Sridevi on the sets of Nagina

Sridevi on the sets of Nagina

Sridevi and Rishi Kapoor in the posters of the blockbuster film! 

Venkatesh with Sridevi: Just one superhit film together!

 

While moviegoers often assumed the duo had a long history on screen, Venkatesh and the legendary Sridevi appeared together in just one film! That sole collaboration yielded a landmark of 1990s cinema: Ram Gopal Varma’s 1991 neo-noir-comedy road thriller Kshana Kshanam. 

Playing Chandu, an endearing pickpocket thrust into an adventure alongside Sridevi’s naive Satya, Venkatesh created an effortless comic and romantic dynamic on screen. The movie was a massive commercial hit and earned a enduring cult following, making it their undisputed biggest success together. 

Despite Sridevi having established her stardom years earlier after starting out as a child prodigy, Venkatesh was actually the older of the two. With Sridevi born three years after Venky, the profound respect Venkatesh held for his co-star became evident following her sudden demise in February 2018. 

Paying tribute to her artistry and character, Venkatesh shared: "As her co-star in Kshana Kshanam, every expression of hers still remains etched in my mind. Although she achieved fame and popularity at a very young age, she always remained humble and graceful. Her exemplary career is an inspiration for every newcomer wanting to be a part of the industry." 

Though limited to a single feature, their brief pairing remains one of the most vibrant and remembered chapters in Telugu film history.

Have seen the movie several times and Sridevi simply dazzles in the movie. 

The Chandni audio triptych that unfolded

 The joy of getting the HMV audio of Chandni, unfolding the stills from the movie... 

Sridevi

 

Sridevi in Chandni

The feathers, the colours, the wig, the makeup: Sridevi in Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja

Let's be clear, this is a costume - this is not how Sridevi dressed in her off-time. One of the many, manyyyyy elaborate costumes and looks Sridevi wore in the grandiose Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja. An ignoble fiasco of a film... 

Many parts of the film I loved - and unsurprisingly, all those featured Sridevi. 

This is one of her dancer costumes in a pivotal scene at the end of the title song when her character steals a diamond necklace off Bindu! She's gloriously funny in it. 

Sridevi's chiffon saris from Chandni (1989)

The prevailing memory of Sridevi in Chandni would be her innumerable outfits and ensembles in white... But for a brief moment, Sridevi appears in this chiffon sari looking effortlessly elegant and immeasurably beautiful during a song sequence. 

Yash Chopra's musical made a seismic shift in the way Bollywood movies were being made at the time. Worth watching, and re-watching again. And again. 

The gorgeous rom com and musical, Chandni (1989). 

Lamhe stills

 

Sridevi, Anil Kapoor and Anupam Kher... in Lamhe

Chandni's mellow yellow saris: Not just white for Sridevi

Of the 63 or so ensembles, saris, salwars and wowsa wardrobe looks Sridevi sported in and as Chandni, most people remember her predominantly in white in the film - as this luminescent Goddess on the big screen. This was back in 1989 and Indian fashion at its peak. Sridevi worked every look, colour and style in the movie. Some of our other fan favourite looks were more of this sun-kissed yellow. 

Fact of the matter is, Sridevi looked good in every colour. 

Chaand kaa Tukdaa: Publicity stills

The publicity stills for the ill-fated Chaand Kaa Tukdaa... 

Imagine our surprise to learn this awful film broke even - power of Salman Khan and Sridevi, individually and joint! 

Chandni (1989): Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi in Switzerland

Sridevi's iconic title-role and film, Chandni. She and Rishi Kapoor sparkled in the film. Flawless performances by both.

Released on 28 November 1986. 

Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi in Chandni

Everything you wanted to know about the film and a collection of pics from this flawless movie here.

Sridevi in Chandni

Sridevi

Click to enlarge

Sridevi in Nazrana

Throwback to 1987, Sridevi on the sets of Nazrana

Sridevi in Devatha:

Released on 4 September 1982, Telugu film Devatha (Goddess) was directed by K. Raghavendra Rao, starring Sobhan Babu, Sridevi, Jaya Prada and Mohan Babu. The film was seen across the Hindi belt with Jeetendra as Tohfa, a frame-by-frame remake that ended up being the biggest hit of 1984!  

The film was produced by D. Rama Naidu and was key in establishing the formulaic business model of quick Madras movie remakes. 

