Sridevi whipping Bollywood into shape: Whip at hand, striking Sridevi

Sridevi whipping Bollywood into shape: Whip at hand, striking Sridevi

 

East or West: Sridevi in Chaalbaaz, Sridevi in Lamhe

 

East or West? 

Sridevi in Chaalbaaz or Sridevi in Lamhe! 

Comment below on which you prefer! 

Sridevi in two of her (many) iconic roles; Chaalbaaz and Lamhe. 

For each film (where she had double roles! So really four performances!) she won the Best Actress Award from Filmfare. Long before the award show turned into a sponsored TRP rating obsessed goliath with questionable film-journalism ethics.

Woman Power: Sridevi whips Bollywood into shape

This iconic pose and still from Mr.India of Sridevi, ran in several magazines.

Below: Two major moments in the film's history; opening night and its success story in newspapers back in 1987!

Sridevi in Mr India - poster: Whipping baddies into shape

 click to enlarge

Sridevi rules! Sridevi whips the film into shape in Mr India. She was rarely a damsel in distress - Sridevi took the action into her own hands often.

Sridevi - not to be messed with! 

Whiplash: Sridevi on the sets of Mr India

Sridevi on the sets of Mr India.

Released in the summer of '87 (May 25, 1987 to be exact!), one of Indian cinema's most beloved films has been begging for a sequel for decades. But with the lethargy of its magnificent (albeit productive-as-a-snail) director Shekhar Kapur, (less than a dozen films in over 30 years!) the lack of script/script-approval by its cast has meant there has been plenty of talk (we have it in the archives - just scroll back!) but no action. Thankfully, the immensely re-watchable film lives on via DVD and now online platforms. 

Glorious, glamorous, gorgeous Sridevi reigns supreme. 

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Sridevi

Review of Chaalbaaz (1989): Sridevi overshadows all her costars

Review of Chaalbaaz (1989).

Excerpt:

"... Chaalbaaz is Sridevi's film. In the two roles of the meek Anju and the belligerent Manju, she hijacks all the attention. Sunny Deol and Rajnikant who play the romantic leads with the two Sridevis are more than adequate. But the film is Sridevi all the way. She charms with her ebullient act, and so much so that every one else is put to shade. Except in one scene where Rajnikant drinks kerosene thinking it is booze; all due to cleaning act by the meek Anju whom he mistakes for Manju. The film's plot was inspired by the Sanjeev Kumar-Hema Malni starrer Seeta aur Geeta, but Sridevi's characters ensure that it acquires an identity of its own."

Rare Pic: A fan gets a moment with Sridevi on the sets of Chaalbaaz (1989): Whipping Sridevi got everyone into shape!

Sridevi on the sets of Chaalbaaz with a fan. Wow, we forget how slim and trim, tall and stunning Sridevi is in person!

From an iconic scene in the film - when Sridevi whips everyone - literally - into shape! 

Chaalbaaz (1989)

Sridevi's always essayed roles of empowered women, from the faulty whip carrying diva in Himmatwala, to the gun-totting Sherni, to Manju, the take-no-nonsense spitfire in Chaalbaaz. Sridevi didn't like to play the victim, the courtesan, the other woman, a woman of the night... there were certain self-imposed boundaries that she didn't cross - for myriad reasons. 

No one puts Sri baby on the side.

Whiplash: Sridevi cracked the whip in Bollywood and got it female friendly early on!

Sridevi in Chaalbaaz

Sridevi in Himmatwala

Sridevi in Mr India

Be it her role in Himmatwala (1983), Mr India (1986) or her award winning performance in Chaalbaaz (1989), Sridevi rarely played damsel in distress. The Iron Lady of the '80s, Sridevi was no shrinking violet. With a whip in hand and attitude to boot (and sometimes in leather boots), Sridevi often kicked ass and essayed empowered women.

Not only on screen but off too, Sridevi wasn't one to mess with. The first to command high salaries, (Bollywood actors aka the 'heroes' make quadruple sized paychecks), equal billing, footage and celebrity perks, Sridevi grabbed the accouterments of super-stardom along the way with sari-clad ease.

Perhaps its the defiant persona she had onscreen that ensured that her wishes were fulfilled even off-screen. Whatever the case may be, reflecting on the middling '80s, the nadir of Hindi cinema with sporadic bursts of genius, there's no doubt Sridevi ruled. A bigger star than the films she's starred in, she's the best of the best. 

Sridevi in Chaalbaaz (1989)