Shatrughan Sinha turns 80! His quote on Sridevi, "Undoubtedly, she's the best actress..."

Shatrughan Sinha was 17 years older than Sridevi and the two worked in only one (flop!) film together, Sherni (1988). 

However, they worked a lot in several stage shows and he memorably handed Sridevi one of her many Best Actress Filmfare trophies.

In 1996, when the press was writing about the end of Sridevi's reign and supremacy, the Bihar behemoth pointed out that she was still a top star and great actress. 

The actor turns 80 today - and we wish him well. 

 

Sridevi in and as Sherni (1988)

The way algorithms work on the net, the first Sherni that comes up is the newer Vidya Balan film that released in 2021. For Sridevi fans of course, there's only one Sherni, her 1988 Harmesh--Nagina--Malhotra producer/director-made film. To be honest, Vidya's movie is much better, more thoughtful and a far more serious movie compared to the ill-executed predecessor, Sherni with Sridevi. Sridevi herself disliked the film and almost never spoke about it. Most of the budget went on her fees, not in the writing, cinematography, costumes, dances, music or... well, you get the gist.

There are several moments were Sridevi shines in scenes and songs but she was greater than the film she was in, trying to rescue a losing battle. Alas.

Online legend has it--and lets take that with a pinch of salt--that the film started long before Nagina but was going nowhere and shelved. Nagina became a surprise blockbuster which suddenly made the proposition of Sherni (with almost the exact same team), a more exciting proposition for exhibitors and a rushed job hit the cinemas.  
 

 

Sridevi in and as Sherni (1988)

Released on 13 May 1988, Sherni had Leonine Sridevi in the title role.  

As a village belle protagonist who takes revenge against the dacait antagonists, Sridevi rarely played victim and showed agency both in professional, personal and cine-life. She didn't need rescuing on the big-screen often, she took up arms to defend herself. 

TBH not a great film by any measure but a movie running on the steam of a young 25-year-old superstar had its moments. 

Sridevi and Pran in Sherni (1988): Title role

Released on May 13, 1988, Sherni was a title role for Sridevi, released soon after the massive success of Nagina. However, this badly made hodge-podge of Phoolan Devi's life story inspired tale was a massive stinker at the box-office. 

Sridevi worked with many Hindi cinema icons in this film, particularly the late, great Pran. 

Sridevi in and as Sherni (1988): Another title role for Harmesh Malhotra's favourite muse and movie star

Sridevi in and as Sherni (1988): Another title role for Harmesh Malhotra's favourite muse and movie star. 

There are several moments where she shines, but overall the film is... a mess. 

Sridevi on the sets of Sherni (1988)

Released on May 13, 1988 (ie this day 36 years ago) after a long delay in production, Sridevi was not happy with the final result of Sherni. It has its moments but overall.. it was a mess. Personally, not a huge fan of the film but it has its takers - including Sonakshi Singha. 

Sridevi in leather: 80s poster

click to enlarge

Sridevi in yet another title role in the 1980s in Bollywood. In and as Sherni. 

Rare pics: Film producer/director Harmesh Malhotra with his frequent muse, Sridevi

Producer/director Harmesh Malhotra, actor Shatrughan Sinha and Sridevi 

Rare pics: Film producer/director Harmesh Malhotra with his frequent muse, Sridevi. On the sets of the film Sherni. 

In his long filmography, the actress he worked with the most was Sridevi - and we've archived their collabs here on the blog. 

The Harmesh Malhotra - Sridevi listicle;

1. Nagina (1986)
2. Sherni (1988)
3. Nigahein (1989)
4. Banjaran (1991)
5. Heer Ranjha (1992) 

35 Years of Sherni: Sridevi's title Role

Released 35 years ago today, on 13 May 1988, a title role for Sridevi that started production in the early 1980s. 

Not a personal fav, but Sridevi's good in parts in the film. 

Sridevi on the sets of Sherni: One Woman Industry

 

Sridevi on the sets of Sherni: One Woman Industry 

Sridevi on the sets of Sherni (1988): The OG Leonine Lioness that was Sri

Born August 13, Sridevi's Zodiac sign is Leo. The Lion symbol. She never did a film Singh (Lion in Hindi) but Sherni, Tigress (also Lioness) she did. 

TBH not a particularly great film (not even a good film, but it has a sprinkling of fans), Sridevi herself was displeased by the final product and talked about it with the press back in 1988. 

You can't win them all Sri. Our eternal Sherni. 

The OG Sherni: Sridevi (a Leo btw!) in yet another title role

The OG Sherni: Sridevi (a Leo btw!) in yet another title role. 

TBH it wasn't a good movie in any measure. But in every film, Sridevi gives it her all. 

It was a lesser, Bollywood-ised version of Phoolan Devi inspired tale - Shekhar Kapur went on to make the perfect film Bandit Queen decades later. 

Earlier we had posted that Sridevi had never done a biopic - well, this was the closest she came to one. Albeit a meh film... 

 

Sridevi with Shatrughan Sinha on the sets of Sherni: Yet another title role for the Queen of Bollywood

Sridevi with Shatrughan Sinha on the sets of Sherni: Yet another title role for the Queen of Bollywood 

One of three films they appeared in - the other being Jawab Hum Denge and, a decade later Chand Ka Tukda.