The story of two sisters and their love triangle with a man, of sacrifice and loyalty, with chart topping numbers is easy viewing. K. Raghavendra Rao remade the film in Hindi as Tohfa (1984), with both Sridevi and Jaya Prada reprising their roles. It was also remade in Tamil as Deiva Piravi (1985) with a different cast. .

Sridevi was just 19 when she shot the film - and so staggeringly beautiful. 

 

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. 

The Stylist Edit: The Yellow Sari, Pearl Necklace combo

Leaning heavily on the phrase, "If it ain't broke... " Sridevi repeats a look, if not the sari per se. Sridevi in a signature monochrome sari, this time its yellow chiffon with pearl accessories. Pretty, so pretty! 

 

Sridevi in Nigahein: The First Superheroine

Sridevi’s iconic performance in Nagina, often remembered alongside its 1989 sequel Nigahen, firmly established her as Bollywood’s premier modern day superheroine. She effortlessly channeled supernatural shapeshifting - reminiscent of Mystique from the X-Men - combining extraordinary sight, uncanny speed, and an aura commanding enough to stop a crowd of men in their tracks. On and off the screen, she carried an undeniable, larger-than-life presence. 

Released shortly before Chandni (1989), Nigahein (1989) captured Sridevi at the absolute zenith of her physical charm and dramatic prowess. While Fearless Nadia - an Australian-born actress who famously starred in Hunterwali (1935) - pioneered the action-heroine archetype in early Indian cinema, her legacy remains obscure to most modern audiences. By contrast, Sridevi brought the female-led fantasy genre into mainstream pop culture.

Although Nigahein initially received tepid reviews from critics, audiences embraced it immediately. Made on a modest budget, the film recovered its costs within days and went on to become profitable, if not a blockbuster like its predecessor Nagina. 

Above: All images have been AI modified and enhanced

Sridevi and Anil Kapoor in Lamhe

Lamhe

The first piano prelude to Kabhi main kahun just transports us back to the early 90s... Magical Lamhe. A forever favourite of the NRI diaspora. 
 

Behind the scenes of Lamhe 

Salman Khan with Sridevi

When they first shot in a film together, Salman Khan was 26 and Sridevi was 28 - but the press and "the haters" had a field day trolling on the age gap between the two stars. 

TBH they looked fine together, great in fact, despite Sridevi often towering over him (be it in height, dancing or acting...)... Note the consistent use of her flats in several scenes in the movies - in fact she's barefoot in several moments! 

All their films together were substandard. Expensive flops mishandled by either incapable directors, or wayward scripts, shoddy editing... its a barrage of faults. 

Just look at the stills and some of the songs online. The movies are all skippable. 

 

Joy: Sridevi in Lamhe: The Happiest She's Ever been on Set. Until....

Sridevi was just 27 when she shot Lamhe - one of her finest hours on film in a career defining double role and performance that garnered her one of her many awards. 

These rare glimpses of Sridevi as Pooja shows the actress just bubbling with joy. Sridevi famously told Yash Chopra during the making of the movie in London, it is the happiest she's ever been in her life... until tragedy stuck when suddenly, her father passed away. 

In documented interviews (most notably a famous conversation with Karan Johar), Yash Chopra spoke extensively about a profound personal tragedy that struck Sridevi precisely while they were shooting Lamhe in London.

When the film's London schedule was nearly 90% complete, Sridevi’s mother called Yash Chopra to inform him that Sridevi's father had suddenly passed away. Chopra recounted the emotional weight of that moment:

"I couldn’t tell her [the news of his death]. I told her he's very serious. You have to take the flight."

Sridevi flew back to India and discovered the truth, remaining there for 16 days to complete the mandatory funeral and mourning rituals.

Her Acclaimed Professionalism

What Yash Chopra marvels at in his quotes - and what is frequently cited as a defining moment in her career- is what happened on her very first day back on set (the 17th day). Due to scheduling constraints and a co-star waiting to leave, the very first scene Sridevi had to shoot upon her return from mourning her father was a highly energetic comedy sequence (the iconic mud pack scene with Waheeda Rehman).

Chopra recalled:

"The next morning when she got up, I told her, 'Sri, there is a problem... This scene is a comedy scene'. She said, 'no problem, acting is acting'... At that time, I thought she is so professional. Such a wonderful artist. At that moment, she forgot everything. She did a wonderful scene. I understood then that is reason, the secret for her success."

Sridevi in Bollywood: 1984