The cast of Judaai: Now and then: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Urmila Matondkar

 The cast of Judaai: Now and then: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Urmila Matondkar

Sridevi: Sri putri: Janhvi Kapoor turns a year older

 

Sridevi: Sri putri: Janhvi Kapoor turns a year older! Now and then images of Sridevi with her first-born. 

Happy Birthday Janvhi Kapoor! 

Born to pan-Indian fame, Janhvi Kapoor was on the cover of Stardust before she turned one, her fate was tethered to fame whether she wanted it or not. She's navigating the pitfalls of the industry with studied elegance, strength and a sense-of-humour that we think she inherited from her mother, the iconic Indian actress, the great Sridevi. 

Obviously we have a massive archive of images of Janhvi here - but we'll never be a Janhvi Kapoor fan site, for no other reason other than the fact that our stars are linked only to the luminous Ayappan Sreedevi. If you know, you know... 

 

Janhvi Kapoor, daughter of the late legendary actress Sridevi and film producer Boney Kapoor, entered Bollywood with significant expectations and scrutiny. Her acting debut in 2018, with the romantic drama Dhadak, a remake of the Marathi film Sairat, was a box-office success and the young leads got decent reviews. A thoughtful drama with great music and the required youthful exuberance with a gut-punch final act that delivered on cue, in what can only be described as a Grecian tragedy all the good reviews were eclipsed by the tragic, untimely demise of Sridevi just months before the film's release. A tribute card slipped into the opening credits of the film might have done the needful homage to the late actress, but really, that's all audiences were thinking of in India without the signal. The real tragedy of the leading lady's mother versus the enacted one on film; the most resonant scene in the movie, when the actor Janhvi Kapoor and the character Parthavi, say the words, "I'm remembering my mother a lot, I want to go to her."  There wasn't a dry eye in the audience. 

Directed by Shashank Khaitan and co-starring Ishaan Khatter, the film addressed themes of caste differences and honor killings. It emerged as a commercial hit, marking a promising start despite mixed reviews for her performance. Ishaan's earnestness might have fared better, but the hyperactive dancing... at a point someone yelled out, "Iski battery thodi der ke liya nikaal do!" [Someone remove the batteries on this Duracell bunny!]. 

Her early career has been interested to observe as the young actor focused on diverse genres, often in female-centric or OTT-released projects, rarely opting for safe bets and predictable roles as a bystander catering to the lead actor. 

In 2020, she portrayed the titular role in Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, a biographical drama about India's first female combat pilot in the Kargil War. Streaming on Netflix, the film earned widespread praise for her committed portrayal, earning her a Filmfare nomination for Best Actress and often cited as one of her strongest performances for its emotional depth and physicality.

Subsequent releases included the horror anthology Ghost Stories (2020) and the comedy-horror Roohi (2021) opposite Rajkummar Rao, which underperformed commercially. In 2022, she starred in the survival thriller Mili, a remake of the Malayalam film Helen, playing a woman trapped in a freezer fighting for survival. Critics and audiences lauded her intense, resilient performance, highlighting her ability to carry a solo-driven narrative. Other notable works include Good Luck Jerry (2022), a dark comedy showcasing her versatility in a gritty role; Bawaal (2023) with Varun Dhawan, a romantic drama which faced mixed reception by both critics and audiences; and Mr. & Mrs. Mahi (2024), a sports drama where she played a cricketer, earning appreciation for her earnest effort despite box office struggles. In 2024, she appeared in the Telugu action film Devara: Part 1, which became one of her highest-grossing projects due to its massive scale. Ulajh (2024), a spy thriller, marked her best solo opening at the time, with praise for her nuanced role as an IFS officer entangled in conspiracy. Recent highlights include Homebound (2025), where her supporting performance as a woman facing caste discrimination received acclaim, contributing to the film's selection as India's official entry for the Oscars 2026. 

Overall, her performances and critical reception of them have had a steady climb, the reviews are consistently better with each passing year and seven years in, she's a confident performaer and a star, happily being in and forever under the eclipse of her mother's staggering fame and icon status. Fact is Janhvi Kapoor could walk the dais to grab a National Award one day (which I suppose she already has albeit on behalf of her mother), but she'll forever be referred to as "Sridevi's daughter," - fortunately the first-born doesn't seem to have a complex about it and embraces that fact of life whole-heartedly.  

