Shashi's Rama - aka Rajeev Ravindranathan, reminsces about his last shot with Sridevi

Sridevi's co-star in English Vinglish, Rajeev Ravindranathan ("Rama" in the film) reminisces (about "Shashi"); 

"Such a beautiful memory. But there's something odd about the pic. I'm absolutely sure she had no make-up or lipstick on when we clicked this. She was resplendent in all her natural charm and grace that evening. I'll never forget this pic. 

We took it on the last day of shooting - the wedding scene. She had just delivered that iconic speech. I was late for my flight. I didn't want to leave but a snowstorm had robbed us of the spare day planned to let our hair down and celebrate the wrap. We'd been working together for 6 weeks by then and I suddenly realised I hadn't clicked a single pic with her. So after my goodbyes and everything, I ran back from the cab to quickly click this one and take off again. 

It would be a whole year till I met her again at the premiere. What a rush of memories, thanks for sharing this pic."

Update: 

Correct unedited picture below!

Ode to Sridevi by Rajeev Ravindranathan - Sridevi's fab co-star in English Vinglish

An ode to Sri.

For the longest time, Sridevi to me was "that bad lady who made Kamal Hassan cry" in Moondram Pirai/Sadma.

Then I met her for the first time, filming my first scene in English Vinglish. 

I was nervous, fumbling through a dialogue-less sequence, overwhelmed by the reality of sitting next to Hawa Hawai, Chandini, the 'evil' woman-child of Sadma, Manju/Anju and creator of dozens of other iconic characters.

Gauri gave me a pep talk (that's putting it mildly). And just before the camera rolled, Sri Ma'am whispered to me, 'don't worry, just enjoy the scene.'

And just like that, my childhood hero broke down my inhibitions and all walls that existed between megastar and rookie.

Over the next few weeks, this demigod unveiled a side to her I'd never expected to see.
She was graceful, kind, warm, caring.

She could have chewed up the scenery but instead became a part of Gauri's canvas. She took great care that each of us in the classroom scenes got our time and space in the sun. She read 'A-E-I-O-U' as 'Aiyo!' and handed the joke over to me because she knew it suited my Tamilian techie character better.

We exchanged notes about movies, food, fitness, family. Her daughters were the centre of so many conversations. Mind you, these were short intermittent breaks in between shots but it was enough time for us to warm up to each other. Perhaps I was the only one who shared her knowledge of south Indian movies, who could speak in Tamil, perhaps it was my chubby cheeks, but we hit it off. So much so, I'd crack her up with nonsensical PJs in between takes, much to the irritation of the ADs because tears would roll down her cheeks and mess up her make-up.

On the last day of filming (on which day 3 days of scheduled shots had to be canned owing to a flash snowstorm), we scrambled through with almost no time for a chat. I literally had to leave the set and hop into a cab to catch my flight. In the last few minutes of hurried goodbyes with the crew, I had a precious minute with her. I won't forget that moment for eternity. We exchanged a look, of gratitude, of camaraderie. I felt like hugging her and thanking her for the sporadic moments of company over the last 6 weeks. I think she contemplated the same too. But I couldn't get myself to. She was my hero, my superstar, my demigod. I didn't want to ruin it by touching her and realizing she was real. A real person, a loving mother, a coy wife, a generous co-actor, an accomplished performer. So I bowed, hands folded and took a picture with her, calibrating my body language to communicate the immense respect and adulation I had for her.

I met her subsequently at the premiere, at Gauri's place to celebrate the love English Vinglish had received, I've spoken with her a few times the last few years. One particularly memorable exchange being about twitter, helping her sign up and learn the ropes with help from Jahnvi.

We were not friends in the traditional sense of the word. But we respected each other and we had regard for each other. For a rookie like me, to have your hero accord you that kind of acknowledgment was both a lesson in humility and a rare blessing.

Sridevi, Sri Ma'am, I will miss you forever. Your beautiful family and you will eternally be in my prayers.

English Vinglish Ensemble: The cast and crew celebrate at director Gauri Shinde's House:

Sridevi with the team of English Vinglish - at a dinner at Gauri Shinde's house. WOW!

In picture find four of the actors from the film flanking Sridevi and Gauri Shinde; Adil Hussain, Sumeet Vyas, Mehdi Nebbou and Rajeev Ravindranathan.

