Sridevi is an Indian actress who has starred in hundreds of Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam language films.
She started acting at the age of four, and made her debut as an adult in the late 70s. She went on to establish herself as one of the leading actresses of her time.She left the industry in 1997 to raise her children.
Sridevi was born in a Meenampatti village near Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu. Her mother tongue is Tamil. Her father Ayyapan, was a lawyer, and her mother's name was Rajeswari. Sridevi has a sister, Srilatha. She has two step brothers Satish and Anand from her father's previous marriage. Her cousins, Maheswari and Karthik have also appeared in films.
Sridevi started her career as a child artist in the Tamil movie Kandhan Karunai playing the role of Lord Muruga (1967) and acted in many Tamil and Telugu movies. During her early adult career, she acted in a number of Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam movies. Many of her Malayalam movies were directed by I. V. Sasi. Some examples of her notable Malayalam movies are: Aadhyapaadam, Aalinganam, Kuttavum Sikshaiyum, Aa Nimisham.
In 1976, she got her first big break as a heroine in K. Balachander's Moondru Mudichu, where she starred opposite Kamal Haasan and Rajnikanth. After Moondru Mudhchu, Sridevi had a succession of films with both Haasan and Rajnikanth. With Haasan, she acted in movies such as Guru, Sankarlal, Sigappu Rojakkal, Thaayillamal Naanillai, Meendum Kokila, Vaazhve Maayam, Varumaiyin Niram Sigappu, Neela Malargal, Moondram Pirai, 16 Vayathinile. With Rajnikanth, she acted in movies such as Dharmayuddham, Priya, Pokkiri Raja, Thanikattu Raja, 'Adutha Varisu, Nan Adimai Illai.
During the same time, Sridevi made Telugu language movies. A number of her Telugu movies were made by K. Raghavendra Rao. With N. T. Rama Rao, she acted in movies such as Konda Veeti Simham, Vetagadu, Sardar Paparayudu and Bobbili Puli. With A. Nageswara Rao, she acted in movies such as Mudulla Koduku, Premabhishekham, Bangaru Kanku, Premakanuka etc. With Krishna she acted in movies such as Kanchu Kagada, Kalavari Samsaram, Krishnavatharam, Borripellum Bolludu, Khaidi Rudrayya etc. Towards the tail end of her Telugu career, she started acting in Hindi movies. Many of her initial Hindi movies starred Jeetendra and were remakes of her Telugu movies, mostly directed by K. Raghavendra Rao, and K. Bappaiah.
In 1978, she starred in her first Hindi film, Solva Saawan. Her second movie, Himmatwala with Jeetendra whom she also appeared with in Tohfa, Mawaali and Justice Chaudhry. In 1983, Sridevi starred opposite Kamal Hasan in the drama Sadma. The film earned Sridevi her first Filmfare nomination for Best Actress.
Sridevi films in the 80's included Justice Chowdhary, Jaani Dost, Mawaali, Maqsad, Tohfa, Karma, Aakhree Raasta, Jaanbaaz, Ghar Sansar, Nagina & Mr India Suhagan & Aulad. In 1988's Chaalbaaz, she played a double-role as twin sisters which won her the first Hindi Filmfare Best Actress Award. The same year also received an nomination for Yash Chopra's Chandni. Chopra again directed her in Lamhe (1991), where Sridevi plays a double-role act as mother and daughter won her a second Hindi Filmfare Best Actress Award.
She followed it with Khuda Gawah (1992), where she had a double role as a pining Afghan wife, opposite Amitabh Bachchan. The Telugu film Kshana Kshanam was released in the same year and afforded her a Filmfare Best Actress Award and a Nandi Awards. These nominations were followed by another performance as an innocent victim trapped in a Hong Kong prison in Mahesh Bhatt's Gumrah & a negative role in Laadla. For her performance in the drama Judaai (1997), she got her last Filmfare nomination after which she left the industry to marry filmmaker Boney Kapoor and raise her two daughters, Jhanvi and Khushi.
After a six-year hiatus, Sridevi returned to the small screen, briefly, in the Sahara sitcom Malini Iyer (2004-2005). She also appeared on Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai for Karisma Kapoor (2004) and as a judge in the TV show Kaboom (2005). She performed a medley of some of her music at the 52nd Filmfare Awards 2007. She is a member of the Board of Directors at the Asian Academy of Film and Television.
On 19 September 2009, Sri Devi Appeared on Sony Tv Show 10 Ka Dum, the famous game show hosted by Salman Khan. On the episode; Sridevi and Boney Kapoor were the guests, along with actor-director Prabhudeva, actor Ayesha Takia and the musical duo Sajid-Wajid, all of whom had come to promote their magnum opus film Wanted.
Sridevi married film producer Boney Kapoor on 2 June 1996. She is the second wife for him. The couple have two daughters: Jhanvi and Khushi.
Her father died while she was filming Lamhe, her mother while she was making Judaai. She herself passed away due to a massive heart attack while visiting Dubai on Feb 24, 2018.