Sridevi 2012-2018: Comeback with English Vinglish and final years What happened in 2012 ". In 2012, Adil Hussain, Sridevi's co-star in English Vinglish revealed that he became a fan of the actress after watching her in Sadma. Did he contact her to work for him? The Sridevi-Kamal Hasan pair also appeared on the CNN-IBN 2012 list of 'Greatest Romantic Couples on Celluloid'. What other projects did she appear in? Sridevi had successful pairing with Rajesh Khanna in films such as Naya Kadam (1984), Maqsad (1984), Masterji (1985) and Nazrana (1987). Did she ever win any awards for her appearances/ Greatest Romantic Couples on Celluloid'. The film won Sridevi her first Filmfare nomination for Best Actress. Did she do any work in other languages or countries? I don't know. What were her final years like? At the time of her death, Sridevi was not shooting for any upcoming films;
What was english vinglish?
What was english vinglish?
In 1976, Sridevi started her first leading role in the Tamil film Moondru Mudichu directed by K. Balachander. She followed it with a number of films with Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth. Sridevi's first release of 1977 was Gayathri, followed by Kavikkuyil and 16 Vayathinile, where she played the role of a young girl who is caught between her two lovers. She also starred in the movie's Telugu remake Padaharella Vayasu in 1978. Her subsequent notable films included Bharathi Raja's Sigappu Rojakkal, S. P. Muthuraman's Priya, Karthika Deepam, Johnny, Varumayin Niram Sivappu and Aakali Rajyam. She acted with N. T. Rama Rao in Bobbili Puli, Justice Chowdhary and Aatagadu. She acted alongside Sivaji Ganesan in Sandhippu, Kavari Mann and Pilot Prem Nath.  Sridevi made her debut as child artiste in Kannada with Bhakta Kumbara (1974) directed by Hunsur Krishnamurthy. Her other films as a child artist in Kannada included Bala Bharatam and Yashoda Krishna. She was also a part of Hennu Samsarada Kannu (1975), directed by A.V. Sheshagiri Rao. Sridevi also acted opposite Ambarish in Priya (1978), produced by S. P. Muthurraman. She made her debut in Malayalam films with Kumara Sambhava in 1969 as child actor, followed by I. V. Sasi's Abhinandanam. Her notable films as the lead heroine in Malayalam were Thulavarsham, directed by N. Sankaran Nair in 1976 and M. Masthan's Kuttavum Shikshayum a remake of the Tamil film Pennai Nambungal with Kamal Haasan starring opposite her. She next started in the Malayalam release was Satyavan Savithri. In 1981, she starred in the Tamil film Meendum Kokila which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Tamil. In 1982, Sridevi starred in Moondram Pirai playing a woman suffering from amnesia and went on to win the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress. She was paired with Kamal Hasan in 27 films across languages.  Sridevi's notable Telugu films include Konda Veeti Simham, Kshana Kshanam, Vetagadu, Sardar Paparayudu and Bobbili Puli. With A. Nageswara Rao, she appeared in movies such as Mudulla Koduku, Premabhishekham, Bangaru Kanuka and Premakanuka as well as with Krishna in Kanchu Kagada, Kalavari Samsaram, Krishnavatharam, Burripalem Bolludu, Khaidi Rudrayya. She acted with Cheeranjeevi in Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari, S. P. Parasuram. Her performance in the 1992 Ram Gopal Varma directed Kshana Kshanam opposite Venkatesh, won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Telugu and Andhra's Nandi Award for Best Actress.  Sridevi made her debut as a heroine in Hindi films in Solva Sawan in 1979. Four years later she was signed to star opposite Jeetendra in Himmatwala. The film released in 1983 and became one of the biggest blockbusters of the year. It established Sridevi in Bollywood and earned her the famous sobriquet 'Thunder Thighs'. Her dance number "Nainon Mein Sapna" became a rage with Rediff stating that "the water pots may have dominated most frames in "Nainon mein sapna", but it was Sridevi's bejewelled outfits and headgears that stole the show". The following year Tohfa released and turned out to be the biggest hit of 1984. The film established Sridevi as one of the leading actress of Bollywood. with Filmfare magazine declaring her "Unquestionably No.1" on their cover.  The pair of Jeetendra-Sridevi did 16 films together of which Himmatwala (1983), Jaani Dost (1983), Justice Chaudhry (1983), Mawaali(1983), Akalmand (1984), Tohfa (1984), Balidaan (1985), Aulad (1987), Suhagan (1986), Ghar Sansar (1986), Dharm Adhikari (1986),Sone Pe Suhaaga (1988) were successful and Aag Aur Shola (1986), Himmat Aur Mehanat (1987), Sarfarosh (1985) were flops Sadma released in 1983, brought Sridevi critical acclaim. A remake of her Tamil film Moondram Pirai, Sadma is included in iDiva's list of '10 Must Watch Movies That Weren't Blockbusters'. She also acted with A. Nageswara Rao's son Nagarjuna - like Aakhari Porattam, Govinda Govinda and Khudah Gawah. She has played heroine to both Dharmendra and his son Sunny Deol.  Sridevi's performance as a child-woman suffering from amnesia was called by Indian Express "a milestone in her illustrious career". Sridevi also featured in the Mid Day list of 'Challenging Roles played by Bollywood Actors' describing her act in the film as "her best performance ever". In 2012, Adil Hussain, Sridevi's co-star in English Vinglish revealed that he became a fan of the actress after watching her in Sadma. The Sridevi-Kamal Hasan pair also appeared on the CNN-IBN 2012 list of 'Greatest Romantic Couples on Celluloid'. The film won Sridevi her first Filmfare nomination for Best Actress.  