Commercially, her track record remains...what's a better word and befitting word than lacklustre... inconsistent—Dhadak stands as her clearest hit, while many others like Mili, Mr. & Mrs. Mahi, and Ulajh were labeled flops or disasters. She has yet to deliver a steady string of solo blockbusters, though OTT platforms have amplified her reach and critical recognition across India - and beyond borders. 

Janhvi's top performances shine in intense, character-driven roles: Gunjan Saxena for inspiration and grit, Mili for raw survival tension, and works like Ulajh and Homebound for maturity. She has evolved from a debutante under the infamous tag of "nepotism" scrutiny to a versatile actress prioritising substance over formulaic glamour, building a filmography of woman-led heroine centric stories. Like her mother, she steps into parts knowing there's some substance to it, and not being a decorative lead for "five songs and three scenes". 

I've said this before and I'll say it again, the fact that she looks nothing like Sridevi nor acts or mimics Sridevi is her greatest strength. She's built her own identity, tone, and craft and while she's taken lessons in commitment, being on time, knowing her lines and being the hardest working person on set --all which was said of Sridevi in her prime too--she's earned her keep. Despite the naysayers... 

As of 2026, with projects spanning Hindi, Telugu, and acclaimed dramas, her career reflects steady growth toward establishing a distinct identity in Bollywood. 

We'll also love anything pertaining to Sridevi obviously, and we wish the best of what's left of Sridevi on earth, the very best on her special day. Happy Birthday Janhvi. 

PS: Care for an interview?! Cause I have q's!! 

Now and then: Sridevi

Sridevi in 1989, Sridevi in 2012. 

An outtake from MOVIE magazine's cover shoot from the 80s, Sridevi in Toronto during promotions and premiere of English Vinglish in 2012. 

Now and then: Sridevi

 

Sridevi in 2013 (sari) and Sridevi in 2025 in the mid 1980s. 

Forever beautiful

Choreographer Saroj Khan with Janhvi Kapoor, Saroj with Sridevi

Choreographer Saroj Khan with Janhvi Kapoor, Saroj with Sridevi 

Sridevi and Saroj Khan on the sets of Banjaran, from the title song and dance picturisation. 

Sridevi: Janhvi Kapoor: Khushi Kapoor: Now and Then!

Above: Sridevi on the sets of Judaai (1997), Janhvi Kapoor in 2025.

Below: Sridevi with Saif Ali Khan for a Filmfare magazine cover shoot, Khishi Kapoor and Ibrahim Ali Khan in the (dreadful) Nadaniyaan. 

 

The Stylist Edit: The black lace sari: Sridevi Then, Janhvi Kapoor now

 The Stylist Edit: The black lace sari: Sridevi Then, Janhvi Kapoor now

Sridevi and the media's obsession with her "thunder thighs"

Sridevi and the media's obsession with her "thunder thighs." 

Body shaming in the film industry has been rampant since the days of Tuntun in the early 1960s, but Sridevi got it in spades during the wild wild west days of her youth in Bollywood. The fad diets, the starvation, the fainting spells were on early... the little seeds planted in her head that slowly eradicated her luminescence and life. As #JusticeForSridevi continues to look for those to blame for her life interrupted, it was the culture of cinema, fandom and the misogyny of size zero worship that provoked her decision to stay thin at the expense of her health. Alas... 

The right stripes: Sridevi's top as a child, as a legend!

Now and then: Sridevi The famous Madras stripes. Sridevi as a child star, Sridevi in 2017 at a Diwali party.

 

Chandni in 1989: Next Gen now

Circa 2010 there were rumours that Chandni was going to be remade with Katrina Kaif! Zoinks! Thankfully, good sense prevailed. 

Meanwhile, some clever clog has replaced the original cast of Chandni - Rishi Kapoor, Sridevi, and Vinod Khanna - with their first borns; Ranbir Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor and Akshay Khanna. 

Um... AI going too far?! 

Have disliked every Sridevi song remake, film remake. Even the dancers who pay tribute to Sridevi on reality TV shows show more acrobatics than grace. Not sure when Indian dancing moved away from expressions and mudras to back-bending, bone-breaking stunts. 

All the Sridevi songs remixed and remade over the past 15 years, none have been a patch on the original. 

I don't have the strength to talk about how awful Sajid Khan's Himmatwala was, the audience already did.

