On Sridevi's birth anniversary, her lesser-known films that you might consider watching

By Raya Ghosh

on August 13, 2018

Finesse, grace, and elegance - Sridevi was a powerhouse of talent with an enigmatic screen presence as she owned the power of establishing her potential on celluloid with invincible characters and memorable roles. At just four, Sridevi made her debut in the industry with the Tamil film Kandhan Karunai (1967) and continued to make rampant appearances in south films.

Almost twelve years later, Sridevi featured in her first Hindi film as a heroine in 1979's Solva Sawan and subsequently starred in blockbusters such as Nagina (1986), Mr India (1987) and Chandni (1989) - films that catapulted her to the status of 'Indian cinema's first female superstar'.

In a career spanning almost 50 years, Sridevi starred in over 300 films and was also the highest-paid actress during the eighties and nineties. Had she been alive, Sridevi would have been 55 today and to celebrate her birth anniversary, we collated a list of her films that you might not know about. Sadma, Lamhe or English Vinglish are her unforgettable projects but you might consider glancing through this piece for an insight into her lesser-known films.

Kalakar

1983 was remarkable for Sridevi as she turned into an overnight superstar with Himmatwala opposite Jeetendra. Apart from the K. Raghavendra Rao-directed film, Sridevi starred in five other films that released in the same year - including Kalakar. Sridevi's Radha Khanna belongs to an affluent family and her consequent romantic involvement with an aspiring singer (newcomer Kunal Goswami) in Kalakar formed the crux of the P. Sambasiva Rao film. Kalakar, however, wasn't received well by audiences but what was, were its songs, especially Neele Neele Ambar Par.

Recommended Read: Sridevi’s 55th Birth Anniversary: Anil, Manish and others celebs remember the veteran star

Naya Kadam

Sridevi's impact, following her debut in the Hindi film industry, was immense as she appeared in more than three projects almost every year during the eighties. Among other releases in 1984, Sridevi featured in Naya Kadam, co-starring Rajesh Khanna, Padmini Kolhapure and Jaya Prada. Based on socially-relevant issues such as literacy and women's empowerment, Naya Kadam was a superhit while fans appraised Sridevi's role in it as well.

Aakhree Raasta

1984's Aakhree Raasta was primarily Amitabh Bachchan's film. It cast Big B in a double-role - David D'Costa sets out to avenge his wife's (Jaya Prada) death while Sridevi was cast as Vijay Sandaliya's girlfriend - Bachchan's other role. Aakhree Raasta was special to Sridevi since veteran actress Rekha dubbed for her in the film.

Gumrah

In 1993, Sridevi impressed fans with Gumrah, Mahesh Bhatt's crime drama co-starring Rahul Roy and Sanjay Dutt. In Gumrah, Sridevi's Roshni, an aspiring singer, establishes a successful career with the help of Rahul's character while both eventually end up in a romantic association. But it certainly isn't what meets the eye since Rahul has an underlying personality that Roshni ultimately discovers through her ardent fan Jaggu (Dutt). Gumrah is considered as one of Sridevi's best roles for which she also received a Filmfare nomination.