LEGENDARY ACTRESS SRIDEVI
Sridevi Boney Kapoor (born Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan; 13 August 1963 – 24 February 2018) was an Indian actress and film producer who starred in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada films. Regarded as Indian cinema's first "female superstar", she was the recipient of five Filmfare Awards. Sridevi ranked amongst the highest-paid actors in the 1980s and 1990s and is considered to be the most popular actress of the era.
Sridevi started her acting career with M. A. Thirumugam’s 1969 devotional Tamil film Thunaivan at the age of 4, and continued to act as a child artist in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films. She made played her first adult role at age 13 with the Tamil film Moondru Mudichu (1976). Sridevi established herself as one of the leading actresses of Tamil and Telugu cinema, with leading roles in 16 Vayathinile (1977), Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Varumayin Niram Sivappu (1980), Meendum Kokila (1981), Premabhishekam (1981), Moondram Pirai (1982), Aakhari Poratam (1988), Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari (1990) and Kshana Kshanam (1991).
Sridevi's first starring role in Hindi cinema came with the 1979 drama film Solva Sawan, and gained wide attention with the 1983 production Himmatwala. She went on appear in a series of commercially successful films, including Mawaali (1983), Tohfa (1984), Naya Kadam (1984), Maqsad (1984), Masterji (1985), Nazrana (1987), Mr. India (1987), Waqt Ki Awaz (1988) and Chandni (1989). She also received praise for such films as Sadma (1983), Nagina (1986), ChaalBaaz (1989), Lamhe (1991), Khuda Gawah (1992), Gumrah (1993), Laadla (1994) and Judaai (1997). Following the role of the titular protagonist in the television sitcom Malini Iyer (2004–2005), Sridevi returned to film acting in 2012 with the successful comedy-drama English Vinglish. She then starred in her 300th film role in the 2017 thriller Mom. She earned critical acclaim for her performances in both films.
In 2013, the Government of India awarded Sridevi the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian accolade for her contributions to the entertainment industry. Honourary awards were also conferred on her by the state governments of Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Sridevi was also voted 'India's Greatest Actress in 100 Years' in a CNN-IBN national poll conducted in 2013 on the occasion of the centenary of Indian cinema. She was married to the film producer Boney Kapoor, with whom she had two children. Sridevi died on 24 February 2018 in Dubai.
Family and personal life
Sridevi with her husband, Boney Kapoor, in 2012
Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan was born in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, India[5][5] on 13 August 1963 to Tamil father Ayyapan and Telugu mother Rajeswari.[6][7][8][9][10] Sridevi's mother was from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.[5]Her father was a lawyer. She has a sister and two stepbrothers.[11][12]Sridevi was always accompanied by her mother Rajeshwari or by her sister Srilatha to the film sets during shooting of her films between 1972 till 1993.[13]After Srilata's marriage, she was not accompanied by her sister to films sets. Sanjay Ramaswamy is married to her sister Srilatha since 1989.[14]
Her father died in 1991, while she was shooting for Lamhe.[15]Her mother died in 1996, as a result of the complications suffered from a misoperation that she underwent in 1995 on a brain tumor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The neurosurgeon operated her on the wrong side of the brain destroying her vital tissues of vision and recent memory. This was widely reported in US media at that time which then led to a successful court battle and prompted then President Bill Clinton’s proposal of a program for hospitals to disclose their medical malpractice and errors[16][17][18] Film producer Boney Kapoor stood beside her as a social support (both emotional and advisable) during her mother’s loss and married her in the same year. The couple have two daughters, Jhanvi and Khushi.
Sridevi maintained her health by doing yoga and eating Vegetarian diet.
