Fan makeup and look triubte: Sridevi's iconic Hawa Hawaii ensemble from Mr.India

 With 3.1 million followers, this young fan's Sridevi tribute is... cute. 

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When society and media fans out at Sridevi

 

Standing out in a crowd: Sridevi surrounded by fans

All eyes on Sridevi; the centre of our world.

Gorgeous legendary actress, the great Sridevi, swarmed by fans. 

Sridevi and Nagarjuna: On film: On set with a fan

 Sridevi and Nagarjuna: On film: On set with a fan

Sridevi's fanclub beyond borders: Yalda Hakim

Indian actress Sridevi's magic knew no passports, no borders, no boundaries drawn by wars or maps. She was a luminescent phenomenon representing an entire era in Indian cinema, and her light reached far beyond the glittering screens of Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam cinema—into refugee camps, distant living room televisions, silver screens, pirated VCDs, DVDs and the hearts of people who might never have set foot in India. 

One such heart belonged to Yalda Hakim, the acclaimed Afghan-born Australian journalist who today is a leading voice and Lead World News presenter on Sky News, known for her sharp, fearless interviews with global leaders and her unflinching coverage of conflict zones.

Picture this: Yalda was born on June 26, 1983, in Kabul, Afghanistan—a time when Sridevi, at just 20 years old, was already the undisputed number one actress in Bollywood and a pan-Indian superstar. By the early 1980s, Sridevi had conquered hearts with her electrifying dance moves, her effortless shift between comic timing and intense drama, and films that became cultural phenomena. She wasn't just an actress; she was a phenomenon. In the early 90s, when Hakim was still a child, Sridevi was touring Afghanistan with the all-mighty Amitabh Bachchan, shooting in the difficult terrain, a grand, epic, meant-for-the-large screen Hindi film, Khuda Gawah. 

As Yalda's family fled the Soviet-Afghan War when she was barely six months old—enduring a harrowing journey on horseback to Pakistan before finding refuge in Australia in 1986—Bollywood's glow somehow followed them. Growing up in Sydney after settling there, Yalda attended Macarthur Girls High School and later earned a Bachelor of Arts in Media from Macquarie University. But long before journalism became her calling, cinema—especially Hindi cinema—was a quiet companion in displacement. Afghan families, like many South Asian diaspora communities, carried fragments of home through music and movies. Pirated VHS tapes, grainy Doordarshan broadcasts picked up somehow, or later DVDs—Sridevi's films traveled across borders in ways official diplomacy never could.

And among them was Khuda Gawah (1992), the epic drama where Sridevi played a fierce Pashtun woman, Benazir (L), in a story set against the rugged landscapes of Afghanistan. Shot partly in beautiful Afghan locales (with some creative liberties), the film resonated deeply in the region. For many Afghans and those in the diaspora, it was more than entertainment—it was a rare portrayal of their culture on a grand scale, with Sridevi's commanding presence making the character feel authentic and larger-than-life. Yalda, born right around the time Sridevi was at her peak, would have grown up in a world where such films were shared stories of pride and escape.

When Sridevi passed away suddenly in 2018, Yalda didn't stay silent like a distant observer. She poured out her grief publicly: "Goodbye hawa hawai - queen of Bollywood Sridevi. A loss not just to India but a whole generation like mine who grew up watching her films. She had charm, charisma and wit." On X (then Twitter), she mourned Bollywood's first true female superstar, and on Facebook, she echoed the same sentiment with a poignant post referencing that iconic "Hawa Hawaii" number from Mr. India. 

These weren't casual words from a celebrity journalist—they were the raw emotions of a lifelong fan.

Sridevi's on-screen strength as a warrior woman mirrored the resilience many in the Afghan community knew too well. This is what makes Sridevi's fame truly global, even in ways she might never have fully realized. She didn't need Hollywood crossovers or international awards circuits to touch lives continents away. Her films crossed refugee routes, language barriers, and political divides. Yalda Hakim—now a powerful voice —represents that invisible thread. 

Even unknown to Sridevi herself, her legacy lives beyond borders (we get maximum views from our neighbours!) and she shaped global conversations in unknown ways. That's stardom that transcends—timeless, borderless, and profoundly human.

Yalda Hakim

@SkyYaldaHakim

Saddened by the death of #Sridevi. Bollywood’s first female superstar. She had charm, charisma and wit. A loss not just for Bollywood & India but also my generation who grew up watching her films.

Sridevi

So many fans of Sridevi post regularly on social media. 

