Sridevi’s demise marks an an end to a celebrated era of woman talent and perseverance.
One of those mercurial and prodigious actors who was able to transcend boundaries successfully and with so much grace, Sridevi used her strong foundation from Tamil films to foray in to Hindi cinema and was able to hone her way through with panache.
The transition was hard work, transformation was stunning. From the next-door-girl image down South, Sridevi became the undisputed queen of Bollywood.
And, fearlessly, she never looked back.
My ‘Sridevi’ moments are many, but I will review few performances that totally, completely defined the legend of ‘Sridevi’ and which will tell us in abundance, the reason for bestowing the tag of ‘First Woman Superstar’ over this leading lady.
Sridevi Ma’am, you were born for Cinema. You will be missed.
Varumayin Niram Sigappu
A KB film, she was cast along with a young and talented Kamal Haasan. Despite big names along side her, she holds her own in a sublime and hard hitting script. Early glimpses of an emerging star.
16 Vayadhinile
Another memorable classic from Bharathiraja, a very young Sridevi is pitted against Kamal Haasan and Rajnikanth (a rank newcomer then). Set in the rural backdrop with simplicity being the biggest whistle blower, Sridevi has her own space as a shy, resplendent and brave girl who manages to survive in a male dominated society.
Moonram Pirai/Sadma
Sridevi’s powerhouse performance as a girl suffering from retrograde amnesia who fights off a battle that remains one of it’s kind in Indian Cinema. She matched Kamal Haasan in every frame, and remains one of her finest in this Balu Mahendra classic.
Chaalbaaz
1 wasn’t enthralling enough, we had 2. Sridevi’s knock out performance in this entertainer was a testimony to her comic skills. In the presence of heavyweights like Sunny Deol and Rajnikanth, she held her own in a roller coaster role that elevated her to a commercial status.
Mr. India
We remember this classic for ‘Mogambo’ but Sridevi was the other icon of this film despite Anil Kapoor being the lead. Her stupendous energy and those sensual moves in ‘Rate Nahin Katthe’ are some brilliant Sridevi moments in this classic. A superstar is here to stay.
Chandni
Who can forget Sridevi in the white silk chiffon, laden by snow mountains in the Alps?
‘King of Romance’ meets ‘Queen of Hearts’. Sridevi became the quintessential goddess of Yash Chopra and ‘Chandni’ established her as the numero uno in the industry.
Lamhe
A film much ahead of its time, this Yash Chopra classic was another feather in Sridevi’s hat. A dual role, Sridevi was top notch as mother and daughter. Again, in the presence of a formidable Anil Kapoor, Lamhe was a Sridevi film.
@Lifeoholic 