1983–1997: Bollywood debut and further success
Sridevi made her debut as a heroine in Hindi films in Solva Sawan in 1979.[25] Four years later she was signed to star opposite Jeetendra in Himmatwala. The film released in 1983 and became one of the biggest blockbusters of the year.[26][27] It established Sridevi in Bollywood and earned her the famous sobriquet 'Thunder Thighs'.[28]
Her dance number "Nainon Mein Sapna" became a rage with Rediff stating that "the water pots may have dominated most frames in "Nainon mein sapna", but it was Sridevi's bejewelled outfits and headgears that stole the show".[29] The following year Tohfa released and turned out to be the biggest hit of 1984.[30]
The film established Sridevi as one of the leading actress of Bollywood.[31] with Filmfare magazine declaring her "Unquestionably No.1" on their cover.[32]
The pair of Jeetendra-Sridevi did 16 films together of which Himmatwala (1983), Jaani Dost (1983), Justice Chaudhry (1983), Mawaali(1983), Akalmand (1984), Tohfa (1984), Balidaan (1985), Aulad (1987), Suhagan (1986), Ghar Sansar (1986), Dharm Adhikari (1986),Sone Pe Suhaaga (1988) were successful and Aag Aur Shola (1986), Himmat Aur Mehanat (1987), Sarfarosh (1985) were flops[33][34]
Sadma released in 1983, brought Sridevi critical acclaim.[35] A remake of her Tamil film Moondram Pirai, Sadma is included in iDiva's list of '10 Must Watch Movies That Weren't Blockbusters'.[36]
She also acted with A. Nageswara Rao's son Nagarjuna - like Aakhari Porattam, Govinda Govinda and Khudah Gawah. She has played heroine to both Dharmendra and his son Sunny Deol.
Sridevi's performance as a child-woman suffering from amnesia was called by Indian Express "a milestone in her illustrious career".[37] Sridevi also featured in the Mid Day list of 'Challenging Roles played by Bollywood Actors' describing her act in the film as "her best performance ever".[38] In 2012, Adil Hussain, Sridevi's co-star in English Vinglish and Puli (2015 film) revealed that he became a fan of the actress after watching her in Sadma.[39] The Sridevi-Kamal Hasan pair also appeared on the CNN-IBN 2012 list of 'Greatest Romantic Couples on Celluloid'.[40] The film won Sridevi her first Filmfare nomination for Best Actress.
Sridevi had successful pairing with Rajesh Khanna in films such as Naya Kadam (1984), Maqsad (1984), Masterji (1985) and Nazrana (1987).
In 1986, came the snake fantasy Nagina which saw Sridevi play an 'ichhadhaari naagin' or a shape-shifting woman. The film turned out to be the second biggest blockbuster of the year,[41][42] with Box Office India stating that Sridevi remained "the undisputed No.1".[31] It was also named one of the best snake fantasy films by Yahoo.[43]
Times of India ranked Nagina as one of the 'Top 10 Snake Films of Hindi Cinema'.[44] Sridevi's climax dance number 'Main Teri Dushman' also remains one of the best snake dances in Bollywood[45] with Desi Hits calling it "one of Sridevi's most iconic dance numbers...that still gives fans goose bumps"[46] and iDiva describing it as "the stuff of movie legends".[47] Besides Nagina, 1986 also saw Sridevi giving box-office hits in Subhash Ghai's multi-starrer Karma and Feroze Khan's Janbaaz. According to CNN-IBN Bollywood Blockbusters, "Sridevi's popularity grew so much that despite having a guest appearance in Janbaaz, she completely overshadowed the film's lead heroine Dimple Kapadia".[48]
Sridevi followed the success of Nagina by playing a goofy crime journalist in the 1987 film Mr. India, described by Rediff as "one of the most iconic films of its time".[49] Directed by Shekhar Kapur, it became one of the highest grossing hits of the year[50] and also found a place in Hindustan Times' list of 'Top 10 Patriotic Films of Hindi Cinema'.[51] While the trade famously joked that the film should have been named Miss India,[52] Rediff also stated that "Sri was a complete show-stealer in the film".[49] Sridevi's imitation of Charlie Chaplin in the film was described by the Times of India as "the most hilarious act she has ever done".[53] Rediff also featured Sridevi in its list of 'Super Six Comic Heroines' stating that "her mobile face expressions could give Jim Carrey sleepless nights" and that "her biggest plus point is her ability to be completely uninhibited in front of the camera".[54]
