Filmfare posts rarely seen photos of Sridevi from their vast archives: On stage, with Raj Kapoor, with her family!

Filmfare has released some rarely seen photos of Sridevi from their vast archives and we are thrilled. 

Give them a follow and scroll through. 

 

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Excerpt: Mr.India Silver Jubilee Party: Did you know pre-fame pre-films Salman Khan attended?

 

Excerpt from Cine Blitz back in 1988, long before Salman Khan made an entry into films, he entered the Mr.India silver jubilee party on behalf of his father, writer Salim Khan. The soon to be superstar was such an unknown back then, the magazine spelt his name wrong, as "Salmaan"! 

"I expected Salmaan [sic], Salim's son to bash up Anil Kapoor at the party, because a few days back, Anil had made a pass at his girlfriend. But Salmaan disappointed me. He had not come to pick a fight, only the trophy. He was representing father Salim, who has co-scripted Mr.India with Javed. But on stage, Anupam the compere, gave the complete credit of Mr.India to Javed. Now Salmaan, has not one, but two scores to settle with Anil Kapoor. En route to their honeymoon, I saw the Reddy's - beanpole Sanjay and bashful Aparna, who are currently the guests of Yash Chopra, with Pam Chopra at the Mr.India party...."

Sridevi with Raj Kapoor: Icons only: Rare photo

 

At the silver jubilee party of Mr.India, Sridevi shared a table with an animated Raj Kapoor, who, according to Boney Kapoor was trying to cast her for a film Ghoonghat ke Path Khol. 

Sadly the film was never made as Kapoor fell ill soon after and never recovered. 

Filmfare posts rare pic of Sridevi with Raj Kapoor

A, a rare clear picture of Sridevi with Raj Kapoor - we have more images of the two greats in the archive here. 

Rare pic: Raj Kapoor with Sridevi in 1986

Raj Kapoor with Sridevi back in 1986. 
Rare photo.  More details about the event in earlier post here.

Sridevi with Raj Kapoor: TBT to 1988: Remembering the Birth Anniversary of The Great Showman

Sridevi with Raj Kapoor: TBT to 1988: Remembering the 100th Birth Anniversary of The Great Showman! 

Born on 14 December 1924, Raj Kapoor, the great film producer, director, actor of note had an influence on Indian cinema like few others. According to the media in the 1980s, he liked Sridevi's work immensely, but they never worked in a film together and... we doubt they ever would have for obvious reasons! For those who know the famous Kapoor oeuvre of presenting leading ladies with a healthy dose of eros which even Sridevi, during her spicy sex symbol era, would never have relented to. She had a clear line that she didn't cross. 

Sridevi was a lot of things, but she sure as heck was no pushover, especially in the mid 1980s where she was already ruling the film industry with an iron fist and velvet gloves. Saying NO! came easily and if you look back at some of the more contentious tabloid stories, she put a few directors and producers in their place. 

Had ill health not incapacitated the legend Raj Kapoor, he would have eventually worked with Sridevi. After all, even in his final years, he was working on Henna - a project that his son Randhir Kapoor completed. 

In a recent interview with The Indian Express, film producer Boney Kapoor revealed that Raj Kapoor was indeed planning to offer a film to Sridevi, "The last function we attended before he went to Delhi and ultimately passed away was Mr. India’s silver jubilee. I wanted him to give the award to me, but he insisted that he wants to give it to Sridevi. He said, ‘I will give it to her.’ He gave the award to her. He made sure she sat on the same table where he was sitting. He confessed to me that he wanted her to do the film Ghunghat Ke Pat Khol.”

In cine-heaven though, we do wonder what a Kapoor - Devi collab would have looked like on the big screen... 

• Archive of images of Sridevi with Raj Kapoor here.
• Sridevi in Mr.India - our massive archive here. 
• Sridevi with Rishi Kapoor over the years here.
• Sridevi with Ranbir Kapoor here.

Raj Kapoor and Sridevi: Mutual admiration Society

"The wait has been worth it," Raj Kapoor told Krishna, when he met the south siren Sridevi at Mr.India party. 
 

Rare pic: Krishna Kapoor, Sridevi and Raj Kapoor

A major throwback to the Silver Jubilee party of the successful Hindi film Mr. India. The VVVIP guest in attendance, the legendary showman, multi-hyphenate actor, producer, director Raj Kapoor. 

As the caption from Cine Blitz reads, "The wait has been worth it" Raj told Krishna, when he met the south siren Sridevi at Mr.India Party. 
 

TBT: Jan 1, 1988: Silver Jubilee of Mr.India + Launch of Roop ki Rani Choron Ka Raja!

TBT: Jan 1, 1988: The Silver Jubilee of Mr.India 

Long before the 100 Crore club, the success of a Hindi film was marked by its longevity at the box-office and its total collection at the tills for the film's producers and distributors. 

The much hyped Mr.India was released in the summer of 1987 (25 May 1987 to be exact) and after a successful 25 week run throughout (most of) the nation and much critical acclaim, a lavish party was hosted for its silver jubilee function where those involved with the film received a trophy as a reminder of their contribution to the film's success. 

Showman, Raj Kapoor presented the trophy to Sridevi, Shammi Kapoor presented to Anil Kapoor and Saroj Khan. 

It was also the night when Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja was launched in Bombay (renamed Mumbai in 1995!), 33 years ago today.  

Raj Kapoor with Sridevi

Producer and director Raj Kapoor with Sridevi.

Event/date/ to be confirmed.... 

Sridevi: A Legend Among Legends: Sridevi, NTR, Ashok Kumar, MGR

Sridevi joins the dais as the only woman representing the industry during the launch of the International Film Festival of India's opening ceremony in Hyderabad back in 1986. Ashok Kumar was Chief Guest, who was joined on stage by Sivaji Ganesan and NT Rama Rao. The great Raj Kapoor also attended the event later. 

NTR, the actor turned Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh was inclined to organise the film functions in the state often. He had the first open air theater launched in the heart of Hyderabad, the  Telugu Lalitha Kala Thoranam for IFFI.

At the time, in the summer of 1986, Sridevi was the biggest actress in the pan-Indian film industry - she was asked to light the traditional lamp along with the stalwarts.

Sridevi acted in over a dozen films as a child artist and as a heroine opposite NTR throughout her resplendent career.

click to enlarge 

Sridevi with Kapoor and Sons!

A montage made by fans on social media; over the past decades, Sridevi with Raj Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor!!

Rare Pic: Sridevi with Raj Kapoor

The two never worked together but were fans of each other; Sridevi seen receiving a trophy from legendary showman, actor, producer, director.... the late, great Raj Kapoor at the Silver Jubilee of Mr.India back in 1988 - 25 weeks of a historic run at the box-office. 

Rare Pics: Sridevi with Raj Kapoor at the Silver Jubilee function of Mr.India: Jan 1988

Sridevi with Raj Kapoor

Sridevi and the late great showman of Bollywood Raj Kapoor

A rare sight, one of the few top actresses iconic film producer/director/showman Raj Kapoor never worked with; Sridevi. 

Two giants of Indian cinema photographed at the silver jubilee celebration of the film Mr.India on Jan 1, 1988. Both were fans of each other and yet, the twain never united for a project. 

With his oeuvre encompassing grand cinema, music, visuals and more than a healthy dose of eros, perhaps the mostly conservative Sridevi (who's touch of sensuality is downright tame compared to the Kapoor stamp) wouldn't have signed the dotted line under the RK banner. The Kapoors also notoriously didn't pay stars their full asking price.... and Sridevi, well, her famed 'momager', was a stickler when it came to money. 

And yet the thought persists, what could have been...