<div align="justify">In all probability, Providence ordained that when baby Shree Amma Yanger was born in August 1963 in Sivakasi, there were bound to be fireworks. 300 films and 50 years (in cinema) down, her adult avatar, Sridevi, has had a dazzlingly successful career of explosive performances across genres that have spectacularly lit up the sky of cinema.<br /><br />Almost 40 years after her Hindi debut in Solva Sawan, as an actor and as a star, Sridevi has precious little to prove. Beginning her successful national innings with the cult 1983 entertainer Himmatwala and similar potboilers, Sridevi moved on to substantial Hindi cinema from 1986 with films like Karma, Nagina, a scene-stealing cameo in Janbaaz and Mr. India. She also began to get a better grade of South-made Hindi cinema like Sadma in 1983 and Aakhree Raasta in 1986.<br /><br /><br />Roles to remember<br />In 1989, the already numero uno female actor (who had her own audience pull even in the peak eras of Amitabh Bachchan, Jeetendra, Rishi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor) came up with the sensational Chandni and Chaalbaaz, the latter having her in an unforgettable dual role. The 90s saw her stun us with diverse portrayals in Lamhe, Khuda Gawah (both dual roles again), the whacky flop Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and the very different Judaai. After completing all these assignments, Sridevi, now Mrs. Boney Kapoor, opted out of the industry to concentrate on marriage and motherhood.<br /><br />In the early millennium, she decided to produce (but did not star in) Shakti: The Power, Run and Bewafaa and act in the TV series Malini Iyer. And then after a major gap, she signed her comeback film English Vinglish. This 2012 release saw Sridevi play her age and do a role that set her apart from all the comebacks of her colleagues in that phase. A commercial hit and a critically appreciated film as well, English Vinglish left her fans and film buffs with massive expectations about her next mov(i)e. There was a disappointing Tamil indulgence in Puli (2015), but her new Hindi film, Mom, a home production from husband Boney Kapoor, has been making all the right noises.<br /><br />And yet, Sridevi, a mother to grown-up girls Jhanvi and Khushi in real life, has played mother in both her new Hindi films. Of course, her character and relationship with her reel daughters are way different in both films. We have heard the film is a vendetta thriller. Is that true? “You will find something of everything in it — it has emotions, drama, thrills and everything else!” she says.<br /><br />Both her Hindi films were directed by first-timers Gauri Shinde (in her last movie) and Ravi Udyawar in her latest one. Did she find them different from the legends she has worked with, like Yash Chopra, Subhash Ghai, K Vishwanath, Balu Mahendra and others? “Not at all,” she replies. “They are as good as the experienced directors. Their approach may be a bit different in keeping with the times. Ravi had a clear vision of how he would project my character and was so passionate.”<br /><br />How was her rapport with her reel daughter in Mom (Pakistani actor Sajal Ali)? “I really miss her during promotions — she had become like a third daughter to me,” she says.<br /><br />Coming to her real daughters, Sridevi is gung-ho about her elder one’s film debut, and says that she respects her choice of profession. “My parents supported me when I became an actor, and Boneyji and I will do the same for Jhanvi. However, she should be judged on her own steam. Today, I am 300 films old, and at her age, I had already done more than 60 films!”<br /><br />Unlike in her case, both parents of Jhanvi are celebrities, and Boney is a successful producer. Why did they not launch their daughter themselves? A laugh follows that can be open to wide interpretation as she replies, “Both of us would like Jhanvi to be independent.”<br /><br />What Sridevi enjoyed the most here was that she was working in a home production with her husband. So, how different is it doing home productions from outside assignments? “The hard work is the same. The only difference is that I am acting in a film made by my husband after 20 years — that’s what is special. Boneyji is very passionate and dedicated to his work and for every actor, he is a treat as a producer!” she raves.<br /><br />Sharing a secret, she lets on, “R Balki, who produced English Vinglish, is a very good friend of my husband, and Boneyji was involved from day one in that film. He had a lot of contribution to make too, and we were together in the US where most of the film was shot.”<br /><br />Nawazuddin Siddique, as well as Akshaye Khanna, have both categorically stated that they signed Mom only because of her. How does that feel? “It’s the other way round,” the actor declares humbly. “I am happy that Akshaye, who is so choosy, agreed to do our film. And we waited a long while for Nawazuddin to complete his assignments so that he could do our film. They are both so good.”<br /><br /><br />Confident beginnings<br />Sridevi declares that the “only thing she knows is acting.” She began working at the age of four. At that age, taking up acting clearly could not have been her decision. When did she come to be aware that acting was what she was meant for? “I was always comfortable before the camera,” she reveals. “I would listen to the director, mug up my lines and act very confidently. My parents noticed all this and supported me. They would not have forced me as a child if I had not been comfortable with it.”<br /><br />For Sridevi today, acting is a passion. “It is like meditation,” she explains. “It is very creative and full of innovations. I keep doing so many different characters and that’s the best part.”<br /><br />And the actor would not change anything at all if she had to relive her life. “I have no regrets and nothing at all to change!” she says simply. “When they asked me to do Himmatwala, I actually asked my producer why they wanted me when my first Hindi film (Solva Sawan) had flopped. But now I am glad that my journey actually started after that.”<br /><br />Does she have any favourites among the films she did later? “All my films are close to me. But among the Hindi ones, Yash Chopraji really made me look beautiful in Chandni and Lamhe. Sadma, Mr. India and Chaalbaaz are also special.” And what is her take on the buzz that Mr. India will have a sequel? “We definitely have thought of it. But as of now, nothing has been worked out,” she admits candidly.<br /><br />So, what will come next from her? “I don’t know. I will look for quality films because I will have to be away from my family during the shoots. But I can’t plan anything,” Sridevi states.<br /></div>