The dance number 'Hawa Hawai', cited by Times of India as "one of the unforgettable numbers of Sridevi",[55] also became a popular nickname for the actress.[56][57] Besides comedy, Sridevi gave Hindi Cinema one of its sexiest rain songs[58] in the film's chart-buster 'Kaate nahin kat te', where Filmfare described Sridevi as "truly a goddess in a blue sari".[59][60] while iDiva described the song as "unparalleled in Hindi Cinema".[61] Rediff also featured the song in its list of 'Top 25 Sari Moments' praising Sridevi's "ability to look erotic even when she's covered from head to toe".[62] The song "Kaate Nahi Kat Te" was chosen by NDTV as the most famous rain song in Bollywood.[63] Box Office India states that with the success of Mr. India, Sridevi "continued her domination" over her contemporaries Jaya Prada and Meenakshi Sheshadri.[31]
In 1989 came Chaalbaaz, which had Sridevi in a double role, playing twin sisters separated at birth. Filmfare ranked her performance fourth in its list of '80 Iconic Performances of Hindi Cinema', stating that "Sridevi´s penchant for giggles and her ability to look distinctly tearful when required polishes these performances to perfection. Hell, she made Sunny Deol and Rajnikant look like sidekicks in the film".[64] Whereas the Times of India article 'Bollywood's Hit Double Roles' gushed "Sridevi's performance rocked the box office".[65] Rediff featured the film in its countdown of '25 Best Double Roles in Bollywood' saying "What you don't realise until you have seen Chaalbaaz is just how incredible Sridevi is at depicting both ends of the spectrum"[66] and that the film "cemented her position as an actress with a killer comic timing".[49]
Speaking to Indian Express about Sridevi's act in Chaalbaaz, the director Pankaj Parashar said "She proved her range with the movie and after that she got lots of offers which saw her in a double role".[67] Her slapstick rain dance 'Na jaane kahan se aayi hai' became a big hit with Times of India describing it as a "Sridevi classic where she simply looked wow with her chirpy expressions and rain drops kissing her cheeks".[68] This twin-sister act won Sridevi her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress in Hindi films, while the song received the Filmfare Award for Best Choreography.
The same year also saw the release of the Yash Chopra romantic saga Chandni, with Sridevi playing the title role. According to iDiva, the film was "more an event and less a movie".[47] Chandni emerged as one of the biggest blockbusters of 1989[69] with The Hindu stating that "the film opened to full houses and distributors had to drastically increase the number of theatres".[70] Cited by Times of India as "one of the most watched films of Indian Cinema",[71] the film also reaffirmed Sridevi’s position as the top female star of the 1980s.[72][73]
While Sridevi topped the Hindustan Times' list of Yash Chopra's 'Top 5 Heroines',[74] CNN-IBN also ranked her no.1 on its list of 'Yash Chopra's 10 Most Sensuous Heroines' saying "Yash Chopra immortalised Sridevi as the perfect Chandni".[75] The title role became one of the most famous characters of Hindi Cinema with India Today including it in its list of 'Yash Chopra's Iconic Characters'[76] while NDTV featured it in its list of 'Yash Chopra's Greatest Creations' stating that the film established Sridevi "as the nation's sweetheart".[47] [77][78] The Tribune wrote: "Leena Daru scored a winner again when she created the 'Chandni Look' for Sridevi. Every street corner sold the salwar-kameez and dupatta that gave the heroine a refreshingly understated look, rarely seen on the Indian screen",[79] while Mid Day reported that the "simple white churidar and kurta with the leheriya dupatta gave Sridevi an angelic image and caused Chandni Chowk stores to hit the jackpot with thousands of copies".[80]
The music of Chandni became a Platinum Success[47] with Sridevi's famous dance number 'Mere Hathon Mein Nau Nau Choodiyan' finding a place in the Rediff chart of 'Bollywood's Top 25 Wedding Songs.'[81] The actress also lent her voice to the film's popular title-track 'Chandni O Meri Chandni',[82] which featured among the 'Top 5 Songs' of Yash Chopra by Hindustan Times.[74] Chandni won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment while Sridevi garnered Filmfare Best Actress nominations for both Chandni and Chaalbaaz in 1989, winning with the latter.
