Sridevi: Everything you need to know

sridevi dead After working for a few years as a child actor, Sridevi made her debut as a female lead when she was 13 in the film Moondru Mudichu.

Sridevi, 54, was one of the strongest pillars of Hindi cinema. Born in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu as Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan, she became a performer when she was only 4 years of age. Sridevi made her debut in the movies as a child artist in M.A. Thirumugham’s film Thunaivan and there on, faced the camera several times for various Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada films. She even appeared as a child artist in 1975’s Hindi film Julie.

After working for a few years as a child actor, Sridevi made her debut as a grown up when she was 13 in the film Moondru Mudichu. In this 1976 film, she worked alongside Rajinikanth and played his step mother. Following this role, Sridevi acted in films like 16 Vayathinile (1977), Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Varumayin Niram Sivappu (1980), Moondram Pirai (1982) and thus gained a prominent spot in Tamil and Telugu films.

In the meanwhile, with Solva Sawan (1978), Sridevi made her debut in Hindi films. She continued to work in the south after her Hindi film debut as well. After Moondram Pirai was remade in Hindi as Sadma, Sridevi was re-introduced to Hindi cinema. Through the 80s, she did many films in Bollywood and cemented her position as the top actress of the time. Himmatwala (1983), Tohfa (1984), Nagina (1986), Aulad (1987), Mr India (1987) among many others established Sridevi as the top icon of the time.

Her choice of characters in films was varied and this gave the audience a chance to see her in all avatars.

With films like Chandni (1989), Chaalbaaz (1989), Lamhe (1991), Khuda Gawah (1992), Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993) among many others Sridevi continued to retain her number one spot. Her skills as a performer were highly appreciated. Be it a serious role of a mother or a playful role of a street smart girl, Sridevi was acing at everything. Not just acting, Sridevi was well known for her dancing skills as well. A poised dancer, Sridevi’s dance numbers were enough to pull the audience into a theater.

sridevi death

After the release of her 1997 film Judaai, Sridevi took a break from Hindi films. She planned to make a comeback with 2002’s Shakti but it was at this time that she got pregnant with her second child. The role was physically exhausting and hence Sridevi chose to step back. She eventually made a comeback with Gauri Shinde’s English Vinglish. The two had been hinting at announcing another film together but sadly, that day will never come now.

Sridevi was next seen in 2017’s Mom where she played a mother who wants to avenge her daughter’s rapists. Her performance was applauded and the audience wished they could see more films by this noted actor. Her last film appearance will be in Aanand L Rai’s Zero where she has done a cameo with Shah Rukh Khan.

Movies

Over the years, Sridevi has given some noted performances. Here are 10 of her best roles:

1. Mom (2017)

Playing Devki Sabarwal, Sridevi played the role of a mother who could go to any extent to avenge her daughter. She plays a vigilante out to extract revenge from the men who raped her teenage daughter.

Sridevi mom

Sridevi was fierce in the film and her performance as the woman who has the ability to take on the world to get justice for her daughter was quite powerful.

2. English Vinglish (2012)

English Vinglish

This was Sridevi’s comeback film after a long gap of 15 years. Her performance as the homemaker who is also an entrepreneur was just so powerful that it moved many to tears. The scenes where her character is made to feel inadequate for not knowing English or the scene where she confidently delivers a speech at her niece’s wedding were emotional and captivating.

3. Laadla (1994)

Laadla

Sridevi stepped in this film after actor Divya Bharti tragically passed away. With her signature dialogue, “Understand? You better understand,” Sridevi was her fiery best against Anil Kapoor in this film. Playing a successful businesswoman who does not subscribe to social stereotypes, Sridevi’s character starts off as a woman who does not listen to reason but eventually starts seeing things from different points of view.

4. Lamhe (1991)

lamhe

This underrated classic had Sridevi playing two roles. In the beginning, she plays Pallavi, an already engaged woman who enchants you with her graceful performance on songs like “Morni Baga Mein”, and later, she plays Pooja, the orphan daughter. With Pooja, Sridevi delivered one of the best performances of her career. The girl who is mindlessly in love with a man twice her age and yet is completely fearless when it comes to confessing her feelings, Sridevi put her heart out on the screen here.

5. Kshana Kshanam (1991)

Kshana Kshanam

This 1991 film directed by Ram Gopal Varma had Sridevi working with Venkatesh. Kshana Kshanam was a road movie that fetched Sridevi a Filmfare Award (South) for Best Actress (Telugu). RGV later remade this film in Hindi as Daud.

6. Chandni (1989)

Sridevi

This classic by Yash Chopra is still remembered for songs like “Mere Haathon Mein” and for the way it celebrated the beauty of Sridevi. An actor of such great calibre, Sridevi played the titular role with such perfection that the mere mention of her name reminds one of her deep, expressive eyes that simple hold the audience’s gaze.