Sridevi has some sort of superpower

Did you cackle every time Ramamurthy made his strong South Indian presence felt in the film English Vinglish? Here’s a little secret. Though most of it was directed and sketched out before hand, it was Rajeev Ravindranathan’s spontaneity that added humour to his dialogues. Sitting across the coffee table, Rajeev, who performed his play over the weekend, spoke to us about Sridevi’s magic, and how he juggles advertising, film and theatre. Excerpts:

How did you manage to pull off your act in English Vinglish?
Rajeev Ravindranathan: Gauri (Shinde) was very clear that she wanted me to be the comic relief in the film. My role was to add humour and I had to work on that, because I wanted to bring about a balance between the stereotypical ‘Madrasi’ image and the actual. While there were dialogues and a background to work with, I’d often say something spontaneously, which would nail the scene. Sridevi’s comic timing is even better. It was her idea to say ‘iyyo’ when aeiou was written on the board. She is aware of everything that’s going on around her while shooting. It seems like she possesses some sort of superpower.

From Times of India

by Parinatha Sampath

Rajeev Ravindranathan talks about working with Sridevi in English Vinglish

Rajeev Ravindranathan with Sridevi at Gauri Shinde's house

As the one-liner machine in English Vinglish, "Rama bhai", aka actor Rajeev Ravindranathan stole many a scene in the Bollywood movie of the year. No mean feat, considering he shared the frame with so many incredible actors.

If ever a film deserved an award for an ensemble cast, it was this.

Like many of his co-stars, it took a moment to wrap their brains around the fact they'd be sharing screen-space with actress, the legend... Sridevi.

After all, EV is Sridevi's 218th film! And newcomer Rajeev had appeared in 3 idiots (look for the scene of him as the ragging senior!) and then... on set with the doyenne of Indian cinema.

On behalf of millions of fans of both the film and Sridevi, we had many questions and he's kindly indulged us here. So over to RR:

Q. What was your first day like working with Sridevi on the film English Vinglish?
The first day of shooting was at the theatre where all of us watch the Elizabeth Taylor classic. The LSE gang were called to set about an hour earlier than Sri Ma'am [Sridevi] so by then I still hadn't met her. The anticipation was killing me and I'd just moved to my toe nails after having bitten off all my fingernails when Gauri [Shinde, writer/director] got us into position and I realised I'd be sitting next to her. I'm sure I'd have passed out had it not been for a glass of really strong coffee. Or three.
Sri Ma'am arrived and in an instant disarmed me in a completely anticlimactic moment. A polite hello and she was in position ready to film.

I spoke in an unintelligible language for a few seconds before regaining my composure. The first shot was called and understandably I was looking like a star struck fan boy on the monitor, not someone playing her classmate. A wake-up call from Gauri later, more unexpected warmth from Sri Ma'am later, the shot was canned.

The scene is made up of a few shots which gave me enough time in between them to try and break the ice. I didn't have to try. She was warm and friendly. A few hours later, just like that, I had completed the first day of filming with a childhood hero. The next few weeks were going to be, quite simply, magic.

Q. Did you guys rehearse anything in advance?
We did read the script together a few times but Gauri had so much faith in her script and characters that she was cool with improvisations. A lot of things you see in the film are improvisations sparked off by sheer positive energy and camaraderie that we all shared. And the applause for this goes to Gauri who let us wield a paint brush on this sharply etched canvas she'd created and to Sri Ma'am too who put us all at ease. She'd spend so much time with us in between shots and we'd make up stuff without letting Gauri know and even though she saw it for the first time on the monitor, she'd let us keep at it. That's the sign of a really self-assured director who trusts in her cast. As an actor you really can't ask for more.

I got along with Sri Ma'am like a house on fire because, well, apart from being a generally jovial and charming sort of chap, I'm also South Indian with a fair grasp of all the languages she's good at. Once I figured she's a stickler for jokes, I never let her rest. Every moment in between the camera rolling was full of nonsensical jokes that she'd crack up on.

The joke featured on the Making Of video is actually something a friend (who plays Father Francis) narrates as part of his stand-up routine about a popular but late Tamil superstar playing father and son in a scene where the son reveals he is gay.

Sri Ma'am would crack up instantly at my nonsense which gave her make-up person very little time to rest since he'd have to touch her up and undo the damage her tears of laughter did to his hard labour.

Rajeev with Sridevi on set

Q. What's the number one question your friends ask about "the" Sridevi? 
Everyone's stock question is what is she like? And my stock answer is she's lovely. She truly is a warm, down-to-earth simple human being with a heart of gold. She's a generous actor always concerned about everyone else in the scene and always making sure everyone's got something to do. She's also got this funny and mischievous streak that's a great source of laughter and madness for the people around her. You'll see enough and more glimpses of this in the Making Of video.