Sridevi had successful pairing with Rajesh Khanna in films such as Naya Kadam (1984), Maqsad (1984), Masterji (1985) and Nazrana (1987). In 1986, came the snake fantasy Nagina which saw Sridevi play an 'ichhadhaari naagin' or a shape-shifting woman. The film turned out to be the second biggest blockbuster of the year, with Box Office India stating that Sridevi remained "the undisputed No.1". It was also named one of the best snake fantasy films by Yahoo. Times of India ranked Nagina as one of the 'Top 10 Snake Films of Hindi Cinema'. Sridevi's climax dance number 'Main Teri Dushman' also remains one of the best snake dances in Bollywood with Desi Hits calling it "one of Sridevi's most iconic dance numbers...that still gives fans goose bumps" and iDiva describing it as "the stuff of movie legends". Besides Nagina, 1986 also saw Sridevi giving box-office hits in Subhash Ghai's multi-starrer Karma and Feroze Khan's Janbaaz. According to CNN-IBN Bollywood Blockbusters, "Sridevi's popularity grew so much that despite having a guest appearance in Janbaaz, she completely overshadowed the film's lead heroine Dimple Kapadia".  After an eight-year absence from film, Sridevi starred in English Vinglish (2012), a comedy-drama from debutante director Gauri Shinde. In the film, she played Shashi Godbole, a housewife who enrolls in an English-speaking course after her husband and daughter's mocking of her English skills. The film and Sridevi's performance received positive response. The Times of India called it "easily one of the best films of 2012" and Sridevi's performance "a masterclass for actors." Raja Sen of Rediff found the film "a winner all the way [...] Sri excels in fleshing out her character", and critic Subhash K. Jha said Sridevi "makes the contemporary actresses, even the coolest ones, look like jokes...If you watch only two films every year make sure you see English Vinglish twice!" Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN wrote Sridevi delivers "a performance that is nothing short of perfect [...] It's warm and fuzzy, and leaves you with a big smile on your face." "Sridevi doesn't miss a beat. Her performance is a triumph", added the critic Anupama Chopra. Komal Nahta said she "makes the best comeback in Bollywood history and delivers a landmark performance."  With the success of English Vinglish, Sridevi became the only actress in Bollywood to make a successful comeback as a leading lady after marriage and a long hiatus. Shinde featured her in the Financial Times 2012 list of '25 Indians To Watch'. She topped Rediff.com's annual listing of the "Bollywood's Best Actresses" in 2012; the website wrote English Vinglish "is a simple film where things are credible, never melodramatic" and Sridevi "always judges the tone right. It's the sort of performance younger actresses [...] should learn from." Sridevi was declared the most-admired Bollywood actress of 2012 in a mobile survey conducted by Vuclip, the world's largest mobile research company. She was nominated for several awards, including her ninth Filmfare Best Actress nomination. Following an appearance during the song "Apna Bombay Talkies" in the film Bombay Talkies (2013), Sridevi starred in the Tamil fantasy action adventure film Puli (2015).  Sridevi was next seen in her home production titled Mom (2017), which marked her 300th film. In the thriller film, she played a mother who sets out to avenge the rape of her daughter. Sridevi said that as a mother and an artiste, she empathized with her character's rage, and found it hard to be in a normal state during the filming. Mom was released on 7 July 2017 to generally positive reviews, with critics widely appreciating Sridevi's performance. The Times of India and The Indian Express added Sridevi "demonstrates why she is the high-priestess of Indian cinema" and that she "needs only a twitch or a glance to prove that she is a powerhouse and there are several scenes she lifts by just being there." For her performance, Sridevi received the National Film Award for Best Actress and earned nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress and Screen Award for Best Actress. At the time of her death, Sridevi was not shooting for any upcoming films; her last on-screen appearance will be in Anand L. Rai's upcoming film Zero (2018) in a cameo. CANNOTANSWER
After an eight-year absence from film, Sridevi starred in English Vinglish (2012),
Shree Amma Yanger Ayyappan (13 August 1963 – 24 February 2018), professionally credited with her stage name Sridevi, was an Indian actress and film producer who worked in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada language films. Cited as the "First Female Superstar" of Indian cinema, she was the recipient of various accolades, including a National Film Award, a Nandi Award, the Tamil Nadu State Film Award, the Kerala State Film Award, four Filmfare Awards, including a Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award and three Filmfare Awards South. Sridevi's career in Indian cinema spanned over 50 years. She was known for her reticent and introverted personality, but headstrong and outspoken screen persona, regularly playing strong-willed, sophisticated women. Sridevi appeared in a range of genres from slapstick comedy to epic dramas, and is widely regarded as one of the most influential actresses in the history of Indian cinema. In 2013, Sridevi was honoured with the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian honour, for her contribution to the Indian culture through performing arts. 