Now and then: Sridevi with Saif Ali Khan: Khushi Kapoor with Ibrahim Ali Khan

Now and then: Sridevi with Saif Ali Khan: Khushi Kapoor with Ibrahim Ali Khan 

About 31 years separates the two pics. Sridevi and Saif Ali Khan posed for a unique cover shoot for Filmfare, back in July 1994, a cover story about wealth and superstardom, familiar territory for the "superstarni." 

Khushi and Ibrahim are about to release their first film together (Khushi of course appeared in the God-awful Archies--irredeemable, tried watching it again before I wrote this) Nadaaniyan, on Netflix - due for release later in 2025. About six years ago, we predicted (well, most Bollywood voyeurs guessed) that the two younglings would meander their way to the world of movies inevitably. 

Releasing on Netflix of course rescues them from the pressure of do-or-die opening weekend box-office numbers, and since Netflix does not release viewership stats unless they want to (and how can we corroborate those figures?!), one will never know how well the movie does. Archies was universally panned by every critic but as the film had a tremendous curiosity value, clearly it must have done somewhat well during the first month of release. And then, Indian audience being what they are, plenty hate-watched it to pelt the film and its young stars on social media with their armchair critique. The cast and crew who found the 'comments off' button on Instagram must have been relieved! 

The stage show song and dance routine was... awkward. Like high-school kids showing their best moves to a rapturous audience filled with parents, and the sycophantic star-kissing papz (whose livelihood depends on selling the clips and images), all applauded and whistled on cue. The comments... tell us a different story. 

Was a bit of a deja-vu like how the Archies cast danced and pranced around on stage... Which would be worrying except, of course, the Nadaaniyan trailer looks pretty good. Well, they both look pretty - but can either deliver? That remains to be seen. 

We are "no longer holding space" for the argument that they're young, or its just their first/second film... The ticket-paying audience can smell BS from far, and has no time to indulge children with their hard-earned money. Indian cinema is dotted with stars who were exceptional from the get-go, at much younger ages. Look at Sridevi herself, who gave an award-winning performance at age six! Shobhana, Rekha, Aasha Parekh and host of others were teenagers when they started off, and early on showed signs of artistry the propelled their long, enduring careers. Hrithik Roshan in his first-film... well, need I type more?!  

As one of two links to Sridevi (the other being first-born Janhvi!), we want to like the (potential) artist Khushi Kapoor as much as anyone else. We hope she delivers (as Janhvi did in Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl). Let's see... 

RELATED FEATURES
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• Saif Ali Khan, "Sridevi is the best..." Filmfare interview from July 1994 here 
• Over a dozen photos of Sridevi with Saif Ali Khan here.
• Sridevi and Saif Ali Khan over the years here.

Now and then: Cast of Telugu smash Jagadheka Veerudu Athiloka Sundhari reunite after decades!

The cast of the Telugu smash Jagadheka Veerudu Athiloka Sundhari (1990) and a reunion of sorts with a notable, conspicuous absence. Chiranjeevi and the then kids--now 34 years later!--now grown adults met up after long. I'm sure Sridevi was deeply, profoundly missed. 

Let's all collectively pretend she just returned to the heavens, homeward bound as intended... 

 

Now and then: Sridevi and Chiranjeevi: Janhvi and Ram Charan

Now and then: Sridevi and Chiranjeevi: Janhvi Kapoor and Ram Charan

Now and then: Sridevi as a child star and queen

Now and then: Sridevi as a child star and queen
 

Sridevi in Himmatwala and Sridevi in Roop Ki Rani...

 

Now and then: Sridevi's blockbuster years in Bollywood

Sridevi in Mom (2017). 

Sridevi in Himmatwala (1983). 

What an epic journey... what a life. 

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.

 

From child artist to living legend: Sridevi's epic journey

From child artist to living legend: Sridevi's epic journey. 

As mediocre books and fan fiction in the guise of star biography keeps coming out every year, Sridevi's life story will be told in bifurcated ways, in half truths and unverifiable legend. Everything comes to question - right down to her name. Thankfully her performances will live on and her legend will only grow in untold...albeit... mysterious ways. 

 

Sridevi in stages: As a child artist, in the 1980s and 2004!

 

Sridevi: Ingénue to Icon: Now and Then

Sridevi: Ingénue to Icon. 

From the pink ruffles, the unkept hair, the makeup and accessories... to the polished perfection and self-grooming Sridevi did to grow as an artist, fashion icon, screen legend... The hardest working actress of her time worked hard on herself as much as she did on her films.