Sridevi (right) with her arch-rival of the 1990s, Madhuri Dixit
Yash Chopra again cast Sridevi in his 1991 film Lamhe. Times of India included it in its list of 'Top 10 Films of Yash Chopra' describing it as a tale of "love transcending the boundaries of time and space"[83] while Rediff called it "Quite easily one of his most definitive films, Chopra surpassed his own findings of romance with the insightful, lovely Lamhe".[84] Sridevi played both mother and daughter roles in what iDiva described as "another double role, but it was unlike any played before".[47] Hailed by Rediff as "one of the most remarkable films of her career...often considered a film way ahead of its time",[49] Her performance brought her much acclaim with BizAsia stating that "Her rendition of both Pallavi and Pooja serves well in highlighting how versatile she is as an actress, playing contrasting characters in the same movie".[85][86] Sridevi's folk dance number 'Morni Baga ma' also became a rage and was placed among the 'Top 5 Songs' of Yash Chopra by Hindustan Times.[74] Lamhe failed commercially but received high critical praise and has over the years become a cult classic.[36][87] Talking about the film, critic Rachel Dwyer wrote in her biography of the film-maker "Yash Chopra's own favourite film, Lamhe ('Moments', 1991), divided the audience on a class basis: it was hugely popular with metropolitan elites and the overseas market, which allowed it to break even, but it had a poor box office response (largely lower class, especially the repeat audience) because of its supposed incest theme".[88] The Hindu reported that "With shades of incest, Lamhe caused more than a flutter and remained the talk of the town",[89] while Sridevi herself admitted in an interview with Rajeev Masand that she found the subject "too bold".[90] Though the film flopped with Rediff describing its failure as "one of those bizarre, unexplained moments of cinema",[84] Lamhe picked up five Filmfare trophies including Filmfare Award for Best Film and Sridevi's second Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Her popular Rajasthani costumes in the film also won designer Neeta Lulla her first National Film Award for Best Costume Design.[91]
In 1992, Sridevi starred in the epic Khuda Gawah opposite Amitabh Bachchan. The actress played a double role again as an Afghani warrior Benazir and her daughter Mehendi. Shot extensively in Nepal, although it's depicted as Afghanistan in the film, it did good business with BBC reporting that "it ran to packed houses for 10 weeks in Kabul".[92] Khuda Gawah still remains popular in the Afghan country and Rediff reported that the film is "in great demand after the opening of cinema halls in the country".[93] The film picked up the Filmfare Award for Best Director while Sridevi earned a Filmfare nomination for Best Actress.
The actress's big budget 1993 release Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja was one of India's most expensive films ever made.[94] Though the film failed at the box office, Sridevi was appreciated with Times of India calling her disguise in a comedy scene "the best ever South Indian role played by any actress".[95] She has done double role in the films such as Guru (1988), ChaalBaaz (1989), Lamhe (1991), Khuda Gawah (1992)[96] and Gurudev(1994).
Sridevi continued to get central roles with big banners such as the Dharma Productions venture Gumrah opposite Sanjay Dutt. Directed by Mahesh Bhatt, the actress played a singer falsely accused of drugs smuggling in Hong Kong. Bollyspice stated in its 'Sridevi Retrospective' that "Despite very good performances from the rest of the cast, Gumrah was really Sridevi's film. She managed to exemplify female emotion and robustness to a great degree that you remember the film largely for her significant contribution towards it".[97] Her performance received another nomination for the Filmfare Best Actress Award. In 1994, Sridevi teamed up with Anil Kapoor again in Laadla playing business tycoon Sheetal Jaitley. The character, described by Times of India as "rude, dominant and very competitive"[95] brought her yet another Filmfare nomination.
She acted in her comeback film in Malayalam in 1996 Bharatan's Devaragam, a love story in which she starred opposite Aravind Swamy.
