Sridevi Lives Forever: The many facets of the talented actor
Sridevi was nothing short of a phenomenon in the 80s and 90s. In an impressive career spanning five decades, and almost 300 films, the actor ruled the commercial cinema space with her unmatched sensuality and acting prowess. The actor leaves behind a formidable body of work, out of which we list our favourites in Tamil.
From the quintessential KB heroine to the child-like amnesiac, we take you on a nostalgia trip, celebrating the different avatars of Sridevi.
1. The KB heroine Film: Moondru Mudichu Featuring alongside Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, Sridevi holds on to her own, in her debut, no less, giving a scorcher of a performance.
22. The village belle Film: 16 Vayadhinile Playing a 16 year-old from interior Tamil Nadu, who hopes to become a teacher and marry a sophisticated man, Sridevi is brilliant in this Bharathiraja film.
3. The celebrity singer Film: Johnny In a challenging role that required her to mimic the body language of a stage performer, Sridevi is terrific, especially, in her moments of restrained romance.
4. The small-time stage actor Film: Varumaiyin Niram Sirappu Sridevi is intense and lovable in this KB film, breathing fresh air into the often-hackneyed role of the angry hero's girlfriend.
5. The madisaar-clad maami Film: Meendum Kokila Mouthing the iconic lines ‘Aennaa sollungnaa’ in a stylised Tambrahm slang, Sridevi literally shoulders the plot in this 1981 dramedy, co-starring Kamal
6. The movie-star Film: Priya In this SP Muthuraman film, Sridevi plays an established actor, complete with all oomph & style. Who can forget her giant slide to the pool in 'Darling Darling'!
7. The child-like amnesiac Film: Moondram Pirai Sridevi's magnum opus. Portraying a woman with retrograde amnesia, who reverts to a childlike state, without coming across as obnoxious, is no mean task
8. The gypsy and the heiress Film: Adutha Varisu The film made way for the next logical step in the star's career - a double role. Sridevi appears in two polar avatars - a nomad and a heiress.
9. The iron-willed homemaker Film: English Vinglish As a naive housewife, who is not so fluent in English, Sridevi is simply terrific in this comeback film after nearly 15 years.
