Sridevi superfan Ram Gopal Verma turns

Born 7 April 1962, the enfant terrible of Indian cinema RGV turns a year older. Ram Gopal Verma was a year older than Sridevi and a self-professed superfan of the Indian actress who he worked with in two films. 

Like his repertoire, have mixed opinions on the man. His range is... well, from the great to the God-awful. Man hasn't made a decent movie in a loooooong time. But hope springs eternal; there's one more good movie in him. If only he can find another muse...

 

Sridevi with Ram Gopal Verma (RGV!): On set, on stage, at events!

Sridevi with Ram Gopal Verma (RGV!): On set, on stage, at events!

A year older than Sridevi, RGV grew up crushing on Sridevi like his entire generation did. 

He used to write great things about Sridevi, then it turned a little... sour, wanton and desperate. 

There's one last good film in him... just not right now. The man hasn't made a decent film in decades. A waste of resources and talent. But he might rise from the ashes... one never knows. 

Everyone loves a comeback story after all. 

Today, RGV turns 63. The enfant terrible of 90s Indian cinema, let's honour and think of him for his best films; Rangeela, Satya, Shiva, Bhoot, Sarkar, Company. And of course, his collabs with Sridevi esp Kshana Kshanam (dubbed into Hindi as Hairaan) and Govinda Govinda (dubbed into Hindi as The Great Robbery). 

Things didn't end well with him and Sridevi - she filed a legal case against him in 2014. Nothing was really resolved... 

Rare Pics: Sridevi and Nagarjuna on the sets of Govinda Govinda (1994)

 

Rare Pics: Sridevi and Nagarjuna on the sets of Govinda Govinda (1994). Dubbed into Hindi and released as Great Robbery, the film was not a success in the Hindi belt. 

The cast and crew of Kshana Kshanam on set: Telugu sensations Venkatesh, RGV and Sridevi

Images of the cast and crew of the film Kshana Kshanam; Venkatesh, Ram Gopal Verma and Sridevi.

Sridevi walked away with top honours for the film including Best Actress Filmfare (Telugu) and Nandi Award Best Actress in the year 1992.

Rare Pics: Venkatesh and Ram Gopal Verma with Sridevi

Rare Pics: Venkatesh and Ram Gopal Verma with Sridevi on the sets of Kshana Kshanam

Women We Love: Sridevi

WOMEN WE LOVE: 

Sridevi

"I have had a crush on Sridevi right from the time I was in college. Even today, she continues to fascinate me. In fact, the film, Mast is dedicated to her. I was as obsessed with Sridevi as the protagonist of the film is fascinated by the actress, played by Urmila (Matondkar) in the film. My fascination with her meant that I saw all her movies several times over, collected all her posters and read up everything about her. I used to wait outside her house in Hyderabad for hours to get a glimpse of her. The fascination continues even today..."
-- Rom Gopal Varma, film director and producer

"I am dazzled by Sridevi. To me, she is a really beautiful woman. she is talented as an actress and unlike other heroines from South India, she didn't pole-vault into Bollywood easily. She has been acting since childhood and she has taken the rough with the smooth. I find that she is amazing because she became numero uno in Hindi films by sheer hard work. And she can convey an amazing range of emotions to the camera.

I know acting is not easy because I dabbled a bit in ad films and television and I found that laborious enough. For a woman to have gone through a career for such a long time and managed the stress, fame and the pressures of stardom with dignity is fantastic. I have been an ardent admirer of her since my college days and I still recall that when I first met her on a public function, I couldn't stop myself gushing..."
-- Krishnamachari Srikkanth, former Test cricketer