The last major film Sridevi starred in before she took a break from the industry was Judaai, released in 1997. Along with Anil Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar, the actress played a greedy housewife going to extreme lengths for money. Talking about her swan song, critic Subhash K. Jha wrote that Sridevi "left us with the most stunning hurrah in Judaai. A terrible film that I've watched countless times to see her play the money-minded harridan who 'sells' her husband to Urmila Matondkar. Who but Sridevi could carry of such an outrageous role with such enthusiastic élan?!"[98] while Bollyspice stated that "She used her polished acting skills to illustrate her character’s greed and individualism at such a grotesque level."[49] Judaai won Sridevi her eighth Filmfare nomination for Best Actress
Sridevi started her acting career with M. A. Thirumugam’s 1969 devotional Tamil film Thunaivan at the age of 4, and continued to act as a child artist in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films. She made played her first adult role at age 13 with the Tamil film Moondru Mudichu (1976). Sridevi established herself as one of the leading actresses of Tamil and Telugu cinema, with leading roles in 16 Vayathinile (1977), Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Varumayin Niram Sivappu (1980), Meendum Kokila (1981), Premabhishekam (1981), Moondram Pirai (1982), Aakhari Poratam (1988), Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari (1990) and Kshana Kshanam (1991).
Sridevi's first starring role in Hindi cinema came with the 1979 drama film Solva Sawan, and gained wide attention with the 1983 production Himmatwala. She went on appear in a series of commercially successful films, including Mawaali (1983), Tohfa (1984), Naya Kadam (1984), Maqsad (1984), Masterji (1985), Nazrana (1987), Mr. India (1987), Waqt Ki Awaz (1988) and Chandni (1989). She also received praise for such films as Sadma (1983), Nagina (1986), ChaalBaaz (1989), Lamhe (1991), Khuda Gawah (1992), Gumrah (1993), Laadla (1994) and Judaai (1997). Following the role of the titular protagonist in the television sitcom Malini Iyer (2004–2005), Sridevi returned to film acting in 2012 with the successful comedy-drama English Vinglish. She then starred in her 300th film role in the 2017 thriller Mom. She earned critical acclaim for her performances in both films.
In 2013, the Government of India awarded Sridevi the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian accolade for her contributions to the entertainment industry. Honourary awards were also conferred on her by the state governments of Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Sridevi was also voted 'India's Greatest Actress in 100 Years' in a CNN-IBN national poll conducted in 2013 on the occasion of the centenary of Indian cinema. She was married to the film producer Boney Kapoor, with whom she had two children. Sridevi died on 24 February 2018 in Dubai.
Family and personal life
Sridevi with her husband, Boney Kapoor, in 2012
Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan was born in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, India[5][5] on 13 August 1963 to Tamil father Ayyapan and Telugu mother Rajeswari.[6][7][8][9][10] Sridevi's mother was from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.[5]Her father was a lawyer. She has a sister and two stepbrothers.[11][12]Sridevi was always accompanied by her mother Rajeshwari or by her sister Srilatha to the film sets during shooting of her films between 1972 till 1993.[13]After Srilata's marriage, she was not accompanied by her sister to films sets. Sanjay Ramaswamy is married to her sister Srilatha since 1989.[14]
Her father died in 1991, while she was shooting for Lamhe.[15]Her mother died in 1996, as a result of the complications suffered from a misoperation that she underwent in 1995 on a brain tumor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The neurosurgeon operated her on the wrong side of the brain destroying her vital tissues of vision and recent memory. This was widely reported in US media at that time which then led to a successful court battle and prompted then President Bill Clinton’s proposal of a program for hospitals to disclose their medical malpractice and errors[16][17][18] Film producer Boney Kapoor stood beside her as a social support (both emotional and advisable) during her mother’s loss and married her in the same year. The couple have two daughters, Jhanvi and Khushi.
Sridevi maintained her health by doing yoga and eating Vegetarian diet.
