'There can be no other Sridevi': Stars from south film industry mourn a Diva's demise
The film fraternity and fans across the nation are shell-shocked and anguished at the untimely death of their very own diva of Bollywood. The 54-year-old who has been called the first female superstar of India, Sridevi Kapoor was attending her nephew Mohit Marwah’s wedding in Dubai with her husband and daughter when she suffered a cardiac arrest on Saturday night. The news of her death was confirmed by her actor/brother-in-law Sanjay Kapoor. The expressive-eyed, beautiful, mischievous and eloquent beauty was no stranger to the south Indian film industry as she had started her acting career as a child artiste in Tamil movie Thunaivan. Having acted opposite Kamal Haasan, Anil Kapoor, Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, the Chandni of yesteryear’s made her mark in the film industry with her naturalistic acting, stellar dance moves and versatility.
The Padma Shri Awardee who will be seen in actor Shah Rukh Khan’s movie Zero that is set to release in December this year in a cameo role, has left behind a film fraternity and fandom spanning four decades that is heartbroken at their Bollywood queen’s sudden demise. Gone too soon, they cry. Born to a Tamil father and Telugu mother, Sridevi made her acting debut at the age of four. Her innate beauty and the way she conducted herself with immense dignity is remembered by many. A huge icon of Indian cinema, social media is filled with condolences, and instances that celebrate her life. The talent that she possessed is unmatched and actor Shivarajkumar is at a loss, “It is a huge loss not just for Bollywood but for the whole India. I had met her twice. No words can describe her grace and immense talent. A perfectionist in the truest sense. Mr India and Tamil movie Moondram Outside are my favourite Sridevi films.”
It is apt to declare that Sridevi was the first female superstar of Bollywood, and actress Sumalatha Ambareesh recalls, “I had done two films with her, one in Telugu which was my first time in front of the camera. She was the heroine, and I played the role of the hero’s sister. She was a huge star at that time itself. Her looks, dancing and performances were quite famous even then. Few years later, I did a Hindi film with her. We were all in awe of her because of her aura, talent and stardom. The minute she walked into any room, even if people didn’t know her, they would know she was a star. She was the real combination of Marilyn Monroe and Meryl Streep put together. On the one hand, she was a powerhouse of talent, and on the other, she was glamorous and beautiful. She could dance like it was nobody’s business. Her sense of comic timing was superior to anything we has seen before. I think one could rightly call her the one and only female superstar of India. There is nobody who could come close to her. She was miles apart.”
Sridevi singlehandedly helmed movies and created such a huge impact and that is what she will be remembered by. Director Indrajit Lankesh regales those qualities, “She was the first superstar of Indian cinema and in fact, as a director, I have interacted with her in Bombay a couple of times. She was very down-to-earth, with no ego, an introvert. We spoke about her diet and how she maintained herself. She used to eat sprouts and steamed fish. She had maintained a good fitness regime. Knowing all this, it came as a shock to know that she had passed away due to a heart attack. She is the first woman in a male-dominated industry, going into Bollywood from the south and carving a path for herself, becoming not just a great actress but also a superstar. She was also a good mother and devoted wife. She proved to the world, industry and to actresses, that actresses can have a career after marriage by delivering box office hits like English Vinglish and Mom.”
Veteran actress B Saroja Devi is anguished, “I met her for the first time along with her mother Rajeshwari. She was around five to six-years-old and her mother was trying to get her caste as a child artiste in a Tamil movie. She was so adorable as a child that I requested the makers to cast her in the movie. Whenever she met me, she would seek my blessings and often showed me her work. A true professional to the core and one of the humblest human beings I have known. The entire world is mourning her demise. It is unfortunate that she passed away at such a young age.”
The 54-four-year-old actress who had so much to look forward to — her daughter’s debut film, new films and so much more, is gone, and it makes no sense. Actor Yash is bereft, “There can be no other Sridevi. I was so heartbroken when I heard the news. I just broke down. One of my all-time favourite actresses.” The diva who is no more created a benchmark for others to emulate, and actress Priyamani recalls, “I met her once or twice for an awards show. In fact, she was the one who gave me the SIMA Award for Best Actress for Charulatha. It’s definitely a huge loss for the industry and aspiring actors like us who look up to her as our inspiration. Till today, I maintain that she is my idol and role model. And one of my biggest inspirations to join the film industry. It’s shocking and I feel that it’s too soon that she left us.” Unfair, unbelievable and anguished, Sridevi leaves behind a void that will be hard to fill.
