A superstar who acted in films much ahead of her time, an actor who worked for over five decades in several languages… Sridevi’s death has shocked the entire film industry, and fans across the country, who have grown up with her and loved her work.
Sridevi is extremely popular in both Kollywood, where she made her debut as a four-year-old, and Bollywood, where she’s spent a good part of her career. Yet, it is in her mother tongue, Telugu, that she’s done the maximum number of films. She has over 300 films to her credit in the five decades that she has been acting, and 83 of those films were in Telugu.
And almost all the leading stars of Tollywood have had the pleasure of working with this superstar. Sreedevi has worked with several veteran actors from Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR) to NT Rama Rao (NTR).
According to IMDB, she played a role in Maa Nanna Nirdoshi (1970), Agni Pareeksha (1970), Nenu Manishine (1971), Naa Tammudu (1971). She also acted in Telugu films like Bhakta Tukaram, Marapurani Manishi and Mallamma Katha in 1973.
She also worked as a child artiste in Shrimantudu (1971) which starred ANR, and Bharya Biddalu (1972), which also starred Jayalalithaa.
She also played the role of NTR’s granddaughter in Badi Panthulu (1972). She would go on to act with NTR in films like Vetagadu (1979), Aatagadu (1980), Sardar Papa Rayudu (1980), Kondaveeti Simham (1981), Bobbili Puli (1982), Anuraga Devata (1982) and Justice Chowdhary (1982).
With ANR, she acted in films like Mudulla Koduku (1979), Premabhishekham (1981), Premakanuka (1981), Guru Sishyulu (1981) and Bangaru Kanuka(1982).
She continued acting in Tollywood until the early 90s, when she began focusing on her career in Bollywood, and shifted to the Hindi film industry.
Another big hit in her long career in the Telugu film industry was Kshana Kshanam, where she played the female lead with producer D Ramanaidu’s son Venkatesh.
"Kshana Kshanam was intended by me as a love letter to her. Throughout the making of the film, I just couldn't take my eyes off her charm, her beauty, her personality and her demeanour was a new discovery for me," he wrote after her demise.
Chief Ministers of both Telugu states have expressed their sorrow at the veteran actor's passing.
The CM said in her death, the Indian film industry had a void and left Telugu film industry in sorrow. However, he said, several characters she depicted in many films would be remembered forever. The CM has conveyed his condolences to the members of the bereaved family.
(This article was originally published in The News Minute)
(Hey lady, what makes you laugh? Do you laugh at sexism, patriarchy, misogyny, or other 'sanskari' stereotypes? This Women's Day, join The Quint's Ab Laugh Naari campaign. Pick up that beer, say cheers, and send us photographs or videos of you laughing out loud at buriladki@thequint.com.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)