On 13th August 1963, an actress was born who, from childhood, gained recognition and went on to become India’s first female superstar. This is none other than Sridevi. Today, we celebrate her 62nd birth anniversary. The actress left us at a young age, but her cinematic presence and charismatic personality continue to keep us hooked to her and her movies.
Born as Sri Amma Yanger Ayyappan in a village called Meenampatti in Tamil Nadu to her parents, Ayyappan and Rajeshwari, Sridevi grew up in a culturally rich environment. Her father was a lawyer, and her mother, a homemaker from Andhra Pradesh, which made her fluent in both Telugu and Tamil.
Sridevi began her career at the age of four as a child actor in the film Kandan Karunai (1967). In an interview, she once expressed that she missed out on school and college life, but the film industry and her work gave her no time to dwell on it, and she was always grateful for the journey.
Her first breakthrough came as a child artist when she played young Murugan in Thunaivan. Later on, she went on to appear in several Hindi films as a child actor, debuting with Rani Mera Naam. Her debut as a heroine came in 1979 with Solva Sawan. Four years later, she starred opposite Jeetendra in Himmatwala (1983), which became one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of the year. The film established her in the northern market, and the hit song ‘Naino Mein Sapna’ made her a household name.
Her pairing with Jeetendra proved to be one of the most successful of the time. Together, they worked in 16 films, with nearly 70% of them being box office successes. Sridevi also received critical acclaim for her phenomenal performance in ‘Sadma’ in 1983. Her depiction of a child-woman suffering from amnesia was hailed as her best career performance.
In 1987, she featured opposite Anil Kapoor in ‘Mr. India,’ directed by Shekhar Kapur. The film was not only one of the highest-grossing hits of the year but also went on to become an iconic classic. Sridevi’s Charlie Chaplin impersonation was widely appreciated, and her song ‘Hawa Hawai’ remains a party favorite to this day, earning her the nickname “Hawa Hawai.”
She continued to headline big-budget films like Chandni, Lamhe, Khuda Gawah, and many others. In 1993, she starred in Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja, which was India’s most expensive film at the time. While the film didn’t fare well at the box office, her performance was praised. Before her 6-year-long break, her last big release was Judaai (1997). A film, which is now fondly remembered for its hilarious plotline.
Following the break, Sridevi appeared in a couple of films, but it was English Vinglish (2012), by Gauri Shinde, that marked her true return to movies. The film received immense critical appreciation, and her performance was celebrated across the globe.
She later starred in her home production Mom (2017), her 300th film, which earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress. Her final screen appearance was a cameo in the 2018 film Zero.
On 24th February 2018, the world lost its shining star. Her funeral, held on 28th February in Mumbai, was conducted with full state honors, including a gun salute.
An icon of Indian cinema, she went on to write history. Today, we celebrate the birth anniversary of the legendary superstar, Sridevi.