Sridevi, the eternal beauty of Bollywood, charmed millions with her scintillating performances. While her on-screen presence is known to all, there are some aspects of her life that remain in the shadows. On this note, let’s delve into 10 lesser-known facts about this iconic actress:
- Multilingual Star: While Bollywood was her prime stage, Sridevi also dominated the southern film industry. She acted in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada movies before her grand entry into Bollywood.
- Young Prodigy: Sridevi began her acting career at the tender age of four, playing the role of young Muruga in the Tamil film ‘Kandan Karunai’ (1967).
- A Painter’s Muse: Apart from being an actor, Sridevi had a knack for painting. Few know that her creations were much appreciated and even caught the eye of international artists. One of her works was sold to an art collector for a whopping price.
- Not Her Real Name: Born as Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan, the world came to know and love her as Sridevi.
- Missed Hollywood Opportunity: Steven Spielberg approached Sridevi for a brief role in his iconic film, ‘Jurassic Park’. She declined the offer, preferring to give priority to her Bollywood projects.
- Silent Role Challenge: In the film ‘Moondram Pirai’, Sridevi played the role of a woman with retrograde amnesia. Her powerful performance, especially the climax without any dialogue, won her the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress.
- National Awards & Honors: Sridevi won the National Film Award posthumously for her role in ‘Mom’ in 2018. However, few know that she received the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, in 2013.
- Famous Pairs: While everyone recalls her pairing with Jeetendra in the ’80s as iconic, she did 16 films with him. But not many are aware that she did 20 films with Kamal Haasan, making him her most frequent co-star.
- Rare Singing Stint: Not just a talented actor, Sridevi lent her voice to a few songs. One of them is the Hindi version of the song ‘O Meri Chandni’ for the movie ‘Chandni’.
- Passion for Production: Sridevi turned producer with the film ‘Shakti: The Power’ (2002), which starred her husband Boney Kapoor’s former wife, Sridevi, and son Arjun Kapoor.
While Sridevi’s untimely departure left a void in the film industry, her legacy lives on. These lesser-known facts about the star give a deeper insight into the multifaceted personality she was, beyond the silver screen.
Read:
Bollywood Trivia: Surprising and Intriguing Facts You Never Knew Existed!
Bollywood’s Bigotry and Double Standards: Why it’s Time to Boycott the Film Industry
Bollywood’s Failure to Represent Female Protagonists: A Damning Indictment of Patriarchy and Artistic Mediocrity
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