Sridevi

Sridevi's power suit!

Sridevi on the cover of Chitralekha: April 1994: Portraits by Gautam Rajadhyaksha

Sridevi on the cover of Chitralekha: April 1994: Portraits by Gautam Rajadhyaksha

Images below were originally published in Cine Blitz.  

Sridevi suited up in Laadla

Sridevi in Laadla. The fierce Sheetal. 

MOVIE magazine cover: Sridevi, The Angry Empress: TBT to April 1987

 

MOVIE magazine cover: Sridevi, The Angry Empress. 

I don't have this issue and rarely posted these pics before as its my least favourite cover shoot. The awful 80s clothes, 'styling', wig, makeup. And I'm shocked that its by Gautam Rajadhyaksha - who usually does the most incredible portraits of stars. 

Oh well, we all have our bad days. And then some. 

April 1987. 

Sridevi in Kaun Sachcha Kaun Jhootha (कौन सच्चा कौन झूठा)

 

Sridevi in Kaun Sachcha Kaun Jhootha (कौन सच्चा कौन झूठा) 

The Men in Sri's Life: This Sridevi centrefold!

The Men in Sri's Life: This Sridevi centrefold! 
 

Suit up! Sridevi, Khushi Kapoor

 Suit up! Sridevi, Khushi Kapoor 

 Sridevi in 2015 (more images in the archive here). 

 Khushi Kapoor yesterday on set. 

Sridevi by Rakesh Shreshta: Mid 80s

 Sridevi by Rakesh Shreshta: Mid 80s. 

 Outfit by "Vanity Fair" } does that store in Mumbai exist still?! 

Sridevi suits up

Sridevi suits up

Sridevi on the sets of Laadla: 30 Years of a Smash Hit

Sridevi on the sets of Laadla: 30 Years of a Smash Hit 

Released on 25 March 1994 after a slew of Sridevi-Anil Kapoor flops, expectation was low when the film released. But you can't keep a good man - or woman - down. Sridevi's high volume performance got all the whistles and claps (Indian cinema is a audience participation program that requires a theatre!) and though the ending doesn't hold up, the performances do. 

For someone who preferred understated performances, Yash Chopra was a huge fan of Sridevi's acid-tongue turned role in Laadla and commented in several media outlets after the film's release, how much he loved Sridevi's performance. Something he said decades later after the premiere of English Vinglish too. There's a clip on Instagram/Insta stories as Shahrukh Khan escorts Sridevi to stage and says, "Sriji, I don't know if Yashji ever told you this, but he told me, you were his favourite performer. Ever." 

• Our massive Laadla archive here, images, info, on set pics, on screen moments. 

Oscar nominee Shekhar Kapur, "I never miss a Sridevi film. I'm very impressed"

Actor, director Shekhar Kapur spoke to Filmfare (August 1990) about the phenomenon that was Sridevi. In his own words;

"I never miss a Sridevi film. I've seen most of her Tamil and Telugu films. I was very impressed by her performance in Moondram Pirai. She was brilliant. 

It was during Joshilaay that I got to know her.. .and discovered the incredible performer in her. I was absolutely fascinated. 

In fact, the song, I love you was not in the original script of Mr India. It was added later. One day Boney (Kapoor) came and told me that he had seen Jaanbaaz and was stunned by the sensuality Sridevi exuded in a song sequence. "She can't look more sensual," he said. I went and saw the film and accepted the challenge to present her more sensually. The result was I love you. She looked so sensual, fully clothed. 

Even the Charlie Chaplin bit was an afterthought. The scene required Sri to disguise herself as  a man. Why not as Charlie Chaplin? I thought. She was so good in the scene that I went on extending it, adding one gag after another. 

Mr.India was a kind of film and she played a king of role in it. In Chandni, she went a step beyond, projected another aspect of her. She now needs to play an exceptional character. maybe a tragedy. I think someone should make a Mughal-e-Azam with her. I regret not having made a film with her immediately after Mr India.  I got caught in an absurd project, which finally didn't take off. I'd like to make an intense love story with Sridevi and Amitabh.

 

Below: Sridevi on the sets of Mr.India in her Charlie Chaplin avatar

Sridevi

Sridevi at a book launch. 
 

Namaste Sridevi: Sridevi in a print power suit

 Namaste Sridevi: Sridevi in a print power suit 

East or West: Sridevi was the best

East or West: Sridevi was the best 
 

Sridevi portraits by legendary photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha

Sridevi portraits by legendary photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha

More images of Sridevi in suits here.

More images of Sridevi in polka dots here. 

A Suitable Woman: Sridevi: Photographs by Gautam Rajadhyaksha: 90s in Bollywood

 A Suitable Woman: Sridevi: Photographs by Gautam Rajadhyaksha: 90s in Bollywood 

Charlie Chaplin's Birth Anniversary: The Sridevi tribute

 On this day, back in April 16, 1889, cinema icon Charlie Chaplin was born. 

Sridevi's tribute to his most famous on-screen character, The Tramp, in Mr.India is easily the best impression the actress ever did in her rich cinematic history. 

Sridevi dominated the publicity stills of the film in her various avatars in the movie. 

We have lots of pictures of Sridevi as Charlie Chaplin in the archive here. 

Quiz Time: Sridevi with... is that Janhvi Kapoor or Khushi Kapoor? Comment below.

Sridevi and her daughter shopping. 

Rare pic: Sridevi on the sets of Mr.India getting ready to Charlie Chaplin herself

Rare pic: Sridevi on the sets of Mr.India getting ready to Charlie Chaplin herself! 

A Suitable Woman: Sridevi

 

Sridevi at a book launch. 

More in the archives here.

Dec 2017.