Ranjeeth with Sridevi: A Clickbait title that's gone Viral: Ranjeet Recalls Hitting Sridevi With A Hunter, Laughing Like A Villain On Camera & Wailing

Above: Ranjeeth with Sridevi in the film Sherni

A Clickbait title that's gone Viral: Ranjeet Recalls Hitting Sridevi With A Hunter, Laughing Like A Villain On Camera & Wailing

The same title has gone viral and been used in several sites and blogs; the implication in the ways the words have been set is, Ranjeeth was crying because he hit Sridevi. That is NOT the case if you read the articles. He was weeping as his father had died - on set as the villain in the film Sherni, he had to act out a violent scene with the leading lady. 

Am reminded of the film Guddi where a naïve girl confuses the on-screen villain to be a real life villain. Ranjeeth may have acted as a villain in hudnreds of films but the mostly shy and conservative Punjabi family man is nothing like his on-screen persona. 

Above: The Bollywood film poster for Sherni.

Publicity in print for Sherni: Sridevi's OG 1988 film with Pran and Shatrughan Sinha

It's a newspaper advert not an article or report, so take the headline like a tequila shot; with a pinch of salt. 

Sridevi in yet another title-role back in 1988; Sherni. 

Producer/director Harmesh Malhotra's take on the Phoolan Devi story - believe it or not! 

As far as we can recollect, the movie was in fact a flop at the box-office and producer Pawan Kumar just barely recovered costs. The most expensive feature being... well, Sridevi's hefty remuneration. 

Long before the discussion of pay disparity, Sridevi was quietly leading the pack with title roles, scripts written for her and a paycheck worthy of her pan-Indian fame and superstar status. If we held up the accounts of movie-making in the mid 80s, Sridevi was often paid as much as, if not more than her male co-stars in the mid to late 80s. She just didn't advertise the fact ! 

The OG Queen of Bollywood.  Sridevi. 

Vidya Balan releases Sherni First Look: A title Role Sridevi held for decades

Two days ago, Vidya Balan released her film Sherni's first look on her official Instagram account, but for Sridevi fans, it conjures up images of the late icon and no one else - its a title role Sridevi had for decades. 

The original Sherni of Bollywood  - Leonine Sridevi (August 13 - she was indeed a Leo!) - had the tile role first; Sherni was a Hindi film released 33 years ago on May 13, 1988. Produced and directed by Harmesh Malhotra who famously made the blockbuster Nagina (and five other films) with Sridevi. However, that film - very, very loosely based on Phoolan Devi's life - was a flop that took a critical drumming too.  Not a great picture, but bold and beautiful Sridevi shines in several scenes. Hope Vidya's takeover on the title measures up. 

The Vidya - Sridevi connect goes far back; a life-long Sridevi fan (scroll through the archives here or on YouTube), the film adds yet another tangent to Vidya's lofty links to Sridevi. Vidya did a remix of the song Hawa Hawaii as a gentle tribute to Sridevi, Vidya donned the Charlie Chaplin getup like Sridevi did in the past for a photoshoot, Vidya's song outfits in Dirty Picture are a nod to Sridevi's costumes from her Jeetendra films, and like Sri, Vidya's got a knack for opting for title roles that give her several opportunities to showcase her talents as a thespian. To top it all, Vidya was the first recipient of the Sridevi memorial award too. In fact, Vidya Balan received her first ever Best Actress award from Sridevi back in 2010 .

Sridevi mentioned that two of her favourite films and performances of Vidya Balan were Dirty Picture and Kahaani - Sridevi did a rare guest appearance in Vidya's film Halla Bol and she was at the launch of Vidya's film Tumhari Sulu. 

Vidya's said in several interviews that she "worships the ground Sridevi walks on." Well, on that note, she's certainly following her footsteps. 

Sridevi in and as Sherni (1988)

Sridevi in and as Sherni (1988). 

Released after Nagina (thought it was shot before the film), the film arrived loaded with great expectations but absolutely tanked at the box-office and the critics ripped it to shreds too. There are a handful of fans of the film - there are moments where Sridevi shines in scene and song but... overall, oyve. Will test even her more ardent fans. 

An archive of images of Sridevi with her co-star in the film Shatrughan Singha (the only film they did together) here. 

Sridevi in and as Sherni (1988)

Sridevi in and as Sherni (1988). 

The film was not a success despite the pre-release hype - made by the team who created the blockbuster Nagina in 1986, expectations were sky high. Alas a half-baked script, tepid songs... there's little to speak of regarding the movie. 

It was yet another title role for the superstar, who was barely affected by the failure of the movie in 1988 as she the film was release smack dab in the middle between the success of Karma, Mr.India - and Chandni, Chaalbaaz. As the hardest working Indian actress, and certainly the busiest, the fate of a film here and there didn't affect this box-office queen. . 

Now, in 2020, Vidya Balan is acting in a film with the same title - however the movie has nothing to do with the Sridevi - Shatrughan Sinha film. Directed by Amit Masurkar (of Newton fame), the movie features Vidya Balan as a forest officer. Let's... see.  

Sridevi in and as Sherni

Dominating the poster of Sherni, yet another title role for Sridevi. It didn't do wonders at the box-office and was written off by the critics back in the summer of 1988, but long before the discussion of female empowerment, pay disparity and women seen as second fiddle and decorative foils to the hero, here's Sridevi defying Bollywood norms. She had the title role, was the highest paid star on set, she always had parallel if not more screen-time than men and she rarely played the victim on and off screen. Sherni is an example of many movies where she didn't wait for the leading man to rescue her, she pulled herself up by the bootstraps.

There are dozens of examples of such, what comes to mind; Sultanat, Garajna, Chaalbaaz, Mom, Army and so on.