Diva, fashion icon, superstar — Sridevi had several adjectives attributed to her once she moved to Bollywood.
But for those of us who grew up in the ’70s and devoured her films with delight, Sridevi was our ‘namma oru ponnu’ (the girl from our land).
We knew her as the cute childlike Viji of Moondram Pirai; Mayil, the village belle of 16 Vayidhinile; and the lovely Selvi of Moondru Mudichu, who turned into an elegant stepmom to Rajnikanth later in the story.
Sridevi’s strength lay in her large expressive eyes.
“They were mesmerising even as a child,” remembers yesteryears star Sowcar Janakai.
Janaki worked with Sridevi in many films.
“My darling child is no more,” she says. Janaki and Rajeshwari (Sridevi’s late mother) were friends. Rajeshwari played supporting roles in few films.
During the filming of Janaki’s Tamil film, Thunaivan, director MA Thirumugan was on the lookout for a little boy to play Lord Murugan.
It so happened that Rajeshwari visited the sets that day, accompanied by Sridevi — a four year sporting shoulder length hair.
“I asked the director, ‘How about Sridevi as Murugan?” recounts Janaki.
Thirumugan wasn’t convinced but a test shoot with the young Sridevi changed his mind, and she won the part.
Janaki says she looked divine as Murugan. It was a two-minute role, where the cherubic Sridevi kneels by an infant’s side and tickles him to wake up saying, ‘Enda ummunu irukkai, chiri, chiri (Why are you so grim? Smile)’. Dressed only in a yellow dhoti and bare-chested, she exactly resembled a little boy, who as Lord Murugan brings a miraculous recovery to the baby.
Janaki remembers Sridevi as an intelligent child who learnt her lines pretty fast.
Her angelic face drew other filmmakers. The child actress got busy with more films. In Aathi Parashakthi, Sridevi played Lord Murugan again.
“The picture of her sitting on the lap of Jayalalitha amma [actress and former CM of Tamil Nadu, in the role of Goddess Shakti] is still vivid,” says actor Sivakumar.
Years later Sivakumar was paired opposite Sridevi in three films — Kavikkuyil, Sayndhadamma Sayndhadu and Machanai Partheengala.
Sridevi worked in other Janaki films including Tamil film Babu, as her little daughter and shared screen space with Sivaji Ganesan. It was a bigger role than Thunaivan.
If Thunaivan was Sridevi’s first film, her tryst with the camera began much earlier.
Digging into the archives of his mind, Dr CK Revi, remembers the calendar shoot Sridevi did for their soap manufacturing company, Chandrika. Revi’s friend, late Malayalam director Bharathan, was assigned on this work.
“Sridevi must have been around two or three then,” Revi says. “Dressed up as Lord Krishna she posed for the camera.”
KPAC Lalitha, Bharathan’s wife who also worked with Sridevi in couple of Malayalam and Tamil films, adds, “In Ente Kalyanam, she played my daughter-in-law.”
Sridevi’s last Malayalam film was Bharathan’s Devaraagam.
Lalitha remembers Sridevi as a quiet girl who after giving her shots would go and sit by her mother’s side.
“She seldom spoke to anyone. But once the camera switched on, she transformed herself into her character and with the word ‘cut’, she withdrew to her quiet self.”
A committed artist, Sridevi ensured that she honoured her mother’s word given to Bharathan. During the filming of Devaraagam, Sridevi’s mother was in the US undergoing treatment. It was a trying phase for the family. Her mother meant the world to Sridevi.
“By then, Sridevi had grown into a mature young woman,” says Lalitha.
Shuttling between the US and India, Sridevi completed Devaraagam.
Despite the emotional stress she was living through, Sridevi did not let the film suffer. Before the camera, her worries took the back seat and she became Lakshmi, her character.
Lalitha reveals that Sridevi also took on the responsibility of organising her own costumes.
“She made sure that everything was in order. Her commitment to work was remarkable.”
Endorsing Sridevi’s dedication to work is also Indian National Award-winning Malayalam director KS Sethumadhavan. Sridevi worked in three of his films — Kuttavum Shikshayum, Amme Anupame and Hindi film, Julie. She played Lakshmi’s younger sister in Julie.
“She was highly professional at work,” says Sethumadhavan. “When we met outside work, she spoke with humility and respect.”
Speaking fondly of Sridevi, actress Seema, noted Malayalam director late IV Sasi’s wife, adds, “We called her Cheevi. Unassuming and a beautiful person, she did not forget her past connections.”
She was more a family member having worked in Sasi’s films. An obedient daughter, Sridevi never trespassed her mother’s instructions, remembers Seema.
The Kamal Haasan-Sridevi pair was much loved. Together they have acted in 27 films, both Malayalam and Tamil.
“We were working continuously on the sets. Her dedication to work matched mine,” Haasan says. “We were fond of each other but neither of us is prone to showing emotions.”
Tamil director Bharatiraja misses his Mayil from his debut film 16 Vayidhinile.
“Mayil was a character from my village and Sridevi fulfilled my dreams. She wanted to use make-up during shooting. I told her Mayil does not use make-up. She was a down to earth person.”
She went on to work in his Sigappu Rojakkal.
When Bharatiraja introduced her in Hindi cinema with Solwa Sawan, the remake of 16 Vayidhinile, Sridevi was anxious over the new language.
“It did not take long for the intelligent girl, to not only master Hindi but Punjabi too.”
Sridevi went on to find her place in Bollywood and in that space she reigned!
As Sridevi rests, the lullaby Kanne Kalaimane from her Moondram Pirai stirs up another image — Viji drifting to sleep on Cheenu’s lap.
