This is Part 15 of Legends of Indian Cinema, our 20-part series on the actors, filmmakers and musicians who shaped Indian films across languages. New here? Start with Part 1: Dadasaheb Phalke, or read the previous part, Part 14: Kamal Haasan.
Before her, heroines were rarely the main draw of a big Hindi film. Sridevi changed that. With dazzling comic timing, expressive eyes and graceful dancing, she became the first actress whose name alone could sell a film across India. She is widely remembered as India's first female superstar.
Early life and child roles
- Born Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan on 13 August 1963 in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu.
- She began acting at about four, in the Tamil film Thunaivan (1969), and worked as a child artist in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films.
Queen of South Indian cinema
- 16 Vayathinile (1977), alongside Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, made her a star.
- Moondram Pirai (1982), as a young woman who regresses to childhood after an accident, is often called her finest performance.
- She was a top star in Telugu cinema too, in many hits with N.T. Rama Rao, A. Nageswara Rao, Krishna and later Chiranjeevi.
Conquering Hindi cinema
- After her early Hindi role in Solva Saawan (1979), Himmatwala (1983) made her a sensation, and Sadma (1983), the Hindi version of Moondram Pirai, won critical praise.
- Nagina (1986) and Mr. India (1987) made her the biggest female star in Hindi films. Her "Hawa Hawaii" song and Charlie Chaplin act are still loved.
- ChaalBaaz (1989), in which she played twins, Chandni (1989) and Lamhe (1991) showed her range.
- She often earned more than her male co-stars, which was rare at that time.
The comeback
- She married producer Boney Kapoor in 1996 and took a long break to raise her daughters, Janhvi and Khushi.
- She returned with English Vinglish (2012), playing a homemaker who learns English. It was a hit in India and abroad.
- Her last lead role, in Mom (2017), won her the National Film Award for Best Actress, given after her death.
Legacy
Sridevi received the Padma Shri in 2013. She died suddenly in Dubai on 24 February 2018, aged 54, and the nation was shocked. She acted in about 300 films in five languages over 50 years. She opened the door for the heroine-led films that are now common in Indian cinema.
Next in the series: Part 16: Mohanlal.
