Playing everything from the ingenue in Kamal Haasan’s giallo-esque thriller Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), to a whip-wielding bandit queen in Sherni (1988), to a bewitching snake spirit in the supernatural romance/horror Nagina (1986), Sridevi has long laid claim to my heart as the queen of Bollywood. Sridevi could be charming, goofy, and sexy in turn, sometimes all in the same film, like in her star turn as Lois Lane by way of Charlie Chaplin in the superhero hit Mr. India (1987). I was deeply saddened to hear she passed away at the young age of 54 – the screen won’t see her like again.
And if you want a taste of what made her so special, check out one of her all-time best dance numbers, “Ms. Hawa Hawaii” from Mr. India at this link.