Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess

Last updated

Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess
Sridevi- The Eternal Screen Goddess.jpg
Author Satyarth Nayak
CountryIndia
LanguageEnglish
Subject Sridevi
GenreBiography
Published22 December 2019
Publisher Random House
Pages296
ISBN 978-0-670-09267-3
OCLC 1138654065

Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess is a biography by author and screenwriter Satyarth Nayak that chronicles the life and career of Indian actress Sridevi. Consisting of ten chapters, it describes her birth in 1963 in Egmore, her acting career in both the North and South Indian film industries, her marriage in 1996 to the film producer Boney Kapoor, with whom she has two daughters, and her death by accidental drowning in 2018. Published by Random House on 16 December 2019, the book was a success both commercially and critically, and reviewers commended it for the writing and comprehensiveness.

Contents

After authoring the mystery novel The Emperor's Riddles (2014) and scripting the historical television series Porus (2017–2018), Nayak wanted to experiment in writing a biography. 2017 was the year of Sridevi's 300th film, Mom ; the news of the milestone aroused him to choose the actress as his next subject. Discussion of the book was started the same year, but writing started in mid-2018—following her death in February 2018—and was finished in around 1+1⁄2 years. In research, Nayak used his personal collection of film magazines and interviewed approximately 70 people, including her family members, her contemporaries and her friends.

Summary

Sridevi was born on 13 August 1963 in Egmore. She got her first film role in the Tamil-language film Thunaivan (1969), portraying the Hindu God Kartikeya. She then appeared in more South Indian films, with her Malayalam and Telugu debuts Kumara Sambhavam (1969) and Maa Nanna Nirdoshi (1970), respectively. In Bollywood, she made her debut with Rani Mera Naam (1972), and followed it by a debut in the Kannada cinema with Bhakta Kumbara . The book also covers her commercially and critically successful films such as Moondru Mudichu (1976), 16 Vayathinile (1977), Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Sadma (1983), Mr. India (1987), Chandni (1989), ChaalBaaz (1989), Kshana Kshanam (1991), and Lamhe (1991). In 1996, she married the film producer Boney Kapoor, with whom she has two children (including Jahnvi). After having children, Sridevi took a sabbatical from full-time acting. She had her comeback in English Vinglish (2012) and her last starring role came with Mom (2017). The book also details her death by accidental drowning on 24 February 2018.

Background and writing

"Such was her stardom that she towered above her male co-stars and became the 'hero' of her films ... Her legacy spans fifty years and five languages and yet there was no book chronicling these ... I guess Sridevi's massive body of work was intimidating for most writers and I glad my book got to celebrate the female megastar."

 —Satyarth Nayak on Sridevi [1]

2017 marked the release of Sridevi's 300th film, the crime thriller Mom, for which she won her only Best Actress trophy at the National Film Awards. [2] At that time, the author Satyarth Nayak had left Mumbai for Delhi and planned to explore a new genre for his next project, having written the mystery novel The Emperor's Riddles (2014) and scripted the historical television series Porus (2017–2018). The news of her milestone aroused Nayak to write about the actress. [3] Calling himself an "ardent admirer" of Sridevi, whom he described as "a true pan-Indian megastar", [1] Nayak's first encounter with Sridevi happened in 2012, while she was promoting for her comeback film, English Vinglish in Delhi, and had become an unforgettable experience for him. [4]

Nayak was surprised to learn there were no biographies on her written at the time, [1] and considered writing it would be a "blissful experience" for him. [5] In 2017, he met her husband, Boney Kapoor, to discuss her biography. Coinciding with Jahnvi's signing of her debut film, Dhadak (2018), Sridevi notified him to start the project after the film was released. However, her sudden death in February 2018 changed his mind. Nayak recounted that he was initially ready to remove the "Sridevi Book" folder from his laptop until his friend texted him to keep the ideas, as her death meant the book would have a last chapter. [6] He added, "While the initial idea of this book had been discussed with her and Boney sir, post her untimely demise, it's now taken the shape and form of a tribute to her inspiring cinematic journey. I am grateful to both Boney sir and Penguin for turning my vision into reality." [1]

