Pretty in Pink: Sridevi on the sets of Lamhe in London

Pretty in pink; Sridevi on the sets of Lamhe (1991). Too cute.

Shekhar Kapur with Sridevi on the sets of Joshilaay: "Sridevi was a gift to us"

The earliest pic I have of Sridevi and myself. Her face never changed. Her eyes flashed startlingly in this pic from the film ‘Joshilay’ as much as they did later in ‘Mr India’ .. and while the world remembers the Star .. Sridevi .. on her birth yesterday I was remembering Sri Devi as the Director’s best friend .. 

Mr India would not have been possible without the amazing collaboration between Sridevi and myself. I still remember my excitement and urge to get to the set when Sri Devi and I were doing Mr India .. .. because you never knew how Sri Devi would surprise you that day. .. and she never failed to do so .. when the camera was not in her .. she would be quietly sitting in her chair .. almost in denial of her stardom (unlike actors today she would not disappear into her trailer) .. but .. 

 When in front of the Camera it was as if magic happened .. it was a different Sridevi.. her energy not only radiated out of her for the camera .. everyone on the set felt it .. it was electric. So much that at times ( especially in a dance sequence) we would forget to switch off the camera ! For I would forget to say ‘Cut’ .. I doubt there’ll be another Sri Devi .. she was a gift to us .. 

So wherever you are Sri .. Happy Birthday .. 

#HappyBirthdaySridevi #Sridevi #MrIndia #filmDirecting #acting

 

 

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Gopi Krishna with Mithun and Sridevi: Birth anniversary of the Nritya Samrat

Gopi Krishna choreographs Sridevi and Mithun in Jaag Utha Insan back in 1984. 

Today, the birth anniversary of the Nritya Samrat. Born on 22 August 1935, he only taught Sridevi in one film. The prolific dancer was famed as the youngest choreographer in the history of Indian cinema. 

Born on August 22, 1935, into the illustrious Banaras gharana as the grandson of Kathak legend Sukhdev Maharaj, Gopi Krishna was just 49 years old when he directed Sridevi’s classical dance movements in K. Viswanath’s Jaag Utha Insan (1984). She was 20 and in awe of the lgend. 

By the time of his passing on February 18, 1994, he had secured an imperishable legacy as a virtuosic titan of Indian dance. His status as arguably the greatest classical dancer of mainstream Hindi cinema stemmed from an extraordinary, lightning-fast execution of Kathak, astonishing tatkar footwork, and a unmatched athletic fluidity - rendered all the more remarkable considering his lifelong battle with chronic asthma. 

Honoured with the title of Nataraj at fifteen and later awarded the Padma Shri in 1975, his range transcended traditional Kathak, integrating elements of Bharatanatyam and folk traditions into dynamic cinematic compositions. Married to Kathak exponent Savitri, Gopi Krishna spent decades elevating movie choreography into fine art. 

He achieved instant screen immortality starring in V. Shantaram’s classic Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje (1955), where his soaring performance set a benchmark for dance on celluloid. Beyond his starring debut, his landmark filmography and signature choreographed pieces include the rich Kathak numbers in Muzaffar Ali’s Umrao Jaan (1981), Saqi (1952 - where he became the industry’s youngest choreographer at seventeen - and grand scale productions like Mehbooba (1976), Dastaan (1972), and Gopi (1970). 

His ultimate legacy lies in bridge-building. He demystified classical dance for popular audiences without sacrificing its rigorous technical purity. Through his Nateshwar dance academies and a historic world-record continuous Kathak performance lasting over nine hours, Gopi Krishna permanently redefined how classical artistry is staged, filmed, and preserved in the cultural consciousness.

Rekha in and as Umrao Jaan

Work with Rekha

Gopi Krishna was initially brought in to train and choreograph Rekha for Muzaffar Ali’s magnum opus Umrao Jaan (1981). He helped impart the fundamental nuances, stances, and expressions of Kathak required for her role as a 19th-century courtesan. However, after composing an initial dance number, the film's makers sought a more authentic, traditional Kathak flavor for the remaining tracks and brought in maestro Kumudini Lakhia, leaving Gopi Krishna credited alongside Lakhia for the film’s iconic dances.

Madhuri Dixit

Gopi Krishna never choreographed Madhuri Dixit. By the time Madhuri Dixit rose to superstardom in the late 1980s and early 1990s as Bollywood's premier dance icon, her signature film routines were primarily designed by Saroj Khan (and later, Birju Maharaj for classical compositions like Devdas).

