Sridevi, the legend, unplugged!

She was the biggest female superstar in Bollywood. Her films were a huge rage, her acting, superlative and her dances were a must at all Big Fat Indian weddings. Hailed as a powerhouse of talent, she was none-other than the super amazing Sridevi. Unfortunately, her exemplary career was cut short by her untimely demise and the industry was bereaved and the void till date could not be filled. Author Satyarth Nayak who himself was a huge fan of this superstar has written a book 'Sridevi' which showcases the gorgeous Sridevi like never before. In a tell-all interview, he candidly talks about why he wanted to write this book and what were the challenges he faced. Read on…

You've written a book on Sridevi which has already become a rage. What made you write this book?

I have been an ardent admirer of Sridevi and I had always been appalled by the fact that there was no elaborate book celebrating the Athiloka Sundari's prolific career. Hailed as India's First Female Superstar, she not only remains the longest running No.1 actress in Hindi Cinema but she's the only actress who was No.1 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu cinema. Such was her stardom that she towered above her male co-stars and became the 'hero' of her films. She is also the only heroine who made a triumphant comeback post her marriage, thus shattering Bollywood rules, just as she had challenged industry patriarchy throughout her career. Her legacy spans fifty years and yet there was no book chronicling these legendary achievements of her. I guess Sridevi's massive body of work was intimidating for most writers and I glad my book got to celebrate the female megastar. 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 helping me turn my vision into reality.

What were the challenges you faced while writing the book?

One big challenge was what to keep out of the book given that Sridevi's career was so prolific. This was a book about an actress whose career spanned 50 years, 5 languages and 300 films. Condensing this gargantuan journey in a book was quite daunting but that was also the fun. Another big challenge was to write this book in the absence of Sridevi. If she would have been alive, the narrative would have been even more personal. Thankfully, I had a huge stack of film magazines from the '80s and '90s that form a part of my personal collection. They are filled with interviews of Sridevi through various stages of her career. In her absence, those quotes have become her voice in my book. When you will read those, you will get glimpses of both the person and the performer that she was.

You've spoken to a lot of people who were close to the late Sridevi ... could you give us some behind the scenes anecdotes?

I was fortunate to interview over 70 personalities, both in Bollywood and down South, who were associated with Sridevi both personally and professionally. Those interviews have yielded fascinating anecdotes. Like while Kamal Haasan reveals the pranks he pulled on Sri, Anil Kapoor reminisces about the Marwah wedding night in Dubai when he met Sri for the last time. While Rajinikanth remembers moments from his first film with Sridevi, Nagarjuna reveals an incident that somewhat forewarns the manner of Sri's tragic demise. While Chiranjeevi shares what he learnt from Sridevi, Karan Johar recollects her personal traits that he discovered watching her on sets. While Raghavendra Rao talks about a near fatal incident that happened with Sridevi when she was a child star, Ram Gopal Varma shares his favourite Sridevi moment off-screen. And while Shruti Haasan shares the life lesson that she picked up from Sri, Kajol and Vidya Balan tell you why she remains their biggest inspiration. You will also find personal anecdotes about how Sridevi coped with her father's death and her mother's botched up surgery in New York. Many such anecdotes form the beating heart of the book.

Could you tell us something about Sridevi that not too many people know?

There are many such stories in the book but the most fascinating is how post 'Mr. India', Sridevi refused films opposite Amitabh unless she had an equally solid role. Amitabh had to woo her by sending her a truckload of flowers to finally get her to act opposite him in 'KhudaGawah'. It just shows that Sridevi was always someone who flowed against the tide. She respected her own stardom and talent and wanted to remind the audiences of the true glory of an Indian film heroine. She became the 'hero' of her films and raised the status of the Indian film heroine to a whole new dimension. Today we talk about misogyny, patriarchy, sexism and toxic masculinity in the industry and Sridevi had battled it all in the eighties and emerged victorious. She was respectfully addressed as 'Mai' in Bollywood who had become more powerful than her male co-stars and was even paid more than them. She not only empowered her audiences but also became a messiah for the LGBT community worldwide. This for me is the most inspiring part of her iconic journey. It's even more relevant today and I want it to be a big take-away for the readers of this book.

What has the response been for the book - from Sridevi's family and of course, readers across the platform?

The book has got a positive response from Boney sir. He has been a pillar of strength right from the very beginning of this journey. He made several interviews with film personalities possible. For example the 'Foreword' by Kajol or Deepika Padukone launching the book in Delhi happened due to him. He also shared rare photographs and gave many personal inputs about Sridevi. In my acknowledgements, I have called him the Mr. India for this book as he has been an invisible force behind it. I am also ecstatic that the book has been getting a wonderful response from readers. Many keep tweeting to me to share how much they have loved the book because it reveals so many unknown things about her. The reviews on Amazon are fantastic and we have already entered the bestseller list there. For many, it has also been an emotional experience to relive Sridevi's fascinating journey that culminated with such an untimely end. That her admirers have loved the book is the biggest reward for me.

What is next on the pipeline for you?

Penguin is keen that I do another biography of a film star and I am considering that. My second thriller is ready and will be out by the middle of this year. It features the protagonist of my first thriller The Emperor's Riddles in another adventure. My book on Indian mythology is also nearing completion and should be out by the end of this year. I am also scripting a high-profile web-series which will be announced soon.