Amitabh Bachchan presents Sridevi her Best Actress Filmfare trophy for Chaalbaaz: Honouring the Big B's Birthday today!

Amitabh Bachchan presents Sridevi her Best Actress Filmfare trophy for Chaalbaaz! 

Big B, Amitabh Bachchan turns 83 today and remains the only actor of his age and stature still working as hard and as often as he does. He believes 'rest is rust' and that omen keeps the actor within alive and well, constantly raising the bar with one stellar performance after another. Box-office may or may not always be with him, but hardly anyone points a finger at his acting.  

 Amitabh, eternal light, simply the greatest Indian actor alive today. Bless him. 

TBT: Yash Chopra presents Sridevi an Award: Remembering Yashji on his Birth Anniversary

TBT: Yash Chopra presents Sridevi an Award: Remembering Yashji on his Birth Anniversary

Of the many tragedies, if only Sridevi had done one more film with Yash Chopra after Chandni and Lamhe. Alas... 

Born on September 27, 1932 in Lahore, now Pakistan, Yash Chopra's easily one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. Though he found mega success in love stories, he was easily the most versatile and gifted film maker of his time - and truly an aesthete. He understood cinema, from music, visuals, cinematography, outfits, dances, dialogues and even action, he felt the pulse of the audience and delivered time and again. Even his worst films are better than most contemporary directors' endeavors. Of course, we don't remember him for the tepid Parampara or the hollow Jab Tak Hai Jaan, but the best of his films like Deewar, Silsila, Chandni, Lamhe, Mashaal, Kabhi Kabhi, Trishul, Dhool ka Phool etc etc. Too many to list. 

I do not think its coincidence that the year he stopped making movies, he stopped breathing. Films were truly his life and pure passion. 

Above; Yash Chopra presented his "favourite" Sridevi an award back in 2008--more in the archives here.

Sridevi in a high-collor sari-blouse

 Sridevi in a high-collor sari-blouse 

 Sridevi's jhumka... 

Award winners, Superstars and Politicians

Award winners, Superstars and Politicians 

Kareena Kapoor, Sridevi, Manmohan Singh - and I think that might be Pamela Chopra... and others. 

TBT: When Sridevi was awarded the Padmashree: Feb 2013

 

Well, we all know she should have been awarded the National Award for Moondram Pirai, or her contribution to Indian cinema, let alone Bollywood, Tollywood and what have you. After all, Sridevi devoted 50 years of her life to the arts... 

Finally, post the pan-Indian and indeed global success of English Vinglish, the great Sridevi was accorded the Padmashree back in February 2013. This official portrait of all the winners, recipients and honours is a class apart. 

Happy Birthday Aishwarya Rai! Sridevi gives Ash her first Best Actress Award!

Happy Birthday Aishwarya Rai! Sridevi gives Ash her first Best Actress Award! 

Sridevi with her first Best Actress award. 

Passing the baton, from one South Indian pan-Indian superstar to another. 

Sridevi's enduring friendship with Aishwarya Rai is catalogued here. 

 

Icons of Indian Cinema: Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi: The Last Emperor and The Last Empress

Watching Amitabh Bachchan, 81, in Kalki is a reminder of his greatness. Truly the last emperor.. A great actor, and global superstar. The last of the truly grand movie stars. 

Alas, we didn't see Sridevi and Big B together again for one more film, guess English Vinglish's all too brief cameo will do.

Below: Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi on stage in the early 1990s. 

 Below: Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi at the Marrakech Film Festival. How regal they look. 

 

How it started, how it ended: Kerala was the first to recognise Sridevi's infinite gifts

Now and then: How it started, how it ended: Kerala was the first to recognise Sridevi's infinite gifts 

The Filmfare Awards on Jan 28th, 2024

The Filmfare Awards will be held on Jan 28th, 2024. But without the dazzling appearance of Sridevi or a worthy nomination, the fun of watching the show has long gone. 

We've carped on and on about how she should have won for Moondram Pirai, Sadma (isn't it shocking she never won for her most iconic performance?!), Laadla, Khuda Gawah, Mr.India, Nagina, Gumrah, English Vinglish, Mom.... 

She was our Streep, our Hepburn, our Monroe and our Lucille Ball - our truly great one. Overlooked in her lifetime. Alas... 

See the comprehensive list of awards Sridevi won in our archive here.
 

Happy Birthday Rekha: Seen here on stage, Rekha presenting a Style award to Sridevi

Rekha and Sridevi on stage at the Style awards; probably the last time they met in person back in Dec 2017. 

Today, we honour Rekha G on her birthday. She turns the big 70 - and still looks decades younger. 

Her Vogue Arabia cover was a reminder, icons don't fade. 