The writing of the book, originally titled Sridevi: Girl Woman Superstar, started in mid-2018 and was finished in 1+1⁄2 years. [7] Nayak revealed that Kapoor was his huge supporter throughout the process and helped him to get access to anyone ready to interview. [8] Nayak conducted meetings with over 70 people, including Sridevi's film contemporaries, her friends, her family members, [1] and those who were present in Dubai, where she died. [9] He stated he tried watching Sridevi's films as many as he could to "ensure a comprehensive documentation of her journey." [4] In research, he used his personal collection of film magazines from the 1980s and 1990s, which contain her interviews from various stages of her career, and considered them "her voice in [the] book." [1] Kapoor recommended Kajol to write the foreword, to which Nayak agreed. According to Nayak, the foreword needed to be written by a younger individual who works in the Indian film industry to give comprehension of how Sridevi being her inspiration, and Kajol fit the requirements. [3]

Release and reception

Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess was published by Random House on 16 December 2019 on hardcover, [10] and was declared a commercial success. [11] Two more versions, on Amazon Kindle and audiobook, were released on 20 December that year and 12 February 2021, respectively. [12] [13] Upon release, the book has generated widespread acclaim from critics, who generally praise Nayak's writing and its comprehensiveness. Priyanka Bhadani of The Week , referring to the book as a "convincing retelling," complimented his effort in researching for it and concluded the review by saying, "even if the tone of the book is adulatory to an extent, it is a sincere effort in putting together the life of an actor who remained an enigma till the end." [14] Writing for the Khaleej Times , Sadiq Saleem described it as an "eye-opening book," calling it "no less than a treasure for any cine-goer." [15]

The Hindu 's Ramya Kannan wrote that the book is more like a hagiography than a biography. [16] Reviewing ambivalently the book for India Today , Jai Arjun Singh found Nayak's writing repetitive when starting his sentences by words such as, "Watch how..." Singh criticised his selectiveness in examining her performances, claiming that Nayak avoided those that have more negative reviews. [17] The Times of India believed his journalistic career contributed with giving him enough insights about Sridevi, [18] and Priyanka Chandani of The Asian Age said that it is full of her anecdotes. [19] In the words of Gautam Chintamani from Firstpost, "... the actor's all-round brilliance is meticulously encapsulated, bringing forth episodes from her life that reveal a great deal about the person she was." [20] Mid-Day 's Mayank Shekhar called the book well-researched and "entirely fan-zoned." [21]

Publication history

RegionRelease dateFormatPublisherRef.
India16 December 2019Hardcover Random House [10]
20 December 2019 Amazon Kindle [12]
12 February 2021Audiobook [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sridevi</span> Indian actress (1963–2018)

Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan, known professionally as Sridevi, was an Indian actress who worked in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada language films. Cited as the "first female superstar" of Indian cinema, she was the recipient of various accolades, including a National Film Award, four Filmfare Awards, including a Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, three Filmfare Awards South, Two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, One Kerala State Film Award, and a Nandi Award. Sridevi's career spanned over 50 years in a wide range of genres. She was known for her reticent and introverted off-screen personality, but headstrong and outspoken on-screen persona, often playing strong-willed women. In 2013, Sridevi was honoured with the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian honour. She was voted "India's Greatest Actress in 100 Years" in a CNN-IBN national poll conducted in 2013.

<i>Mr. India</i> (1987 film) 1987 film by Shekhar Kapur

Mr. India is a 1987 Indian Hindi-language superhero film directed by Shekhar Kapur and produced jointly by Boney Kapoor and Surinder Kapoor under the former's banner Narsimha Enterprises, with the story and screenplay written by the duo Salim–Javed in what was their last collaboration before their split. Starring Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, and Amrish Puri, the film tells the story of Arun Verma (Kapoor), a humble violinist and philanthropist who receives a cloaking device that grants him invisibility. While renting out his house to pay his debts, he meets the journalist Seema Sohni (Sridevi) and falls in love with her. Meanwhile, the criminal Mogambo (Puri) has plans to conquer India.