Sridevi made her debut as a child in the 1967 Tamil film Kandhan Karunai at the age of four, and started her acting career in lead roles as a child in M. A. Thirumugam’s 1969 mythological Tamil film Thunaivan. She continued to act as a child artist in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films. She made her Hindi film debut at the age of nine in Rani Mera Naam (1972). Her first role as a teen-adult came in 1976 at age 13, when she was cast in the Tamil film Moondru Mudichu. She quickly established herself as one of the prominent and leading female stars of South Indian Cinema, with roles in 16 Vayathinile (1977), Thulavarsham (1976), Angeekaaram (1977), Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Padaharella Vayasu (1978), Vetagaadu (1979), Varumayin Niram Sivappu (1980), Meendum Kokila (1981), Premabhishekam (1981), Vazhvey Maayam (1982), Moondram Pirai (1982), Aakhari Poratam (1988), Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari (1990) and Kshana Kshanam (1991).

Following a notable appearance in the romantic drama Julie (1975), Sridevi's first starring role in Hindi cinema came with the 1979 drama film Solva Sawan, and she received wider recognition for the 1983 action film Himmatwala. She established herself in the industry with a string of successful films, including Mawaali (1983), Justice Chaudhury (1983), Tohfa (1984), Naya Kadam (1984), Maqsad (1984), Masterji (1985), Karma (1986), Nazrana (1987), Watan Ke Rakhwale (1987), Mr. India (1987), Waqt Ki Awaz (1988) and Chandni (1989). She received praise for her performances in films, including Sadma (1983), Nagina (1986), ChaalBaaz (1989), Lamhe (1991), Khuda Gawah (1992), Gumrah (1993), Laadla (1994), and Judaai (1997). Following the role of the titular protagonist in the television sitcom Malini Iyer (2004–2005), Sridevi returned to film acting with the highly successful comedy-drama English Vinglish (2012) and then starred in her 300th and final film role in the thriller Mom (2017). She earned high critical acclaim for her performances in both films, and for the latter was posthumously awarded the National Film Award for Best Actress.

She was voted 'India's Greatest Actress in 100 Years' in a CNN-IBN national poll conducted in 2013 on the occasion of the centenary of Indian cinema. On 24 February 2018, she was found dead of an accidental drowning in her guest room at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. News of her death featured prominently in Indian and international media. She was married to film producer Boney Kapoor, with whom she had two children, including actress Janhvi Kapoor.

Life and career

1963–1975: Early years and work 
Sridevi was born at Meenampatti village near Sivakasi of present-day Tamil Nadu, India on 13 August 1963 to Ayyapan and Rajeshwari. Her father was a lawyer from Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu while her mother was from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. She has a sister and 2 step-brothers.

Sridevi started her career as a child actor at the age of 4 in the Tamil movie Kandhan Karunai in 1967. Subsequently, she played the role of young Muruga in Thunaivan. Sridevi made her debut in Telugu cinema as a child artist with the 1970 film Maa Nanna Nirdoshi. Baby Sridevi's performance in Poompatta (1971) in Malayalam won her the Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist. Kandhan Karunai (1967), Nam Naadu (1969), Prarthanai (1970), Babu (1971), Badi Panthulu (1972), Bala Bharatam (1972), Vasantha Maaligai (1972) and Bhakta Kumbara (1974) are the most notable films of her career as a child artist. In 1972, Sridevi debuted as a child artist in Bollywood with Rani Mera Naam directed by K. S. R. Das. She also appeared in the film Julie, where she played the younger sister to the protagonist Lakshmi. She acted with Jayalalitha in Thirumangalyam, Kandan Karunai and Adi Parashakti.

