With a film career spanning five decades that comprised of over 300 films and commerical hits, Sridevi repeatedly shattered glass ceilings in an industry once dominated by patriarchal values and male stardom. She left behind a legacy where she is remembered as Bollywood’s first notable female icon whose contributions paved the way for female empowerment within the industry.
As a trailblazer of Indian cinematic success, her versatile acting encaptured viewers and her characters are till date remembered for their portrayal of vivid and complex emotions. These include film roles ranging from the idealised Indian woman in ‘Chandni’ who suffers love, loss and heartbreak to ‘Shashi’ in ‘English Vinglish’ who learns the art of empowerment through the journey of self-learning and acceptance; to her last iconic film being ‘Mom’ that showcases a mothers search for justice and revenge for her step-daughter in the face of depravity and helplessness. Her initial roles in ‘Mr. India’ and ‘Sadmaa’ provided audiences with a sense of comic relief kindled by her characters flair for drama and romantic sensualty. However, these very roles allowed her to become a central figure in stories that were once previously driven by male leads.
Her dance performances like ‘Hawa Hawaii’ are remembered to date and have become the heart of the film despite the songs having short screen time. These hits eventually paved the way for female-centrism in Hindi cinema. Eventually at the peak of her career, she became one of Bollywood’s highest paid actresses with producers eager to cast her as a leading roles when female-centric films started to dominate screens.
Her enduring appeal and critical acclaim won her India’s highest civilian award ‘Padmashri’ which not only solidified her legacy as a ‘Bollywood’s gem’ but led to millions mourning her globally when news of her untimely death shook the nation and world alike.
