Take One, Two, Three: Turning 16 three times: Sridevi

Take One, Two, Three: Turning 16 three times!

Sridevi famously said she found it exhausting to do remakes and retakes... and yet, many of her films were remade. For example the film she often stated was a turning point; 16 Vayathinile.

Original Tamil: 16 Vayathinile (1977).
It was released on 15 September 1977, directed by Bharathiraja (his debut), starring Sridevi, Kamal Haasan, and Rajinikanth.
Telugu remake: Padaharella Vayasu (1978).
Released on 31 August 1978, directed by K. Raghavendra Rao, with Sridevi reprising her role (alongside Chandra Mohan and Mohan Babu).
Hindi remake: Solva Sawan (1979).
Released in 1979, directed by Bharathiraja, with Sridevi again reprising her role (opposite Amol Palekar).Timeline and gaps:

• Tamil (1977) → Telugu (1978): About 1 year apart.
• Telugu (1978) → Hindi (1979): About 1 year apart.
• Overall from Tamil original to Hindi: About 2 years apart.

This film was remade quickly due to its massive success in Tamil cinema, with Sridevi starring in all three versions. 

Remembering Sridevi's first Hindi film: Solva Saawan! With co-star Amol Palekar who is 80!

I know of very few people who have seen Sridevi's first Hindi film as a leading lady, the notorious flop Solwa Saawan which released back in the day... 47 years ago, ie on 22 January 1979! 

With co-star, the fine actor/now director Amol Palekar who was 19 years older than her, When Sridevi was working in the film, she was 15 and the movie was a remake of Bharathiraja's own Tamil film 16 Vayathinile (1977), which also starred Sridevi, who reprised the role in all its remakes. In Stardust, in jest she had written that she found remakes boring to do... unless the movie was a hit!  

Solwa Saawan had great music and decent performances across the board but, in truth, the film is only remembered for the distinction it had - it marked Sridevi's debut as a heroine in Hindi cinema following an already successful and established career in South Indian cinema spanning Tamil and Telugu films (and somewhat in Malayalam). Unlike the original, the film was a critical and commercial failure which Sridevi spoke of briefly. Sridevi had the utmost respect and admiration for her senior co-star, the gentle and gifted Amol Palekar, who just turned 80 last November. He spoke of the shock of losing Sridevi in earlier press interactions.   

Both Amol and Sridevi spoke well of each other - as icons recognise each other!