Silver Jubilee of Chandni: Sridevi's shining moment on stage

 

Silver Jubilee of Chandni: Sridevi's shining moment on stage 

March 1990, silver jubilee and mahurat/launch of Lamhe.

Sridevi's costume from Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari for a magazine cover

 

The perm wig is a bit of an overkill but the white, gold and diamantes top was part of Sridevi's costume from the Telugu smash Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari. The stills of that look were used in several magazine features - even a Cine Blitz cover back in March 1990.

 

Sridevi at the launch of Lamhe

Sridevi at the launch of Lamhe - 6 March, 1990.

With great fanfare - simultaneously celebrating the unprecedented success of Chandni - Lamhe was launched with the cast and crew - and half the industry. Sridevi performed a stanza of 'Morni' and she looked absolutely glorious.

 More pics from the grand launch in earlier post here.

March 1990 Cine Blitz cover girl: Sridevi

Sridevi blings up Cine Blitz March 1990 cover shoot!

Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Yash Chopra at the mahurat [launch] of Lamhe: Dilip Kumar does the first clap: March 1990

Sridevi at the launch of one of her most memorable Hindi films, Lamhe - at Centaur Hotel in Juhu Mumbai, on 6 March 1990.

A movie that went on to win multiple awards and attained cult status on account of its lukewarm reception at the box-office yet overwhelming fan-following.

Seen here with co-star Anil Kapoor, her producer and director Yash Chopra, the divine singer Lata Mangeshkar, legendary actor Dilip Kumar and several other luminaries from the Hindi film industry, all who turned up in full force to support the team. 

Following the unprecedented success of Chandni, it was almost a given that Sridevi would work in any ensuing film with Yash Chopra, who has stated in interviews that his favorite actors of all-time were Amitabh Bachchan, Sridevi and Shah Rukh Khan. Not necessarily in that order...

Sridevi's co-stars from the earlier film, Rishi Kapoor and Vinod Khanna, were not in the reckoning, but Waheeda Rehman, who had a brief role in Chandni, was given a lengthier part to play in Lamhe. It goes without saying but Rehman was faultless in her portrayal of the maternal figure Dai jaa. After winning a Filmfare Lifetime Achievement award, Waheeda Rehman mentioned she'd like Lamhe to be her last film as she predicted there could never be a better film to be her swansong (the year was 1991).

However, a decade later, when Anupam Kher donned the hat of director in Om Jai Jagdish (2002), he cajoled the legendary actress out of self-imposed retirement. She's appeared in a few other films sporadically, ever since.

Sridevi mentioned that she didn't agree with the controversial ending of the film and mentioned it to her director, but he was adamant. Being the captain of the ship, she went along with the vision of the filmmaker with zero qualms. Though the film recovered costs and in later years even went into profit zone, the failure of the film deeply affected Yash Chopra - and yet, it remains one of the most beloved Hindi films that the team did together.

I interviewed Yash Chopra and he said of his vast repertoire, his two favourite films of his own were Silsila and Lamhe, both films that didn't receive much love from the audience during the time of its release - but now are celebrated with a major fan-following. 

Dilip Kumar, Sridevi and Anil Kapoor at the launch of Lamhe

Cine Blitz: March 1990: Outfit from Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari

Sridevi on yet another Cine Blitz cover, this one was published in March 1990.

Cover tag: C.B. At Sreedevi's Private Palace. 

Early days, most magazines spelled out as "Sreedevi" not "Sridevi" - BTW if you were lucky enough to meet and get an autography, you know the iconic Indian actress signed "A Sreedevi" aka Ayappan Sreedevi } her given name. 

Fabulous glam series... all that bling and glossy makeup! Most fans of Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari will recognise the outfit.