<div align="justify">In all probability, Providence ordained that when baby Shree Amma Yanger was born in August 1963 in Sivakasi, there were bound to be fireworks. 300 films and 50 years (in cinema) down, her adult avatar, Sridevi, has had a dazzlingly successful career of explosive performances across genres that have spectacularly lit up the sky of cinema.<br /><br />Almost 40 years after her Hindi debut in Solva Sawan, as an actor and as a star, Sridevi has precious little to prove. Beginning her successful national innings with the cult 1983 entertainer Himmatwala and similar potboilers, Sridevi moved on to substantial Hindi cinema from 1986 with films like Karma, Nagina, a scene-stealing cameo in Janbaaz and Mr. India. She also began to get a better grade of South-made Hindi cinema like Sadma in 1983 and Aakhree Raasta in 1986.<br /><br /><br />Roles to remember<br />In 1989, the already numero uno female actor (who had her own audience pull even in the peak eras of Amitabh Bachchan, Jeetendra, Rishi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor) came up with the sensational Chandni and Chaalbaaz, the latter having her in an unforgettable dual role. The 90s saw her stun us with diverse portrayals in Lamhe, Khuda Gawah (both dual roles again), the whacky flop Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and the very different Judaai. After completing all these assignments, Sridevi, now Mrs. Boney Kapoor, opted out of the industry to concentrate on marriage and motherhood.<br /><br />In the early millennium, she decided to produce (but did not star in) Shakti: The Power, Run and Bewafaa and act in the TV series Malini Iyer. And then after a major gap, she signed her comeback film English Vinglish. This 2012 release saw Sridevi play her age and do a role that set her apart from all the comebacks of her colleagues in that phase. A commercial hit and a critically appreciated film as well, English Vinglish left her fans and film buffs with massive expectations about her next mov(i)e. There was a disappointing Tamil indulgence in Puli (2015), but her new Hindi film, Mom, a home production from husband Boney Kapoor, has been making all the right noises.<br /><br />And yet, Sridevi, a mother to grown-up girls Jhanvi and Khushi in real life, has played mother in both her new Hindi films. Of course, her character and relationship with her reel daughters are way different in both films. We have heard the film is a vendetta thriller. Is that true? “You will find something of everything in it — it has emotions, drama, thrills and everything else!” she says.<br /><br />Both her Hindi films were directed by first-timers Gauri Shinde (in her last movie) and Ravi Udyawar in her latest one. Did she find them different from the legends she has worked with, like Yash Chopra, Subhash Ghai, K Vishwanath, Balu Mahendra and others? “Not at all,” she replies. “They are as good as the experienced directors. Their approach may be a bit different in keeping with the times. Ravi had a clear vision of how he would project my character and was so passionate.”<br /><br />How was her rapport with her reel daughter in Mom (Pakistani actor Sajal Ali)? “I really miss her during promotions — she had become like a third daughter to me,” she says.<br /><br />Coming to her real daughters, Sridevi is gung-ho about her elder one’s film debut, and says that she respects her choice of profession. “My parents supported me when I became an actor, and Boneyji and I will do the same for Jhanvi. However, she should be judged on her own steam. Today, I am 300 films old, and at her age, I had already done more than 60 films!”<br /><br />Unlike in her case, both parents of Jhanvi are celebrities, and Boney is a successful producer. Why did they not launch their daughter themselves? A laugh follows that can be open to wide interpretation as she replies, “Both of us would like Jhanvi to be independent.”<br /><br />What Sridevi enjoyed the most here was that she was working in a home production with her husband. So, how different is it doing home productions from outside assignments? “The hard work is the same. The only difference is that I am acting in a film made by my husband after 20 years — that’s what is special. Boneyji is very passionate and dedicated to his work and for every actor, he is a treat as a producer!” she raves.<br /><br />Sharing a secret, she lets on, “R Balki, who produced English Vinglish, is a very good friend of my husband, and Boneyji was involved from day one in that film. He had a lot of contribution to make too, and we were together in the US where most of the film was shot.”<br /><br />Nawazuddin Siddique, as well as Akshaye Khanna, have both categorically stated that they signed Mom only because of her. How does that feel? “It’s the other way round,” the actor declares humbly. “I am happy that Akshaye, who is so choosy, agreed to do our film. And we waited a long while for Nawazuddin to complete his assignments so that he could do our film. They are both so good.”<br /><br /><br />Confident beginnings<br />Sridevi declares that the “only thing she knows is acting.” She began working at the age of four. At that age, taking up acting clearly could not have been her decision. When did she come to be aware that acting was what she was meant for? “I was always comfortable before the camera,” she reveals. “I would listen to the director, mug up my lines and act very confidently. My parents noticed all this and supported me. They would not have forced me as a child if I had not been comfortable with it.”<br /><br />For Sridevi today, acting is a passion. “It is like meditation,” she explains. “It is very creative and full of innovations. I keep doing so many different characters and that’s the best part.”<br /><br />And the actor would not change anything at all if she had to relive her life. “I have no regrets and nothing at all to change!” she says simply. “When they asked me to do Himmatwala, I actually asked my producer why they wanted me when my first Hindi film (Solva Sawan) had flopped. But now I am glad that my journey actually started after that.”<br /><br />Does she have any favourites among the films she did later? “All my films are close to me. But among the Hindi ones, Yash Chopraji really made me look beautiful in Chandni and Lamhe. Sadma, Mr. India and Chaalbaaz are also special.” And what is her take on the buzz that Mr. India will have a sequel? “We definitely have thought of it. But as of now, nothing has been worked out,” she admits candidly.<br /><br />So, what will come next from her? “I don’t know. I will look for quality films because I will have to be away from my family during the shoots. But I can’t plan anything,” Sridevi states.<br /></div>