<i>Naan Adimai Illai</i> 1986 Indian film

Naan Adimai Illai is a 1986 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film directed by Dwarakish. The film stars Rajinikanth and Sridevi. This was the last Tamil film for Sridevi in 1980s who then concentrated on her Bollywood career, though she would later return to Tamil cinema in the 2010s. Naan Adimai Illai ran for 75 days in all major cities and was a disaster at the box office. The film was a remake of the Hindi film Pyar Jhukta Nahin (1985).

<i>Adutha Varisu</i> 1983 film by S. P. Muthuraman

Adutha Varisu is a 1983 Indian Tamil-language action drama film directed by S. P. Muthuraman, starring Rajinikanth and Sridevi. It is a remake of the 1972 Hindi film Raja Jani, which itself was loosely based on the 1956 American film Anastasia. The film was released on 7 July 1983.

<i>Priya</i> (1978 film) 1978 Indian film

Priya is a 1978 Indian thriller film directed by S. P. Muthuraman, starring Sridevi in the title role along with Rajinikanth, Aznah Hamid, and Ambareesh. It was simultaneously made in Tamil and Kannada languages. The story is an adaptation of writer Sujatha's novels. The Tamil version was released on 22 December 1978, and the Kannada version on 12 January 1979. It was dubbed and released in Telugu as Ajeyudu which released on 10 March 1979 and was also dubbed in Hindi as Love in Singapore in 1983. The soundtrack of this film is recorded using Dolby Stereophonic technology for the first time in Tamil cinema. It was Sridevi's first and only Kannada film as a lead actress.

<i>Neela Malargal</i> 1979 film by Krishnan–Panju

Neela Malargal is a 1979 Indian Tamil-language film, directed by Krishnan–Panju. The film stars Kamal Haasan, Sridevi and Major Sundarrajan. It is a remake of the Hindi film Anuraag (1972). The film was released on 19 October 1979.

<i>Sigappukkal Mookkuthi</i> 1979 film by Valampuri Somanathan

Sigappukkal Mookkuthi is a 1979 Indian Tamil language film, directed by Valampuri Somanathan, starring Sridevi in the lead role. Kamal Haasan and Vijayakumar play other prominent roles.

<i>Solva Sawan</i> 1979 Indian film

Solva Sawan is a 1979 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Bharathiraja. The film stars Sridevi and Amol Palekar, with Dina Pathak and Kulbhushan Kharbanda in supporting roles. It is a remake of Bharathiraja's own Tamil film 16 Vayathinile (1977), which also starred Sridevi. The film marked Sridevi's debut as a leading actress in Hindi cinema following an already successful and established career in South Indian cinema. She was 16 years old during the film making. Unlike the original, the film was a critical and commercial failure.

<i>Pagalil Oru Iravu</i> 1979 film by I. V. Sasi

Pagalil Oru Iravu is a 1979 Indian Tamil-language film directed by I. V. Sasi, starring Vijayakumar, Sridevi, Seema and Ravikumar. It is a remake of Sasi's own Malayalam film Aalinganam (1976), also starring Sridevi. The film was released on 15 August 1979.

<i>Poompatta</i> (film) 1971 Indian Malayalam film directed by BK Pottekkad

Poompatta (transl. Butterfly) is a 1971 Indian Malayalam-language children's film, directed by B. K. Pottekkad and produced by V. M. Sreenivasan. Based on a short story by Karoor Neelakanta Pillai, the film stars Sridevi, Prema, Sankaradi and T. R. Omana. It was released on 12 March 1971. Sridevi won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist for her performance in this film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sridevi filmography</span>

Indian actress Sridevi made her debut as a child in the 1967 Tamil film Kandhan Karunai at the age of four, and began playing lead roles as a child in M. A. Thirumugam’s 1969 mythological Tamil film Thunaivan. Her first role as an on-screen adult came in 1976 at age 13, in the Tamil film Moondru Mudichu. She then starred in 16 Vayathinile (1977) which proved to be a major breakthrough for Sridevi. Following this she appeared in the critically acclaimed thriller Sigappu Rojakkal (1978) and the satirical drama Varumayin Niram Sivappu (1980), establishing herself as a leading female star of South Indian Cinema. Subsequently, she played a woman who suffers from Amnesia in the critically and commercially successful classic Moondram Pirai (1982). She also achieved success by starring as a female lead in the successful dramas Padaharella Vayasu (1978), Meendum Kokila (1981), Premabhishekam (1981), Vazhvey Maayam (1982) and Aakhari Poratam (1988).

