Sridevi - The child woman

By: Smitha Nambiar
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Childlike, spontaneous, comic, sensuous, beautiful...these adjectives aren't enough to describe a lady who has reigned Bollywood for ten long years. Sridevi was one of the most adored and popular actresses of her times in both Hindi and South Indian films and still is. Nobody in the Indian film industry till date could depict all emotions - humour, sorrow and happiness with so much conviction.

Born in Chennai on August 13, 1963, Sridevi began her acting career at the age of four in a Telugu film as Lord Murugan. Several films followed while she was still in school. She gave up studies in standard seven to get into acting full time. At eleven, she played heroine for the first time. While in the seventh standard, she was asked to do a romantic scene for a film. In Julie (1975), she was seen as the short skirted kid sister of Lakshmi.

As she grew up, Sridevi became the top actress in the South. It was with Solva Sawan (1979) that she entered Bollywood, to remain an inseparable part of the Hindi film industry. Though the film bombed at the box-office, Sridevi was noticed. Then came Himmatwala (1983) opposite Jitendra, which was greatly appreciated. The team became a 'hot' favourite and they worked together in many films like Tohfa (1984), Nagina, Laadle; all of which were super-duper hits. Post her films with Jeetendra, Sri even earned the label of a sex symbol and was nicknamed 'Thunder Thighs'!

Sri Devi has acted with almost all the leading actors of her times. The film titled Khuda Gawah in the year 1992 opposite Amitabh Bachchan was one of her best films, the songs of which are remembered till date. Sridevi has also worked with Rishi Kapoor and Mithun Chakraborty. In fact, there was also a rumour that she was having an affair with Mithun! Among the younger generation, she starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Army (1996) amongst others.

A sojourn through 200 films in several languages between l967 and 2000, innumerable awards and the dexterity to handle a variety of roles, she has managed to survive all odds. Some of the awards that needs a mention here is the 'Nargis Dutt Award'. She along with her husband Boney Kapoor also received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 33rd anniversary function of Vamsi Cine Arts held in Hyderabad.

A child woman in Sadma (1983), a strong-headed middle class girl in Chandni (1989), a journalist in Mr. India (1987), a double role in Chaalbaaz (1989), a determined 18-year-old in Lamhe (1991), a greedy housewife in Judaai (1997), Sridevi possess the knack to breathe life into her roles. Its said that the actress has a unique ability to speak like a child for hours together without getting on to your nerves!

Sridevi led a very protected life and was especially very close to her mother. When she died, she felt very lonely and found solace in the arms of Boney Kapoor, who was then already married to Mona. During the same time, Sridevi's career had also begun a downslide as Madhuri Dixit had by then taken over Bollywood by storm. After months of mud slings, Boney and Sridevi got married and now are blessed with two daughters - Jhanvi and Khushi.

Today, Sridevi has taken a break from cinema and can be seen in Sahara Manoranjan's soap opera titled 'Malini Iyer'. Acting comes naturally to this beauty queen. After all she has been doing this since she was a child. Perhaps, for the same reason, we could hope to see more of this child - woman in future.

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