1983–1997: Bollywood debut and further success
Sridevi made her debut as a heroine in Hindi films in Solva Sawan in 1979.[25] Four years later she was signed to star opposite Jeetendra in Himmatwala. The film released in 1983 and became one of the biggest blockbusters of the year.[26][27] It established Sridevi in Bollywood and earned her the famous sobriquet 'Thunder Thighs'.[28]
Her dance number "Nainon Mein Sapna" became a rage with Rediff stating that "the water pots may have dominated most frames in "Nainon mein sapna", but it was Sridevi's bejewelled outfits and headgears that stole the show".[29] The following year Tohfa released and turned out to be the biggest hit of 1984.[30]
The film established Sridevi as one of the leading actress of Bollywood.[31] with Filmfare magazine declaring her "Unquestionably No.1" on their cover.[32]
The pair of Jeetendra-Sridevi did 16 films together of which Himmatwala (1983), Jaani Dost (1983), Justice Chaudhry (1983), Mawaali(1983), Akalmand (1984), Tohfa (1984), Balidaan (1985), Aulad (1987), Suhagan (1986), Ghar Sansar (1986), Dharm Adhikari (1986),Sone Pe Suhaaga (1988) were successful and Aag Aur Shola (1986), Himmat Aur Mehanat (1987), Sarfarosh (1985) were flops[33][34]
Sadma released in 1983, brought Sridevi critical acclaim.[35] A remake of her Tamil film Moondram Pirai, Sadma is included in iDiva's list of '10 Must Watch Movies That Weren't Blockbusters'.[36]
She also acted with A. Nageswara Rao's son Nagarjuna - like Aakhari Porattam, Govinda Govinda and Khudah Gawah. She has played heroine to both Dharmendra and his son Sunny Deol.
Sridevi's performance as a child-woman suffering from amnesia was called by Indian Express "a milestone in her illustrious career".[37] Sridevi also featured in the Mid Day list of 'Challenging Roles played by Bollywood Actors' describing her act in the film as "her best performance ever".[38] In 2012, Adil Hussain, Sridevi's co-star in English Vinglish and Puli (2015 film) revealed that he became a fan of the actress after watching her in Sadma.[39] The Sridevi-Kamal Hasan pair also appeared on the CNN-IBN 2012 list of 'Greatest Romantic Couples on Celluloid'.[40] The film won Sridevi her first Filmfare nomination for Best Actress.
Sridevi had successful pairing with Rajesh Khanna in films such as Naya Kadam (1984), Maqsad (1984), Masterji (1985) and Nazrana (1987).
In 1986, came the snake fantasy Nagina which saw Sridevi play an 'ichhadhaari naagin' or a shape-shifting woman. The film turned out to be the second biggest blockbuster of the year,[41][42] with Box Office India stating that Sridevi remained "the undisputed No.1".[31] It was also named one of the best snake fantasy films by Yahoo.[43]
Times of India ranked Nagina as one of the 'Top 10 Snake Films of Hindi Cinema'.[44] Sridevi's climax dance number 'Main Teri Dushman' also remains one of the best snake dances in Bollywood[45] with Desi Hits calling it "one of Sridevi's most iconic dance numbers...that still gives fans goose bumps"[46] and iDiva describing it as "the stuff of movie legends".[47] Besides Nagina, 1986 also saw Sridevi giving box-office hits in Subhash Ghai's multi-starrer Karma and Feroze Khan's Janbaaz. According to CNN-IBN Bollywood Blockbusters, "Sridevi's popularity grew so much that despite having a guest appearance in Janbaaz, she completely overshadowed the film's lead heroine Dimple Kapadia".[48]
Sridevi followed the success of Nagina by playing a goofy crime journalist in the 1987 film Mr. India, described by Rediff as "one of the most iconic films of its time".[49] Directed by Shekhar Kapur, it became one of the highest grossing hits of the year[50] and also found a place in Hindustan Times' list of 'Top 10 Patriotic Films of Hindi Cinema'.[51] While the trade famously joked that the film should have been named Miss India,[52] Rediff also stated that "Sri was a complete show-stealer in the film".[49] Sridevi's imitation of Charlie Chaplin in the film was described by the Times of India as "the most hilarious act she has ever done".[53] Rediff also featured Sridevi in its list of 'Super Six Comic Heroines' stating that "her mobile face expressions could give Jim Carrey sleepless nights" and that "her biggest plus point is her ability to be completely uninhibited in front of the camera".[54]