<i>Kavari Maan</i> 1979 film by S. P. Muthuraman

Kavari Maan is a 1979 Indian Tamil-language film, directed by S. P. Muthuraman and written by Panchu Arunachalam. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, with Vijayakumar, Ravichandran, Sekhar and Sridevi in supporting roles. It was released on 6 April 1979.

<i>Aalinganam</i> 1976 Indian film

Aalinganam (transl. Embrace) is a 1976 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by I. V. Sasi and written by Sherif. The film stars Raghavan, Sridevi, Rani Chandra and Vincent, with music by A. T. Ummer. Sasi remade it in Tamil as Pagalil Oru Iravu (1979), with Sridevi returning.

<i>Angeekaaram</i> 1977 Indian film

Angeekaaram is a 1977 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by I. V. Sasi and produced by Ramachandran. The film stars Prameela, Sridevi, Vincent, Sukumaran, K. P. Ummer and Prathapachandran. The film has musical score by A. T. Ummer. It is the first film to feature Sridevi in dual roles.

<i>Anuraga Devatha</i> 1982 Indian film

Anuraga Devatha is a 1982 Indian Telugu-language drama film produced by Nandamuri Harikrishna for Ramakrishna Cine Studios, and directed by T. Rama Rao. The film stars N. T. Rama Rao, Sridevi and Jayasudha, with music composed by Chakravarthy. It is a remake of the Hindi film Aasha (1980).

<i>Sabatham</i> 1971 Indian film

Sabatham (transl. Challenge) is 1971 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film, directed by P. Madhavan and written by Bala Murugan. Music was by G. K. Venkatesh. The film stars K. R. Vijaya, Ravichandran, Nagesh and T. K. Bhagavathi, with V. K. Ramasami and Anjali Devi in supporting roles. It was released on 14 April 1971.

<i>Taxi Driver</i> (1978 film) 1978 Indian film

Taxi Driver is a 1978 Indian Tamil-language film directed and written by N. S. Manian. The film stars Jaishankar, S. A. Ashokan, M. R. Radha and Sridevi. It was released on 18 August 1978, and emerged a success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janhvi Kapoor</span> Indian actress (born 1997)

Janhvi Kapoor is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. Born to Sridevi and Boney Kapoor, she made her acting debut in 2018 with the romantic drama Dhadak, which was a commercial success. Her subsequent theatrical releases were commercially unsuccessful, but she received nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for playing the titular aviator in Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020) and a woman trapped in a freezer in Mili (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satyarth Nayak</span> Indian author and screenwriter (born 1981)

Satyarth Nayak is an Indian author and screenwriter, known for his bestselling novel The Emperor's Riddles, authoring the biography of Sridevi and for scripting Sony's historical television epic Porus. The Emperor's Riddles turned out to be a bestselling thriller with the media calling it "a hit with young readers". Porus created by Swastik Productions was one of the most expensive and acclaimed shows on Indian television. Satyarth's biography of screen legend Sridevi titled Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess published in 2019 by Penguin Random House also went on to win high praise. Satyarth has been named one of the Top 50 Indian authors to follow on social media.

<i>Deiva Kuzhandhaigal</i> 1973 Indian film

Deiva Kuzhandhaigal is a 1973 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by S. P. Muthuraman and written by V. C. Guhanathan. The film stars Jaishankar, R. Muthuraman and Jaya, with Sridevi, Master Ramu and Jayaseelan in supporting roles. It was released on 14 September 1973, and failed at the box office.

References

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.