We still talk on the phone every few weeks or so; her younger daughter is a big fan of Rama. I helped her negotiate the first few weeks of getting on and staying on twitter, sort of learning her the ropes.

She [Sridevi] deeply acknowledges the love of her fans, at times she seems overwhelmed by it – if you ask me that's true humility. After all these years of creating celluloid magic and touching so many lives, she's still taken aback almost about all the adulation she receives. All through the filming and later closer to release, she'd keep saying how she hopes like hell that her fans like the film.

Sridevi with Rajeev Ravindranathan on the sets of English Vinglish

I can't be pompous and say she's my friend for life or anything. But she is definitely someone I know I will be in touch with for long. I have immense respect for her abilities as an actor and her warmth and humility are infectious.

Q. And of course, what's in future for you - more films? TV? Stand-up?! 
Well, let me put it this way. I'm not really looking for new work.

The immediate future for me is about exploring a new path English Vinglish opened up. That of acting in a film and helping promote it. My firm handled the facebook page and twitter handle for EV for two months prior to the release. And that taught me a lot of things about the process. I've already promised Balki that I'll have a much more detailed plan in place for his film from when he's got a title for it till when it releases.

Acting will continue to remain a passionate hobby for me. I don't think I can live in Mumbai. I don't mind working there for days on end. My motivation remains to entertain people and English Vinglish satisfied me immensely in that sense. I didn't expect to connect with so many people but it's happened now and I hope I get more such opportunities to make people laugh or cry as the case may be.
 
I'm getting back to theatre with a play next Feb. In fact a play I've been in the last few years will be on at NCPA, Mumbai on Dec 14.

So to answer the question, I'm putting my future in the hands of storytellers everywhere. I'm an ever willing puppet, a piece of clay that's ready to be moulded into whatever shape needed. If you and I can make minds meet, I'll give you my heart and soul and help you tell your story to the world.




Pics below: Sridevi with the supporting cast of English Vinglish at the Mumbai premiere of the film. 

Sridevi with the cast and crew of English Vinglish at the premiere of the movie in Mumbai

Rajeev Ravindranathan trends on tumblr: Aiyooo Rama:

Sridevi with her funny co-star Rajeev Ravindranathan.

UPDATE: We found this funny littl' pic on tumblr.

Cast of English Vinglish talk about Sridevi...

Rajeev Ravindranathan

Sridevi is...

“Mind blowing! She’s a force of nature... surreal! I cannot begin to describe how awesome the whole experience was. Sridevi is a star, she defines the word, and yet she’s so grounded and never lets her celebrity status come onto the set. We’d discuss scenes and argue and rehearse just like two regular actors and that made me respect her a lot,” Rajeev exults.

“But, that said, she’s been in the industry for so long and it shows. Imagine an actor being so clued-in during a shoot that she is aware of some random light flickering somewhere, and even more interesting is the fact that she would actually hear the reel whirring and often tell the cameraman that he was running out of tape, even before he realised it — she’s out of this world, man!” he adds.

From DNA India

Ruth Aguilar

Dear Sridevi, thank you sooo much for the kind words and the opportunity to work with you. The movie is amazing and so is your talent. I learned a great deal from watching you work and let's do it again soon!!! Wishing you all the success you deserve with this comeback. Much love, Ruthie

From Facebook


Neelu Sodhi
 

About working with Sridevi, Neelu says, "It was an amazing experience to work with such a legendary actress. It was nerve wracking initially, but she was very sweet. A lot of funny things happened on the sets that helped us break the ice." She adds, "Sridevi is known for her dance moves and I was thrilled to do a few steps with her. I love to dance."


From TOI

Adil Hussain

Panaji, Nov 28 (PTI) Adil Hussain, who played the role of Sridevi's husband in the recent movie 'English Vinglish', says the actress was extremely professional in terms of delivering on the film sets.

"She (Sridevi) is extremely professional. She knows to deliver. She does work with the highest ability. It was a learning experience for me," said Hussain, who has also worked in films like Ishqiya and Ang Lee's Life of Pi.

Priya Anand

On working with Sridevi, she says, "I accepted English Vinglish because I admire Sridevi a lot. It was an awesome experience working with her. She is a great woman."

From IBN Live