 

TBT: Sridevi and Boney Kapoor head to Padma Shree: Awarded by the President of India to the screen Icon

TBT: Sridevi and Boney Kapoor head to Padma Shree: Awarded by the President of India to the screen Icon 

Now and then: Janhvi Kapoor receiving an award: Sridevi getting one too

Janhvi Kapoor receiving an award: Sridevi getting one too 

 

Sridevi lols on stage with friend T. Subbarami Reddy

 Sridevi lols on stage with friend T. Subbarami Reddy

Sridevi: Gown and Glory

Red carpet favourite; Sridevi 

TBT: Sridevi wins Lux Power Pack award for the film Mom

TBT: Sridevi wins Lux Power Pack award for the film Mom 

Hrithik Roshan's Firsts with Sridevi: Film and Filmfare!

Released on 25 April 1986, Bhagwaan Dada is memorable for few reasons. For contemporary Bollywood fans, it has the distinction of being the first Hindi film of Hrithik Roshan as a child star and supporting actor in a movie.  He worked with Sridevi and Rajinikanth, superstars and legends, for the first time. The movie was shot when he nine, but released by the time Hrithik was 12. Sticklers for accuracy might point out that he appeared as a child in Aasha and Aap Ke Deewane (both in 1980) too - but that's mostly an extended cameo and uncredited role. But in Bhagwaan Daada, he had a song and dance routine, a comedy scene and even a memorable - spoiler alert - death scene that got him decent press.  

Fifteen years later when Hrithik Roshan won his Best Actor Filmfare, Sridevi had the distinct pleasure of announcing his name and presenting him with the iconic trophy back in April 2001. 

Sridevi and Amitabh Bachchan: After You

TBT: Sridevi and Amitabh Bachchan have presented each other awards over the years; most memorably perhaps in 1990 and 2006, for Chaalbaaz and Black respectively. 

TBT: Sridevi wins an award for her faultless performance in Mom (2017)

 

TBT: For today's throwback Thursday, a clip of Sridevi as she wins an award for her faultless performance in Mom (2017). GQ India did the honours. 

TBT: Sridevi holding her Excellence in Acting award conferred to her by GQ India

TBT: Sridevi holding her Excellence in Acting award conferred to her by GQ India

Who would have won Best Actress at Filmfare 1986? Sridevi in Nagina or Shabana Azmi in Anjuman?

In 1986 and 1987 there was no Filmfare Award show held and some mega-films, performances where not rewarded with the recognition they deserved by industry peers, pundits and critics.

This was a time when awards were somewhat given by meritocracy not addled with the pressure of TRP ratings, advertisers and there wasn't a glut of other similar award shows. Winning a Filmfare award meant something back then. 

Every media outlet now has its own version of awards and they seem so mundane... When you hear that Shahrukh Khan has 25 awards or some such absurd number (in random BS categories like Entertainer of the Year, Face of the Year, Couple of the Year, Scene of the Year... I mean, each passing new year they are making up categories to award, in particular, the Khan-trifecta, the only way to guarantee their attendance and viewership ratings). BTW even the actors bemoan the categories and recognise the sham they are a part of !

For most Sridevi Hindi film fans in particular, Sridevi not getting awards for two of her most iconic films, Nagina and Mr India, is a matter of personal affront! Blind fanatics - sometimes we are that we admit- forget that there were other memorable performances in 86 and 87 too.

Would Sridevi have won that year? She was competing with legends such as Rekha, Hema Malini, Shabana Azmi. If you see Chameli ke Shaadi, Amrita Singh is... INCREDIBLE! Her comic timing and natural performance stays with you long after.

Sridevi's Nagina performance is... a glittering gem in her crown, and a box-office blockbuster to boot. However, at the time, awards were not telecast, critics (who were not always kind to Sridevi in the early years in particular in Mumbai) gave them to parallel cinema darlings like Shabana Azmi and Smita Patel (there was a year with Shabana Azmi had a record five nominations all to herself!).

So though it seems obvious now, in hindsight, back then, it was an unpredictable gamble as to who would win or wouldn't. Don't forget a film like Sholay won ONE award - every other category it was nominated for left empty handed. So who know what Nagina's fate could have been during awards night? Box office hits were not given awards and slow-burn parallel films won the trophies. Depending on judge and jury, believe it or not, back then, I have an inkling Sridevi would not have turned up to the show, nor would she have won as Shabana Azmi had a firm grip on critical acclaim. 

If its any consolation, Sridevi back then didn't care much for awards, but box-office. 20-something Sridevi was about building a long-lasting career. 

Q: Jaya Pradha and Jayasudha have won recognition and awards as actresses. What do you think of their success?

Sridevi: Everyone who seeks recognition and rewards gets recognition and rewards. I was looking for love and popularity and I received love and popularity. I am also capable of good performances, such as in the film Sadma. And I also, from time to time, receive awards for my work, for example, for the film Meendum Kokila again. But my father loves films like Himmatwala and that's why I act in them.

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