The first time I heard of Sridevi was in the early 1980s. Actor Jeetendra mentioned her in his interview to me and later took to me watch some songs of Himmatwala in which Sridevi was being launched. “Look at the way she dances and the way she performs and let me tell you she does not know a word of Hind. Mark my words this girl is going to be a sensation”.
Over the decades I interviewed Sridevi a number of times, but she was always a fortress you could not fathom. She spoke very little and mostly answered the questions you put to her in mono-syllables. When you asked her controversial questions she rolled her eyes and said “Ask Mummy”.
She was not bothered that the media made fun of her and labeled her ‘thunder thighs’ because her endorsement came from her filmmakers. Most of the time the filmmakers were never sure if she understood what they explained before a shot because she was usually blank in her expressions with them. But once the camera was turned on, she transformed into a livewire, she was like an apsara from the heaven who danced into the hearts of her audiences…
To be continued…
@bhawanasomaaya