The cast of Judaai: Sridevi in red as the Nouveau Riche Mumbai Society Queen

Sridevi's comedic turn in Judaai. 

Honestly, she ate the screen up. The others were left in the dust.

Lord knows Urmila tried... 

 

Manish Malhotra and his Muses: Karisma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Sridevi, Shilpa Shetty, Urmila Matondkar and Kareena Kapoor

 

Manish Malhotra and his Muses: Karisma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Sridevi, Shilpa Shetty, Urmila Matondkar and Kareena Kapoor

Manish Malhotra revolutionised Bollywood costume design by bridging high fashion and mainstream Indian cinema.

The First Star He Designed For

Manish Malhotra made his entry into film costume design in 1990 styling Juhi Chawla for the film Swarg. That same year, he began styling iconic photo shoots for Sridevi, leading to his full costume design work for her in Gumrah (1993). Sridevi became one of his most cherished muses and a pivotal figure in launching his career in Indian cinema. Sridevi in turn has repeatedly stated in innumerable interviews that apart from being a work colleague and collaborator, she famously named him as her "best friend" in the industry. A title he cherished I'm sure. We have innumerable pics of the two together in the archive. But lets not forget there have been other celebrity collaborations that have worked in his (and the star's) favour. 

Top Muses & Frequent Collaborators

Over three decades, Malhotra has styled generations of leading ladies. From Sridevi onwards, his most frequent collaborators and muses include:

• Urmila Matondkar: Transformed her screen image in Rangeela (1995), establishing the concept of modern movie styling in Hindi cinema. The colour palette of saris is so mesmerising in Tu maange dil in Aflatoon [an otherwise terrible movie], note how differently he styled Sridevi and Urmila in Judaai. 

• Karisma Kapoor: Reimagined her sartorial identity in Raja Hindustani (1996) and Dil To Pagal Hai (1997). 

• Kajol: Designed her defining looks across classics like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and Fanaa (2006).

• Kareena Kapoor Khan: One of his closest long-time muses, famously styled as "Poo" in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001) and in Jab We Met (2007).

• Rani Mukerji & Preity Zinta: Created signature late-90s and 2000s looks for them in films like Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006). Perhaps we should state that his collaborations with Karan Johar ipso facto Johar's leading ladies, get the Malhotra makeover. In many cases he refines the looks, tones it down - competing with the maximalism of over-shimmering Bollywood. 

• Rekha: Since the unfortunate, untimely passing of Sridevi, Rekha has stepped in and stepped up as the icon in the Manish Malhotra repertoire. Embracing pure Indian aesthetics, traditional jewellery, he's eliminated Rekha's perchance for excess on more than one occasion. His collab with her for Vogue Arabia is one for the ages. 

• Newer Generation Muses: Continues to frequently style and mentor stars like Alia Bhatt, Janhvi Kapoor, Kiara Advani, and Katrina Kaif on screen, on red carpets, and as fashion showstoppers.

Most Memorable Movies

Year	Film	Key Styling Highlights
1995	Rangeela	Earned him the first Filmfare Award for Costume Design; redefined contemporary Bollywood fashion.
1995	Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge	Iconic bridal and western ensembles for Kajol.
1997	Dil To Pagal Hai	Trendsetting athleisure and minimal monochrome ethnic wear.
1998	Kuch Kuch Hota Hai	Defined 90s pop-culture fashion with sportswear, bandanas, and sleek chiffons.
2001	Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...	Opulent high-fashion wardrobe for Kareena Kapoor ("Poo") and traditional couture.
2003	Kal Ho Naa Ho	Elegant New York urban wear and the iconic "Maahi Ve" lehenga.
2013	Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani	Popularized Deepika Padukone’s famous royal-blue saree look.

The cast of Judaai: Now and then: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Urmila Matondkar

 The cast of Judaai: Now and then: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Urmila Matondkar

Sridevi, Aishwarya Rai, Urmila Matondkar together back in 1999

Sridevi, Aishwarya Rai, Urmila Matondkar together back in 1999. 

Below is a fake pic - well, half of it. 

Sridevi looked so beautiful on stage. 

Bollywood actresses and leading ladies all lined up: Pity its fake as fk...

Ah the generative artificial portrait of Indian actresses all sari-clad and lined up like the high school yearbook photo call of the best of the best of the 90s and early 2000s. Pity its so darned fake... 

From the top; Shilpa Shetty, Urmila Matondkar, Manisha Koirala, Sonali Bendre, Kajol. 

Seated, from left to right, Karisma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi and Juhi Chawla. 

Apart from Filmfare awards (before it lost is lustre) no one else could have gotten these ladies within a square mile of each other. As the Indian film industry gets more corporate, divisive, separate, self-serving... the collective barely turns up for the other. Think of every awards show --and now there are soooo many-- when you can look out at the audience and predict who the winners are -- they are all dutifully informed well in advance and the nominees are a no-show. Why bother to support colleagues or the fraternity?! 

Now I'm not one to be nostalgic of a past that didn't exist, but as retro images on Instagram show, there were definitely more parties, events and celebrations when the industry turned up for each other - without sponsorship or a dangling award at the end of a stick... 

As there is nothing more constant than change in the industry, let's see what it morphs into in the coming decade. 

Sridevi, Anil Kapoor and Urmila on the sets of Judaai back in 1997!

Sridevi, Anil Kapoor and Urmila on the sets of Judaai back in 1997!