The dance number 'Hawa Hawai', cited by Times of India as "one of the unforgettable numbers of Sridevi",[55] also became a popular nickname for the actress.[56][57] Besides comedy, Sridevi gave Hindi Cinema one of its sexiest rain songs[58] in the film's chart-buster 'Kaate nahin kat te', where Filmfare described Sridevi as "truly a goddess in a blue sari".[59][60] while iDiva described the song as "unparalleled in Hindi Cinema".[61] Rediff also featured the song in its list of 'Top 25 Sari Moments' praising Sridevi's "ability to look erotic even when she's covered from head to toe".[62] The song "Kaate Nahi Kat Te" was chosen by NDTV as the most famous rain song in Bollywood.[63] Box Office India states that with the success of Mr. India, Sridevi "continued her domination" over her contemporaries Jaya Prada and Meenakshi Sheshadri.[31]
In 1989 came Chaalbaaz, which had Sridevi in a double role, playing twin sisters separated at birth. Filmfare ranked her performance fourth in its list of '80 Iconic Performances of Hindi Cinema', stating that "Sridevi´s penchant for giggles and her ability to look distinctly tearful when required polishes these performances to perfection. Hell, she made Sunny Deol and Rajnikant look like sidekicks in the film".[64] Whereas the Times of India article 'Bollywood's Hit Double Roles' gushed "Sridevi's performance rocked the box office".[65] Rediff featured the film in its countdown of '25 Best Double Roles in Bollywood' saying "What you don't realise until you have seen Chaalbaaz is just how incredible Sridevi is at depicting both ends of the spectrum"[66] and that the film "cemented her position as an actress with a killer comic timing".[49]
Speaking to Indian Express about Sridevi's act in Chaalbaaz, the director Pankaj Parashar said "She proved her range with the movie and after that she got lots of offers which saw her in a double role".[67] Her slapstick rain dance 'Na jaane kahan se aayi hai' became a big hit with Times of India describing it as a "Sridevi classic where she simply looked wow with her chirpy expressions and rain drops kissing her cheeks".[68] This twin-sister act won Sridevi her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress in Hindi films, while the song received the Filmfare Award for Best Choreography.
The same year also saw the release of the Yash Chopra romantic saga Chandni, with Sridevi playing the title role. According to iDiva, the film was "more an event and less a movie".[47] Chandni emerged as one of the biggest blockbusters of 1989[69] with The Hindu stating that "the film opened to full houses and distributors had to drastically increase the number of theatres".[70] Cited by Times of India as "one of the most watched films of Indian Cinema",[71] the film also reaffirmed Sridevi’s position as the top female star of the 1980s.[72][73]
While Sridevi topped the Hindustan Times' list of Yash Chopra's 'Top 5 Heroines',[74] CNN-IBN also ranked her no.1 on its list of 'Yash Chopra's 10 Most Sensuous Heroines' saying "Yash Chopra immortalised Sridevi as the perfect Chandni".[75] The title role became one of the most famous characters of Hindi Cinema with India Today including it in its list of 'Yash Chopra's Iconic Characters'[76] while NDTV featured it in its list of 'Yash Chopra's Greatest Creations' stating that the film established Sridevi "as the nation's sweetheart".[47] [77][78] The Tribune wrote: "Leena Daru scored a winner again when she created the 'Chandni Look' for Sridevi. Every street corner sold the salwar-kameez and dupatta that gave the heroine a refreshingly understated look, rarely seen on the Indian screen",[79] while Mid Day reported that the "simple white churidar and kurta with the leheriya dupatta gave Sridevi an angelic image and caused Chandni Chowk stores to hit the jackpot with thousands of copies".[80]
The music of Chandni became a Platinum Success[47] with Sridevi's famous dance number 'Mere Hathon Mein Nau Nau Choodiyan' finding a place in the Rediff chart of 'Bollywood's Top 25 Wedding Songs.'[81] The actress also lent her voice to the film's popular title-track 'Chandni O Meri Chandni',[82] which featured among the 'Top 5 Songs' of Yash Chopra by Hindustan Times.[74] Chandni won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment while Sridevi garnered Filmfare Best Actress nominations for both Chandni and Chaalbaaz in 1989, winning with the latter.
