 

Rare Pic: Sridevi, Jeetendra and Jaya Prada in Majaal

Rare Pic: Sridevi, Jeetendra and Jaya Prada in Majaal 

 

Sridevi's colourful costumes in Majaal

Sridevi's colourful costumes in Majaal 

Not a particularly good film or box-office smash - the only surprising thing about the movie was that it was produced by arch-rival and off-screen nemesis (scroll through the archive!) Jaya Prada and her husband Srikanth Nahata! 

Either Sridevi hadn't read any of the trash they had said about her in print or she chose the high rode to forgive and forget... 

Hmm. 

Jeetendra, Sridevi, Jaya Prada in Majaal: 35 year anniversary

Released 35 years ago, Jeetendra, Sridevi, Jaya Prada in Majaal.

Gorgeous golden Sridevi in Majaal

A film produced by Jaya Prada's husband, Majaal had arch rivals Sridevi and Jaya Prada co-star with Jeetendra in the film.

Sridevi looks so regal and beautiful here.

Sridevi on the sets of Majaal (1987)

Sridevi on the sets of Majaal (1987).

The puffy yellow dress, the bandanna-head-accessory thing.... the faux-fruit earrings - yep, 80s fashion!

Below: Jeetendra and Sridevi on set.

Jeetendra, Jaya Prada and Sridevi in Majaal (1987)

On the sets of the film Majaal, Jeetendra, Jaya Prada and Sridevi.

Sridevi and Jeetendra as opposing counselors in the film. Sridevi as a lawyer... she really has done every role imaginable on film.

Released on April 1987, the film was produced by Jaya Prada's husband Srikanth Nahata. The rivalry between Jaya Prada and Sridevi is legendary; but business is business. Even she knew having Sridevi in the film would up the value of it in distribution. 

Sridevi, Jaya Prada and Jeetendra in Majaal (1987)

Jeetendra, Sridevi and Jaya Prada in Majaal (1987).

Released in April 1987, the film was produced by Jaya Prada's husband Srikanth Nahata a year after the actress got married to him.

An olive branch extended after they famously feuded in print for years. 

click to enlarge

Rare pics of Sridevi and Jeetendra on the sets of Majaal

Update: Below; Bollywood posters in English and Hindi for the film Majaal. 

Left: Jeetendra and Sridevi in Majaal