Boney, Janhvi, and Khushi Kapoor will be attending the 65th National Film Awards ceremony in Delhi on 3 May. They will be accepting the award for the Best Actress that was conferred upon Sridevi posthumously for her last film, Mom.
While no one doubts her talent, many have spoken about how the conferring of the National Award to Sridevi for Mom seems to be based on something other than pure merit. But is it?
We took a look at what the critics said about Sridevi’s performance when Mom released.
“It’s also true that a deeply emotional but superbly controlled performance by Sridevi elevates ‘Mom’ from its standard revenge fantasy leanings. The actress uses body language and her eyes to communicate complex emotions, and makes it impossible not to root for her despite the popular but frankly dangerous sentiment – of vigilantism – that the film is peddling.”Rajeev Masand
“Shorn of her mannerisms, and pancake, Sri needs only a twitch or a glance to prove that she is a powerhouse, and there are several scenes she lifts by just being there.”Shubhra Gupta
“’Mom’ is a Sridevi film. She manoeuvres the silent moments as beautifully as the ones where she must let her heart out.”Stutee Ghosh
“It’s a big deal to see her on screen, let alone that there are hardly any worthwhile scripts with a woman at 53 in the lead. If there was one, it would be written for Sridevi -- undoubtedly the female Amitabh Bachchan of her times. And she gives it her all. Speaking of which, Bachchan’s done ‘Paa’, it’s only fair that ‘Mom’ is Sri’s movie.Mayank Shekhar
“Sridevi is outstanding in the role of Devki. She is so much in character that her performance becomes one of her best to-date in her long and chequered career. Her breakdown in the hospital ICU, when the doctor gives her a devastating piece of news, is so outstanding that it could easily go down as one of the most memorable melodramatic scenes in world cinema history and not just Bollywood history . . . Her acting in the scene in which she traces her steps backwards to abide by the demands of a devastated Arya, as conveyed by her screams, is mind-blowing. Sridevi is bound to win awards galore, besides acclaim, for her performance which could rate among the best performances in world cinema.”Komal Nahta
“Sridevi is in top form. She carries the film in her shoulders much like she would do in the 80s when she was the Numero Uno heroine. As a performance, this one is leagues ahead of her last fine act (‘English Vinglish’). You know you can’t mess with Devki - such is the impact of the performance.”Sarita Tanwar
“Sridevi, magnificently expressive as the titular figure, is a treat to watch. She seems to make every one of the 50 years that she has spent before the movie camera count in this virtuoso performance.”Saibal Chaterjee
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