A file photo of Sridevi (courtesy proudsridevians)
Highlights
- "I'm her huge fan," said Karan Johar
- "She is one actor who updated her craft," he added
- "I just love her," said KJo
Karan Johar, who was looking forward to working with Sridevi in Kalank, confessed on a podcast show recently that: "I'm her huge fan," reported news agency IANS. After Sridevi's death in February this year, Madhuri Dixit was roped in for the role in Karan Johar-produced Kalank, which Sridevi was originally cast in. Speaking on the show, Karan Johar said he had plans of working with Sridevi and even wanted to write a script with a role for Sridevi as the highlight: "When she passed away this year, I was like this is not fair. I used to say she is the one actor I really want to direct and I would have done something with her in my writing and directorial existence. I just love her. She is one actor who updated her craft," IANS quoted him as saying. "And I really feel like we lost a special actor. I really wish I could have directed her," Karan Johar added.
After her 1997 film Judaai - a year after she married Boney Kapoor - Sridevi made a striking comeback to Bollywood with 2012's English Vinglish and then starred in MOM, in both of which she played the central character. Speaking on the show, Karan Johar said English Vinglish and MOM made him a fan of Sridevi all over again: "She was from the 80s and 90s but when she acted in English Vinglish and even in many parts of Mom, I feel like she has watched other actors, she has imbibed a certain tonality. And a lot of actors from that generation don't do that. You know they get stuck in that 90s acting... Even though she was detached from cinema since Judai which was in 1997, she came back many moons later in English Vinglish in 2012 and I was blown away by her."
After her death, Sridevi was posthumously honoured with her first National Award for MOM, in which she played a vengeful mother, determined to deliver justice to her daughter. Her Best Actress National Award was received by her daughters Janhvi and Khushi and husband Boney Kapoor this year.
Karan Johar however, launched Sridevi's eldest daughter Janhvi in Bollywood with July release Dhadak. Produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, Dhadak also starred Shahid Kapoor's brother Ishaan Khatter. Apart from introducing Janhvi to Bollywood, Karan Johar has also been part of Sridevi's circle of close friends, which also includes names such as Rekha, Shabana Azmi, Tina Munim, Shilpa Shetty, Rani Mukherji and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Vidya Balan. Sridevi also often hung out at Karan Johar's house with daughters Janhvi and Khushi.
In February this year, Sridevi died after accidentally drowning at a hotel bathtub in Dubai, where she was attending the wedding festivities of nephew Mohit Marwah. MOM remains Sridevi's last film. Before her death, Sridevi filmed a cameo for Shah Rukh Khan's Zero, which will hit screens on December 21.
(With IANS inputs)