Other Leading Screen Legends

Throughout his prolific career spanning hundreds of films, Gopi Krishna choreographed and trained many of Indian cinema’s legendary leading ladies, particularly in intricate classical and semi-classical routines:

• Madhubala: In Saqi (1952), marking his debut as the youngest choreographer in Hindi cinema at age seventeen. 

  
  
  

• Vyjayanthimala: In major dance-centric productions like Amrapali (1966), Suraj (1966), and Prince (1969).

• Sudha Chandran: In the classical dance biopic Nache Mayuri (1986).

• Waheeda Rehman & Asha Parekh: Across various classical, period, and drama sequences in 1960s and 1970s mainstream cinema.

• Sridevi: In K. Viswanath’s Jaag Utha Insan (1984)

Sridevi postcards: 4 shots from film sets

 

Sridevi on the sets of various films. Can you name and list all?! 

Sridevi versus Umesh Mehra: The Forgotten Director of Hindi hits and Controversies

Film producer and director Umesh Mehra turns 73 today - he famously fought with Sridevi during and post-production of the Hindi film, Guru [Starring Mithun and Sridevi]. A film that started production in 1987 and released early in 1989, despite it being the biggest hit of the Mithun-Sridevi combo, Sridevi never worked with her notorious co-star or director ever again. 

As the producer/director turns a year old today, a look back at his career. 

Umesh Mehra: A Career of High Peaks, Sharp Turns, and Lasting Curiosity 

Umesh Mehra, born in 1953, remains one of the more intriguing figures of 1980s–90s Bollywood. As the creative force behind Eagle Films, he carved out a niche directing slick entertainers that blended action, glamour, and mass‑friendly storytelling. ie he wasn't one lining up nominations and he wasn't on the awards circuit, but his movies did well. 

His films often reflected the commercial pulse of their time — unapologetically mainstream, star‑driven, and designed for the single‑screen audience. Mehra’s career spanned over two decades, during which he collaborated with some of the biggest names in Hindi cinema, from Rekha to to Jeetendra to Mithun Chakraborty to Akshay Kumar, and delivered several box‑office successes that defined the era’s masala sensibilities. 

He directed Rekha in the thriller Jaal - a personal favourite film that was a massive hit for Rekha, as the film relied solely on her superstar status. She's fantastic in the movie and given several moments to shine - despite her erratic off screen persona in the 1980s, on screen, Rekha delivers gold. Mehra and Akshay Kumar worked in a few hit films, and he directed Sridevi and Mithun in the first blockbuster of 1989, Guru. However, no one involved with the film looks back on that chapter with fond recollections despite being a decade ending hit. 

⭐ The Famous Umesh Mehra–Sridevi Feud

One of the most talked‑about chapters of Mehra’s career was his fallout with superstar Sridevi. Their clash reportedly began during the making of Guru, where creative disagreements escalated into a complete breakdown of communication. Industry insiders long whispered that Mehra felt Sridevi was too demanding and interfered with production decisions, while Sridevi’s camp believed Mehra failed to provide the clarity and professionalism she expected. The rift became so pronounced that the two never worked together again, despite Sridevi’s meteoric rise and Mehra’s continued presence in commercial cinema. Their feud became part of Bollywood folklore - a reminder of how combustible star/director dynamics could be in the pre‑corporate era.

To top it all, in the film Guru, Sridevi objected to a kissing scene with Mithun Chakraborty due to her personal boundaries and the strained relationship with her once close co-star. Initially, she had agreed to the scene, Mehra alleged, but later requested its removal, stating that it went against her comfort level. Despite her objections, the director shot the scene using a body double without her consent, which led to significant turmoil among Sridevi and her family. He claimed the stars did the deed, Sridevi's family counter-claimed it was fake and the scene maligned the image of the actress. They took legal action to remove the scene from the film, highlighting Sridevi's strong stance against on-screen intimacy. It was such an ugly spat that both refused to work with the other despite the massive commercial success of their collaboration.

Eerily enough, Madhuri Dixit worked with Mehra in the Jackie Shroff led film Vardi, and later discussed how uncomfortable she was working in Mehra's movie. After much delay, Guru released on Jan 1, 1989 with Sridevi, Vardi released with Madhuri Dixit that same week - on Jan 6, 1989, and both top actresses never worked with him ever again, rarely bringing up Mehra's name in print. Rekha went on to work with Mehra and the steamy scenes of the song and dance routine In the Night no Control, was so controversial in the 90s that the Censor Board slapped the film with an Adults-only certificate! Yes really! Sex and violence - the film was Mehra's biggest hit, Rekha's biggest hit that decade, and another notch on action Kumar's portfolio.  

