Murali
closed his eyes and sank into what P G Wodehouse would term ‘the dreamless’.
The first thing that he saw on opening his eyes was a picture of Sridevi. It was on a strategically placed calendar.
“This is the
way I want it. The first thing that I want to see on waking up,” he told a
bunch of his hostel mates including yours truly. We all smiled and
understood. Despite the fact that Murali
was swotting for his 12th standard examinations and perhaps seeing a
portrait of a deity first thing in the morning would have been more
appropriate.
What is
worth noting is that the conversation with Murali happened around 1980 when
Sridevi was unknown beyond South India A quarter century later another friend told me
that he too had succumbed to what we shall call the Murali Method! Except that
he was at least a decade younger.
That was
Sridevi for you. Her appeal transcended generations and bridged the North
–South divide. She was not of course the first south Indian actress to do that.
That would be an injustice to the long list of South Indian
actresses—Vyjayanthimala, Waheeda Rehman, Hema Malini, Rekha-who preceded her
into the Bollywood industry and made more than just a mark. What set Sridevi
apart was her ability to attain near demi goddess status at a time when movie
goers were still held in thrall by one Mr Amitabh Bachchan. She went on to become the
first lady Indian superstar.
To
recapitulate her well chronicled career when she came to Mumbai, she was
already an established star in south India. Her Hindi debut (discounting the
role of the child in Julie) was in Solwa
Sawaan which bombed at the box office. Her next movie Himmatwala which came
after a gap of about 5 years set the box
office on fire. This led to a fruitful
pairing with Jeetendra in many more movies. Together (sometimes along with Jayaprada) they rode and
at times shaped a wave that reflected
much of the eighties. None of these movies could be termed as refined or
cultured.
But when the
chance came she produced a body of work which would live on for generations.
Like the immortal take off on Chaplin in Mr India, the double role in
Chaalbaaz, and the genius of a performance in Sadma as a grown up woman
regressing into a child. Who can forget her beauteous looks in
Chandni or the double role in Lamhe of both mother and daughter. The daughter
being in love with a man old enough to be her father What is more this
gentleman had loved her mother but never secured her affection.
There was however a jarring note to Sridevi’s
performance in Hindi films. Every time I catch up on an old Tamil movie
starring her, I am struck by her utterly natural looks and
performance. This was before she underwent surgery on her nose. Now I
don’t know why this was done. Maybe it had something to do with fitting into
what was considered the right look for a Bollywood actress. I don’t pretend to be a film critic but her
performances in Hindi movies I thought
were a little overdone. Slightly exaggerated.
Yes, this brought her immeasurable popularity but at the cost of being
natural. There is a price to be paid for success after all.
It would
however be downright silly to not acknowledge her genius. She was at the end of the day a powerhouse of
talent whose body of work would live on long after her.
Millions of
Indians would know as they mourn today that there quite simply won’t be another
Sridevi. Their feelings can perhaps be best captured from this excerpt from the
title song of Lamhe :
Ye Lamhe Tho Hai Bohath
Haseen, In Lamho Par Kuch Likha Nahi, Ye Abaad Karenge, Ya Barbaad Karenge, Ye
Mausam Chale Gaye Tho Hum Fariyaad Karenge, Ye Lamhe, Ye Pal Hum Barso Yaad
Karenge
RIP Sridevi!