Sridevi (right) with her arch-rival of the 1990s, Madhuri Dixit
Yash Chopra again cast Sridevi in his 1991 film Lamhe. Times of India included it in its list of 'Top 10 Films of Yash Chopra' describing it as a tale of "love transcending the boundaries of time and space"[83] while Rediff called it "Quite easily one of his most definitive films, Chopra surpassed his own findings of romance with the insightful, lovely Lamhe".[84] Sridevi played both mother and daughter roles in what iDiva described as "another double role, but it was unlike any played before".[47] Hailed by Rediff as "one of the most remarkable films of her career...often considered a film way ahead of its time",[49] Her performance brought her much acclaim with BizAsia stating that "Her rendition of both Pallavi and Pooja serves well in highlighting how versatile she is as an actress, playing contrasting characters in the same movie".[85][86] Sridevi's folk dance number 'Morni Baga ma' also became a rage and was placed among the 'Top 5 Songs' of Yash Chopra by Hindustan Times.[74] Lamhe failed commercially but received high critical praise and has over the years become a cult classic.[36][87] Talking about the film, critic Rachel Dwyer wrote in her biography of the film-maker "Yash Chopra's own favourite film, Lamhe ('Moments', 1991), divided the audience on a class basis: it was hugely popular with metropolitan elites and the overseas market, which allowed it to break even, but it had a poor box office response (largely lower class, especially the repeat audience) because of its supposed incest theme".[88] The Hindu reported that "With shades of incest, Lamhe caused more than a flutter and remained the talk of the town",[89] while Sridevi herself admitted in an interview with Rajeev Masand that she found the subject "too bold".[90] Though the film flopped with Rediff describing its failure as "one of those bizarre, unexplained moments of cinema",[84] Lamhe picked up five Filmfare trophies including Filmfare Award for Best Film and Sridevi's second Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Her popular Rajasthani costumes in the film also won designer Neeta Lulla her first National Film Award for Best Costume Design.[91]
In 1992, Sridevi starred in the epic Khuda Gawah opposite Amitabh Bachchan. The actress played a double role again as an Afghani warrior Benazir and her daughter Mehendi. Shot extensively in Nepal, although it's depicted as Afghanistan in the film, it did good business with BBC reporting that "it ran to packed houses for 10 weeks in Kabul".[92] Khuda Gawah still remains popular in the Afghan country and Rediff reported that the film is "in great demand after the opening of cinema halls in the country".[93] The film picked up the Filmfare Award for Best Director while Sridevi earned a Filmfare nomination for Best Actress.
The actress's big budget 1993 release Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja was one of India's most expensive films ever made.[94] Though the film failed at the box office, Sridevi was appreciated with Times of India calling her disguise in a comedy scene "the best ever South Indian role played by any actress".[95] She has done double role in the films such as Guru (1988), ChaalBaaz (1989), Lamhe (1991), Khuda Gawah (1992)[96] and Gurudev(1994).
Sridevi continued to get central roles with big banners such as the Dharma Productions venture Gumrah opposite Sanjay Dutt. Directed by Mahesh Bhatt, the actress played a singer falsely accused of drugs smuggling in Hong Kong. Bollyspice stated in its 'Sridevi Retrospective' that "Despite very good performances from the rest of the cast, Gumrah was really Sridevi's film. She managed to exemplify female emotion and robustness to a great degree that you remember the film largely for her significant contribution towards it".[97] Her performance received another nomination for the Filmfare Best Actress Award. In 1994, Sridevi teamed up with Anil Kapoor again in Laadla playing business tycoon Sheetal Jaitley. The character, described by Times of India as "rude, dominant and very competitive"[95] brought her yet another Filmfare nomination.
She acted in her comeback film in Malayalam in 1996 Bharatan's Devaragam, a love story in which she starred opposite Aravind Swamy.
The last major film Sridevi starred in before she took a break from the industry was Judaai, released in 1997. Along with Anil Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar, the actress played a greedy housewife going to extreme lengths for money. Talking about her swan song, critic Subhash K. Jha wrote that Sridevi "left us with the most stunning hurrah in Judaai. A terrible film that I've watched countless times to see her play the money-minded harridan who 'sells' her husband to Urmila Matondkar. Who but Sridevi could carry of such an outrageous role with such enthusiastic élan?!"[98] while Bollyspice stated that "She used her polished acting skills to illustrate her character’s greed and individualism at such a grotesque level."[49] Judaai won Sridevi her eighth Filmfare nomination for Best Actress
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