In fact, Mehra’s biggest hits include the Mithun Chakraborty–led Ashanti (1982), the thriller Jaal (1986), and his biggest commercial triumphs came with Akshay Kumar; they worked in three films together, back-to-back; International Khiladi (1999), Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996) and Sabse Bada Khiladi (1995). Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi cemented Akshay Kumar’s action‑hero image and is easily Mehra's biggest commercial hit. Most of Mehra's movies showcased his flair for pacing, glamour, and mass appeal. In the 1980s, he had a successful winning formula with Mithun - they worked on 8 films together, and in the 90s, as Mithun's career faded, and young Akshay Kumar came on to the scene,  Mehra worked with Kumar in three films. Even though all their collaborations were successful, Mehra and Kumar never worked together after International Khiladi which released in 1999, a culmination of the Khiladi trifecta. Hit films, but in no measure great films, only the producers and masses were happy. 

Hits and flops aside, the film maker was certainly no darling of the critics and never won a single award as director or producer (apart from a lifetime achievement award handed out in 2021!) in his 25 year career! Spanning from 1978 to 2003, the only time he was on stage was when he was giving away a trophy!  

Mehra’s career saw steep declines, one after another starting with Qila (1998), a critical and commercial disaster that tragically ended up being the great Dilip Kumar's final film. Dilip Kumar did not care for the experience and retired from cinema altogether! When the IP of Khiladi waned, International Khiladi (1999) underperformed, and Yeh Mohabbat Hai (2002) with newcomers tanked, his final film sealed Mehra's fate. The collapse at the box office effectively ended his directorial journey which began in 1979 with Hamare Tumhare.

Little is heard from Mehra now, apart from his stints on TV that are not reliant on opening weekend ticket sales. The pressure of Bollywood is such that you can be a veteran filmmaker of 20-30 years, but all they remember is your last flop, a history of hits quickly forgotten. 

Bollywood is not for the weak; the weak of heart or weak of wallet. 

Now mostly retired, we see glimpses of Umesh Mehra on social media. He recently posted photos of himself with Sridevi and clearly has let the dust settle. I believe the two eventually settled out of court and the offending scenes were removed from Guru so the film could release. The producers obviously prefer to remember how much money they made, not the bump on the road. 

Mehra can today reflect on his legacy as a successful film maker whose career ups and downs reflect the changing tides and times of Bollywood. He went with the flow - and when the flow stopped, so did he.

Yash Johar, Anupam Kher, Sridevi, Sanjay Dutt and Mahesh Bhatt in Hong Kong for Gumrah

Hindi film producer Yash Johar, actors Anupam Kher, Sridevi, Sanjay Dutt and director Mahesh Bhatt in Hong Kong for Gumrah. The cast and crew of the hit 90s film on location. 

Sridevi was 29 when she shot the film - a stellar performance by the iconic Indian actress, Gumrah released on August 3, 1993. 

Sridevi

Sridevi on the sets of.. anyone recognise the look? Which film?! 
 

The cast and crew of Gumrah

 Film producer Yash Johar, Anupam Kher, Sridevi, Sanjay Dutt and director Mahesh Bhatt. 

 The cast and crew of the film Gumrah in Hong Kong! 

Sridevi

Sridevi on the sets of Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja. 

Yet another over the top embellished look from the film. Believe it or not, compared to many costumes in the movie, this is relatively subtle! 

Sridevi and her co:stars: Anil Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna

Wish I had a clearer scan of this feature and magazine. Sridevi with her costars Anil Kapoor, a rare pic with Amitabh Bachchan and another with Vinod Khanna. 

All on film sets; Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja, Khuda Gawah and the unreleased Garajna. 

Sridevi with model Deepak Malhotra on the sets of Lamhe: The half fake pic trend

Timeless Indian Melodies on social media (I most often see on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) is prolific in writing about Hindi cinema and puts up a quasi-real pic; one half of it is real, the other is conjured up by AI. It's so distracting - something is always a bit off. For example, the above pic. Sridevi wasn't wearing jeans, but a denim skirt. The background was different, model turned non-actor Deepak Malhotra's shoes were different. The real pic is below... 

Sridevi's denim and lace embroidered skirt is fully visible in the movie, in a scene with Waheeda Rehman. 

A fake pic - or a half fake pic - is like a half truth. It colours all copy and context, a little bit of trust fades with it. 

Shahrukh Khan with Sridevi in Army

Shahrukh Khan and Sridevi on the sets of the film Army; a Sridevi-led film that released on 28 June 1996! 