 

Famous fans of Sridevi

 

Winner of the Popular Vote: Sridevi

Sridevi's fan base was vast; the very young, foreigners, pan-Indian. There's a feature in Filmfare years ago where they wrote how a bus load of kids landed on film sets to watch Sridevi and they couldn't take their eyes off her. "She looks like a doll..." 

Yeah. She really did! 

 

Rare pics: Sridevi backstage with fans

Rare pics: Sridevi backstage with a fan back in 1989. Looking for more info on this - year, where, who's the lady (background dancer?).. etc. How pretty Sridevi looks in white. 

 

Rare pic: Sridevi with a fan: Sridevi looking gorgeous

 Rare pic: Sridevi with a fan: Sridevi looking gorgeous 

Rare Pic: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor on the set of Lamhe

Rare Pic: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor on the set of Lamhe 

 

Fan encounter: Sridevi poses with fans over the years

Fan encounter: Sridevi poses with fans over the years  

Sridevi with Anushka Rajan Doshi: Even her friends fanned out at her

Sridevi: Even her friends fanned out at her. Well, in this case, Anushka Rajan (now Doshi) daughter of her friend. 
 

Fanning out at Sridevi: Indian actress and legend turned all into fanboys and fangirls

 

Fanning out at Sridevi: Indian actress and legend turned all into fanboys and fangirls 

Be it society, her co-stars, director and producers, in her own time, in fact, even in her youth, Sridevi turned people into her fans. 

Sridevi: Fan tribute video of Sri's looks from English Vinglish

 Sridevi: Fan tribute video of Sri's looks from English Vinglish

Krishna and Sridevi in the Telugu film Maharajasri Mayagadu (1988): Sridevi's kimono look!

Krishna and Sridevi in the Telugu film Maharajasri Mayagadu (1988): Sridevi's kimono look! 
 

Juhi Chawla fans out at Sridevi: Happy Birthday to the adorable Juhi Chawla

Sridevi and Juhi Chawala at the premiere of Yash Chopra's Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012)

Juhi Chawla fans out at Sridevi: Happy Birthday to the adorable Juhi Chawla 

Easily the most famous fan of Sridevi 

We have a massive Sridevi with Juhi Chawla archive right here.

Sridevi on the sets of Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja: Regal in pink

 

Sridevi, first day on the sets of Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja: Regal in pink. 

More in the archive here.

Rare pics: Sridevi on set with fans

 Rare pics: Sridevi on set with fans

 Rare pics of Sridevi on the sets of Chand   ka Tukda. 

We have a huge archive of images of Sridevi with fans here.

Also, let's not forget Sridevi's most famous fans here.

Sridevi's picturesque cameo in Shola aur Shabnam: Anupam Kher as a Sridevi superfan

Anupam Kher in Shola aur Shabnam (1992) 

Though she doesn't officially make an appearance in the film, we've got to bring up the 90s blockbuster Shola aur Shabnam (1992) on this Sridevi page. 

That too today of all days - on Anupam Kher's 67th birthday. (Happy days Mr Kher!)

In the 90s film, the character essayed by Anupam Kher, as Major Inder Mohan Lathi / I.M. Lathi (geddit?!), fans out at Sridevi at the drop of a hat. As an obsessed fan-boy (well, fan-man!) of the Indian actress, the strict and militant Major melts at the mention of Sridevi - and there's an epic on-screen prank played in the film that's pure comedy gold. Kher plays his part with such relish and the comical physicality he brings to it, proving time and again, what a gifted and versatile actor he is. In 1992, Kher appeared in 12 films ranging from comedies, family dramas, war films to action adventures. The films varied in quality, Kher was consistently good. 

In interviews back then, Anupam Kher mentioned that it was easy for him to play a Sridevi fan in the movie as he indeed was one. Like many other fans, in the film, the walls and cupboards of IM Lathi were adorned by Sridevi posters and pics (hell, growing up, we used to have it too) and Kher brought little touches of relatability to his part. 

Unsurprisingly, Anupam Kher was nominated for his comedic take in Shola aur Shabnam - one of multiple nominations he's received in his rather resplendent career. 

The film had leads Govinda and (Sridevi look-a-like-) Divya Bharti - and was a major success at the box-office but the comedy is what most people remember all these years later. 

When asked about Kher's performance and how often he mentions her on the film, Sridevi laughed and said she liked it. Ideally, it would have been amazing for Sridevi to do an official cameo or guest appearance in the film, to bring the house down. Alas, those days, she was shooting in remote locations outside of India during the production of Shola aur Shabnam. If only... 

You can watch the film Online for a giggle. 

Anupam Kher and Sridevi in South Delhi in 2012