Sridevi rockin' 1980s Fashion

Rock the Turban. Sridevi. Late 1980s shoot - Stardust cover shoot outtake.

Gurudev: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor with actor turned director Vinod Mehra

Gurudev: Sridevi, Anil Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor with actor turned director Vinod Mehra. 1993's big release. 

Sridevi: The pink fashion turban series

 

Khuda Gawah publicity stills: Sridevi, Nagarjuna, Amitabh Bachchan

 

As Amitabh Bachchan had issued a media ban, not giving interviews or being part of press conferences or publicity shenanigans was the norm for most of the 1980s and early 1990s. In retaliation of sorts, it was such a huge media trend to shrink the box-office numbers to even his wildly successful movies. Hum was a huge hit, so was Khuda Gawah - the numbers don't lie. Certain editors however... 

A bizarre upmanship between the press and a reigning superstar - when AB Snr started talking to the press, so many of his quotes appear defensive. 

Take the post release interviews of Khuda Gawah - a massive film, a large-scale grand epic. Not without its flaws of course, but it had a great run. Sridevi rarely spoke to the press as it is - so Bachchan Snr spoke about the collections, how well a film was or wasn't doing. Ever articulate, ever aware, he relayed facts and figures. All those editors and magazines that criticised him, are nowhere today. Bachchan is Bachchan. Still guilding the way with his own everlasting light. 

Amitabh Bachchan, Sridevi, Aamir Khan, Juhi Chawla on the cover of Stardust: RIP Stardust

 

Glamorous, gorgeous cover girl: Sridevi: TBT to 1989

Sridevi on the cover of MOVIE magazine back in Sept 1989 - and an outtake of that cover shoot -- film magazine exclusives were yet to be entrenched -- in the Hindi tabloid Kingstar! Sad that both magazines no longer exist as print media in India, particularly film journalism in magazine forma, circles the drain. 

Neeta Lulla styed these shoots and the images were taken by ace celebrity photographer Rakesh Shreshta. 

Remembering Legendary Actress Sridevi

 

Sridevi with Amitabh Bachchan in Dec 1988!!

The timeline of Khuda Gawah is so fascinating. If the image of Sridevi and Amitabh Bachchan in their costumes for Khuda Gawah was published in MOVIE magazine back in December 1988, then the discussion about the film started long before.  The film finally released four years later - May of 1992! 

Film producer Manoj Desai recollects, "We shot in Afghanistan during a war. Najibullah, a friend of the late Rajiv Gandhi, gave us an entire Lashkar for protection. Even our cameraman, WB Rao, would place his camera in a tent to shoot. 

 All the artists’ families, Amitji, Sridevi, and Danny Dengzongpa, were worried. I remember Teji Bachchanji told me that if anything happened to her son, I shouldn’t come back, I should die as well. Sridevi herself reminded me she had to take care of her mother, so she had better be brought back safely. Those were tense times.” 

-- Caption courtesy News 9 

The Turban Explorer: Sridevi's look test for Khuda Gawah in the early 1990s in Mumbai

The Turban Explorer: Sridevi's look test for Khuda Gawah in the early 1990s in Mumbai 

Rare poster: Sanjay Dutt, Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi in Khuda Gawah!

One of the rarest pics found online, the first look of Khuda Gawah that went to print; Amitabh Bachchan with Sridevi and Sanjay Dutt - who left the film (or was dropped--depends on which media you believe in!) and was replaced by Nagarjuna. 

Films go through seismic casting changes often (Farah Khan was supposed to be in the movie too, Ajay Devgan was considered!), but after a scene was shot and with publicity stills that were published, it is rare for casting to go through a complete overhaul. But it did! 

Amitabh Bachchan with Sridevi on the sets of Khuda Gawah:

Released on 8 May 1992, Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi as the overdressed bride and groom in the 90s epic, Khuda Gawah. 

This Hindi movie was truly grand, epic... meant to be seen on the BIG, BIG SCREEN! 

 

The Sridevi centrefold: 80s fashion and the white prom dress

A look from a song in Naaka Bandi; the Sridevi centrefold in Hindi tabloid in the late 80s. The film released in 1990 but was in production for long. This image was published around Dec 1988 in Star & Style for example. 

The white turban, the glossy makeup, the white prom dress - ah 80s fashion tho'! 

Sridevi

An outtake from a cover shoot of MOVIE magazine, Sept 1989 edition. 

Sridevi, 26, styled by Neeta Lulla, photographed by her fav Rakesh Shreshta.

BTW the eyes have been enhanced digitally by... someone. The original image is so much better and in our archive here. 
 

 

Sridevi's glamorous look in Naaka Bandi

 

Sridevi's glamorous look in Naaka Bandi 

Sridevi's publicity still for Khuda Gawah

Sridevi's publicity still for Khuda Gawah 
 

Sridevi in Chaalbaaz (1989)

Sridevi in Chaalbaaz (1989)
 

Celebrating 32 Years of Khuda Gawah: Sridevi and Amitabh Bachchan's EPIC Blockbuster

Released on 8 May 1992, there was no bigger film than Khuda Gawah in matters of scale, star-cast, music... everything about it was so mega wattage! 

We have over 70 galleries and features regarding the film in the archive here. 

Eid al-Fitr 2024

 

To all Sridevi fans, happy Eid al-Fitr. 

Stills of Sridevi from Afghanistan while she did the epic Hindi film Khuda Gawah.

Sridevi's 80s glam

Sridevi's 80s glam! 

Photography by Rakesh Shreshta

Styling by Neeta Lulla. 

 

TBT: Launch of Khuda Gawah with the biggest stars of Bollywood

TBT: Launch of Khuda Gawah with the biggest stars of Bollywood, the biggest film producers, direct, banner... It was everything grand and epic and big-screen worthy...