Anil Kapoor and Sridevi on the sets of Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja

 

Sunny Deol and Sridevi on the sets of Chaalbaaz: Rare Pic of stars in white

Sridevi on the sets of Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja

 Sridevi on the sets of Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja 

Sridevi on the sets of Roop ki Rani Choron Ka Raja

Not a commonly seen or published photo of Sridevi on the sets of the big-budget-bonanza that was Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja...

 

Sridevi's 70s film director passes at age 84! Bharathiraja and Sridevi worked on 3 films!

Just heard the news that Tamil film director Bharathiraja  passed away earlier today. He was 84. The prolific filmmaker directed Sridevi in three films; two iconic hits and one forgettable flop. 

Sridevi was his muse and leading lady in; 

1. 16 Vayathinile (1977) 

His directorial debut, a landmark rural drama where Sridevi played Mayil alongside Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth. 

2. Sigappu Rojakkal (1978) 

A psychological thriller where Sridevi starred opposite Kamal Haasan. It was made into Red Rose with Rajesh Khanna and Poonam Dhiloon reprising the roles of Kamal and Sri.  

3.  Solva Sawan (1979) 

Bharathiraja’s Hindi directorial debut (a remake of 16 Vayathinile), marking Sridevi’s first Bollywood entry. Unfortunately, the third remake flopped. Sridevi never worked with him thereafer. 

In an interview with newspapers, soon after Sridevi, tragic, untimely death back in 2018, the director spoke to the papers. 

Sridevi had transformed herself from a child artist into a heroine at the age of 13 in Tamil cinema and went on to dominate the country's film industry displaying her outstanding talent, expressed veteran filmmaker Bharathiraja, who gave Sridevi one of her earliest breakthrough roles in Tamil cinema with 16 ‘Vayathinile’. When Bharathiraja remade the national award winning movie in Hindi as ‘Solva Sawan’, it had marked Sridevi's entry into Bollywood.

He said, "I can proudly say that I introduced Sridevi to the Hindi film world. When I initially told her about the remake, she was hesitant to act in the Hindi movie but I convinced her. Through her hard work, she rose to rule Bollywood too. She was an extraordinary talent. She had an inherent talent to grasp things fast. She did not study in any college or university but she can speak nine languages.”

He also said, "I had seen Kamal's movie and I know he will become a big actor. I saw Sridevi first time in the shooting of ‘16 Vayathinile’. I was wondering how a young actor like her will match the talents of Kamal. But she has matched him in every scene. I know she will go places.”

He further added, "Many male actors refuse to risky stunts scenes nowadays but she insisted doing it on her own. We had a double ready to go. She refused and did her own stunts in the movie. It shows her commitment.”

Sridevi and Dimple Kapadia share tabloid cover of Film Rekha

Dimple Kapadia turns 69 today. The gorgeous grandmother always had the greatest head of hair on film, a decent actress, always elegant, very stylish, a child bride and movie star... has had one of the most interesting lives off screen! On screen her successes have been intermittent, great highs and quite a few duds... but ravishing Dimple Kapadia always gave spicy copy. Uncensored, unbothered, she played the fame game well. 

We couldn't find ONE picture of Dimple Kapadia with Sridevi - even though they both appeared in the film Jaanbaaz back in 1986... and had parallel lives and careers in Bollywood in that infamous decade.   

But they shared many tabloid magazine covers over the years. Sridevi seen here on the sets of... Nagina or Nigahein? Comment below to let us know! 

 

Rare photo with Sridevi with her only sister on set: Sreelatha with Sreedevi

On the sets of the sadly shelved and unreleased film Garajna (rumour has it, the entire thing is complete and in a vault somewhere lost in legal battles galore), Sridevi with her younger sister Sreelatha [now Sreelatha Sanjay]. 

There are inaccurate YouTube clips and Instagram posts stating that Sreelatha tried to do films - this is wildly untrue and speculative. Sreelatha married young and early and while she accompanied Sridevi on sets innumerable time (which we've often archived here), at no point has she ever expressed interest or enthusiasm for appearing in films. The very vocal sister of the superstar was opposite of Sridevi, who was press shy. Sreelatha has often shown in the past, she has no qualms about talking to the press. She was/is no wallflower. 

You can follow her on Instagram. She, on occasion, posts rare pics of Sridevi on her account. 

Jaya Prada, Sridevi and Rajesh Khanna on the sets of Maqsad

Jaya Prada, Sridevi and Rajesh Khanna on the sets of Maqsad! 

Two people Sridevi didn't thoroughly enjoy working with... the mercurial and temperamental former superstar Rajesh Khanna, while clinging on to his fast fading stardom.... and the famously feuding Jaya Prada. 

Sridevi just held her own, with her signature grace and tall statuesque diva-dom.