Sridevi's over-the-top nouveau riche look was so spot on with the character she played. 

Urmila Matondkar honours Sridevi.

Urmila Matondkar honours Sridevi.

"For me, the last Number One was Sridevi. After Sridevi, there's been no one. Madhuri is still around, so she's still part of the competition now, but Sri was Sri!"

A famous fan of Sridevi - like so many others. 

Urmila, Sridevi and Manish Malhotra

Urmila, Sridevi and Manish Malhotra 
 

Urmila Matondkar and Sridevi on the sets of Judaai

 Urmila Matondkar and Sridevi on the sets of Judaai 

We have over 22 posts on these two actresses in the archives here. 

Happy Birthday Urmila Matondkar: Sridevi's co-star from Judaai

Happy Birthday Urmila Matondkar! 

Sridevi's co-star - and fan - from Judaai. 

The Judaai montage: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar

The Judaai montage: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar

For her performance, Sridevi was nominated for all the major awards in 1998; the Filmfare Best Actress Award, the Screen Best Actress Award, and the Zee Cine Best Actress Award, 

The cast of Judaai: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar in Vegas back in 1997: Bollywood blockbuster

The all-black look for the rockin' song Pyar pyar karte, karte in the film Judaai (1997). A massive chart-buster, the music and the film worked well. 

 

 

Urmila with Sridevi: Now and Then: In Judaai, at an event:

Urmila and Sridevi at an event in 2013, the two actresses in Judaai back in 1997. 

UPDATE: Urmila posts on Instagram, after news broke that Sridevi is no more... 

The Judaai Reunion: Sridevi with Manish Malhotra and Urmila

Designer-to-the-stars Manish Malhotra with his muses Sridevi and Urmila Matondkar. 

Blurred Lines: Bikini babes of Bollywood: Sharmila Tagore, Sridevi, Urmila, Anushka Sharma

For a (relatively) conservative nation that demarcates women into categories in its cinema ("suffering mother", "virginal heroine", "unmarried sister", "villain's moll", "cabaret dancer" etc!), there have been many iconic Bollywood actresses that blurred the lines.

They weren't holier-than-thou heroines, nor were they vamps who trailed the villains in skimpy sequined clothes.  Somewhere along the middle perhaps, they stood tall, embracing their sensuality, leading ladies of their decade made the heartbeat of their audience pulsate a bit stronger.

Be it Sharmila Tagore (1970s), Sridevi ('80s), Urmila ('90s) or Anushka Sharma ('00s). What sets them apart from other sex symbols of their era (Zeenat Aman to Bipasha Basu and others of that silken ilk), is that each are fine actresses in their own right who've proved their mettle, and yet remained unafraid to reveal their hedonistic sides.

Grand Design: Manish Malhotra with Sridevi, Urmila Matondkar, Sheetal Mafatlal

Ah, no news yet on what's happening here but thrilled to see Sridevi flanked by Manish Malhotra, Sheetal Mafatlal, and Urmila Matondkar. Is it a Judaai reunion? Um, no, but whatever the event is, its beautiful! 

Cynosure of all eyes; our diva, I mean, our Devi; Sridevi! 

Left: Rare, rare pic. NIranjan Iyengar, Sheetal, Urmila, Sridevi and Manish. 

Sridevi in Judaai (1997): Working Mums: Rare pics of Sridevi with Urmila Matondkar and Anil Kapoor

From Rediff's feature on working mums.

Blessed with two beautiful daughters, Jhanvi and Khushi, Sridevi was a top star during her first pregnancy; no wonder when news spread that she's expecting, producers went into a tizzy. She did complete full portions of her husband Boney Kapoor's production, Judaai and refused to take on further work, in the wake of which she lost out on plum projects.

When she was carrying Khushi, 11 now, she had already taken a break from movies but nevertheless she would accompany Boney on his shoots, especially on Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai.

A heavily-pregnant Sridevi even helped her family move to a new bungalow at the time and actually supervised everything.

From Rediff.com

UPDATE: Sridevi, Urmila and Anil Kapoor, the cast of Judaai in publicity stills published in the local tabloids.

Sridevi, Anil Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar made Judaai so much fun to watch; an irrepressible soap opera on screen, a dramedy, a morality tale, leads with tinctures of unlikability (all three such flawed characters). Elevated by the talents of the stellar cast, a pretty basic storyline and screenplay became high camp, farce - and yet so much fun. 

The movie made an unexpected killing at the box-office back in 1997 as the Khan trifecta had taken over Bollywood by then and little was expected from these gifted but unsteady box-office staples; Anil Kapoor, Sridevi and director Raj Kanwar!  This was Urmila's first Hindi film after the runaway success of Rangeela. She looked lovely in all her Manish Malhotra designed ensembles and an ever-graceful dancer; she really stepped it up. Her star wattage could not be denied... and the fans hollered and screamed for her in her song and dance routines. As a performance well... its all Sridevi we remember now. Even Anil Kapoor, an otherwise capable actor, doesn't fare better in an underserved part. 

Anil Kapoor's career has generally been a mixed bag of movies from day one; some he did for the performance, others for money, some for friends and some for potential, others for posterity. Funnily enough, in most of his home productions, he let others grab glory. For range, the year he had a blockbuster Ram Lakhan, he had the performance-based Eeshwar, for every Abhimanyu, he had Parinda. Unstoppable.