Shraddha Kapoor: From Chaalbaaz in London [a stupid idea] Backlash to Eetha Acclaim
In 2021, Shraddha Kapoor found herself at the centre of heated debate when she was announced as the lead in Chaalbaaz in London, the much-talked-about remake of the 1989 cult classic Chaalbaaz. The announcement on April 3, 2021, drew mixed reactions, with many questioning the decision to step into the shoes of the late Sridevi, who had delivered a legendary, Filmfare Award-winning double-role razar sharp performance. Critics and fans alike called it a risky - even unwise - move, and the project was eventually put on hold, quietly fading from headlines.
Cut to 2026, and Shraddha is once again making waves, but this time for all the right reasons. The actress is receiving widespread praise and excitement for the trailer of her upcoming film Eetha, with audiences and critics lauding her performance and screen presence.
The contrasting headlines five years apart highlight the unpredictable nature of Bollywood: one ambitious project that invited scepticism, and another that appears to be winning hearts. While Chaalbaaz in London remains in limbo, Shraddha’s current run and trailer response - particularly while comparing with the tepid response to Alia Bhatt's Alpha - is incredible. At age 39, Shraddha is finally getting her bouquets after a consistent run of decent performances, but mixed box-office } the only thing the industry seems to respond to. No matter what the box-office will be, Shraddha's got a winner at hand - the movie looks fantastic. The same, alas, cannot be said of Alia's Alpha... And no, we weren't paid to troll - we are all fans of both as Sridevi was a fan of both.
Our instinctive, gut response to Chaalbaaz in London was ... oh No! It sounds stupid and desperate. Pankaj Parasher's box-office track record has not been great - which has been well documented. Worse still, he's also made some, terrible movies recently and hasn't made a decent or successful film in two decades. Like Subash Ghai, he's lost his touch and has no idea what the pulse of the current, fractured audience is. As Taal 2 sounds like a frantic lean on an IP, so did Chaalbaaz the sequel!
Shraddha - despite what her father says earlier - has shown a strong comedic side in social media, in live interviews, but so far hasn't done a great and memorable comedic performance (unlike Sri, Juhi, Kajol, Kareena, Rekha, Hema etc). Her dramatic attempts have been... ok, pales in comparison to 'the great Sridevi.' Thankfully, it looks like the remake is shelved.
The criticism Shradha faced is familiar - as an aspiring Sridevi/Bollywood historian, we are familiar with the fact that Sridevi faced early critique in 1988-1989 too. It was obvious Chaalbaaz was a modernised retelling of Seetha aur Geetha, which was already a remake of [gender-different] Ram aur Shyam. Sridevi had to have box-office clout of Hema Malini and the acting range of thespian Dilip Kumar. To a great extent she fulfilled those high expectations; the film was a box-office hit and critically acclaimed and got Sridevi one of her several Best Actress nods. Be it Kareena Kapoor or Kajol, or even Ayushman Khurrana many state this is a favourite female-led performance.
BTW for those who like to keep track the double role dramedy of errors has been done several times by stars of all stripes;
Iconic Double Role Films in Indian Cinema
| Film | Year | Actor (Double Role) | Box Office Verdict | Critical Acclaim |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramudu Bheemudu | 1964 | N.T. Rama Rao (NTR) | Major Hit / Blockbuster | High (Trendsetter in Telugu cinema) |
| Ram Aur Shyam | 1967 | Dilip Kumar | Super Hit | High (Classic, widely loved) |
| Sita Aur Gita | 1972 | Hema Malini | Super Hit | Very High (Cult classic, iconic) |
| Chaalbaaz | 1989 | Sridevi | Hit | Very High (Sridevi’s dual performance legendary) |
| Kishen Kanhaiya | 1990 | Anil Kapoor | Hit | Moderate to Good (Commercial entertainer) |
| Judwaa | 1997 | Salman Khan | Super Hit | Moderate (Popular mass entertainer) |
| Duplicate | 1998 | Shah Rukh Khan | Average | Mixed |
| Judwaa 2 | 2017 | Varun Dhawan | Super Hit | Mixed to Negative (Big commercial success) |
* Source: Compiled from box office reports, Wikipedia & film reviews. Data is approximate and a guesstimation for older films.
