The last time we saw Sridevi on the Tamil screen, it was 1986. The film was the Rajinikanth-starrer Naan Adimai Illai . Afterward, the heroine, who essayed an astonishing variety of roles with top stars and hotshot directors, chose to focus on Hindi films. What brought her back was the scope of her character in Puli . “I loved the narration,” she says. “Nothing else really mattered. It’s been a long time since I’ve done a costume fantasy, and it was a total departure from my English Vinglish look. That excited me. It is a commercial film, and I think it will appeal to all audiences.”
The film comes three years after English Vinglish , and the actress says she takes her time to confirm a project. “The offers have always been coming in, but things happen only when they have to. English… touched a chord in me; I am a mother of two, and I identified with the character Shashi. I felt sorry for her, even though my children have never treated me that way,” she laughs.
She experienced a similar ‘instant reaction’ when listening to the narration of Puli . “The whole idea fascinated me. I just had to be a part of it,” says the actress, who has dubbed for the film in Tamil and Hindi.
In the years she stayed away from the arc lights, she raised her daughters Jhanvi and Khushi, lived a regular life, and painted. One of her works, ‘Thoughts’, was auctioned by Christie’s for charity. Sridevi’s voice lights up when she speaks about painting. It is a passion she’s kept alive since childhood. “I started when I was in school, and continued even when I was working in films. I took a break once the children were born and got back to it when I started painting with them as part of their homework. Recently, I worked with Khushi on a painting we wanted to put up in our home. It was fun. I love working with acrylics and oil paints.”
Sridevi says she never really missed being on the sets during her long break. “I was doing equally enjoyable things — shopping, gymming, playing tennis, and swimming. Nothing tempted me to sacrifice the time I had with my children. When it did in the form of English… , I made allowances, struck a balance — when we were shooting in New York, the kids were with me for a month and a half.”
Her favourite films are Johnny , Varumayin Niram Sivappu , Moondram Pirai , Moondru Mudichu , Meendum Kokila , Mr. India and ChaalBaaz . “When I was acting, I followed the director’s instructions and contributed my bit too,” she says. “But, you never expect that decades later, the movies will still be remembered. I’m just grateful.” Sridevi is also grateful that she is in a position where she can choose, even after such a long gap. “That’s a happy place to be in.”
Sridevi says she’s an instinctive performer. “I become that character only once the director says ‘action’. I don’t believe that if it is a sad scene, you have to be sad through the day or carry the grief home. I’m not a method actor. The character is firmly left behind on the sets.”
There is an exception, though — when it comes to goofy characters such as those in Mr. India and ChaalBaaz . Then, what you see on screen is the real Sridevi. “I’m like that with family and friends. My family calls me a comedienne. I make everyone laugh.”
Sridevi says it feels good to be working at a time when actors are treated like royalty. “I’ve shot in so many rural locations — in Pollachi, Kochi, Rajahmundry, Vizag — where we’ve taken cover behind bushes and changed our costumes. The hairdresser and others would create a curtain of sorts with a sheet. Now, it’s such a blessing to step into a vanity van, but those days were very special. We made magic with limited resources.”