1976–1986: Success in South Indian and Hindi cinema 
In 1976, Sridevi landed her first leading role in the Tamil film Moondru Mudichu directed by K. Balachander. She followed it with a number of films with Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth. Sridevi's first release of 1977 was Gaayathri, followed by Kavikkuyil and 16 Vayathinile, where she played the role of a young girl who is caught between her 2 lovers. She also starred in the movie's Telugu remake Padaharella Vayasu in 1978. Her subsequent notable films included Bharathi Raja's Sigappu Rojakkal, S. P. Muthuraman's Priya, Karthika Deepam, Johnny, Varumayin Niram Sivappu and Aakali Rajyam. She acted with N. T. Rama Rao in Vetagaadu, Sardar Papa Rayudu, Bobbili Puli, Justice Chowdhary and Aatagadu. She acted alongside Sivaji Ganesan in Sandhippu, Kavari Maan and the Sri Lanka-filmed coproduction Pilot Premnath.

Sridevi debuted as child artist in Kannada with Bhakta Kumbara (1974) directed by Hunsur Krishnamurthy. Her other films as a child artist in Kannada included Bala Bharatam and Yashoda Krishna. She was also a part of Hennu Samsarada Kannu (1975), directed by A.V. Sheshagiri Rao. Sridevi also acted as lead opposite Ambarish in Priya (1978), produced by S. P. Muthuraman. She entered Malayalam films as a child actor with Kumara Sambhavam in 1969, followed by I. V. Sasi's Abhinandanam. Her notable Malayalam films as the lead heroine were Thulavarsham, directed by N. Sankaran Nair in 1976, and M. Masthan's Kuttavum Shikshayum, a remake of the Tamil film Pennai Nambungal with Kamal Haasan starring opposite her.

She next appeared in the Malayalam releases like Aa Nimisham, Angeekaaram and Satyavan Savithri directed by P.G. Viswambharan. In 1981, she starred in the Tamil film Meendum Kokila which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil. In 1982, Sridevi starred in Moondram Pirai playing a woman suffering from retrograde amnesia and went on to win the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress. She was paired with Kamal Haasan in 27 films across languages.

Sridevi's notable films in Telugu include Konda Veeti Simham, Kshana Kshanam, Vetagaadu, Sardar Paparayudu and Bobbili Puli. With Akkineni Nageswara Rao, she appeared in movies such as Muddula Koduku, Premabhishekham, Bangaru Kanuka and Prema Kanuka as well as with Krishna in Kanchu Kagada, Kalavari Samsaram, Adavi Simhalu, Krishnavatharam, Burripalem Bolludu, Vajrayudham, Gharana Donga, Kirayi Kotigadu, Pachani Kapuram, Makutam Leni Maharaju, Ramarajyamlo Bheemaraju, Jayam manade, Samajaniki sawal, Mama Allulla Sawal, Ram Robert Rahim and Khaidi Rudrayya. She acted with Chiranjeevi in Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari, S. P. Parasuram. Her performance in the 1992 Ram Gopal Varma directed Kshana Kshanam opposite Venkatesh, won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu and the Nandi Award for Best Actress. She acted in highest number of Telugu movies with Telugu superstar Krishna.

Sridevi made her debut as a heroine in Hindi films in Solva Sawan in 1979. 4 years later she was signed to star opposite Jeetendra in Himmatwala (remake of Telugu film Ooruki Monagadu (1981)). The film released in 1983, and was one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of the year. It established Sridevi in Bollywood. Her dance number "Nainon Mein Sapna" became a rage with Rediff stating that "the water pots may have dominated most frames in 'Nainon Mein Sapna', but it was Sridevi's bejewelled outfits and headgears that stole the show". She followed with Tohfa, which was the highest-grossing Hindi film of 1984. The film established Sridevi as one of the leading actresses of Bollywood, with Filmfare magazine declaring her "Unquestionably #1" on their cover.

The pair of Jeetendra-Sridevi did 16 films together of which Himmatwala (1983), Jaani Dost (1983), Justice Chaudhry (1983), Mawaali (1983), Akalmand (1984), Tohfa (1984), Balidaan (1985), Aulad (1987), Suhaagan (1986), Ghar Sansar (1986), Dharm Adhikari (1986), Sone Pe Suhaaga (1988) were successful and Aag Aur Shola (1986), Himmat Aur Mehanat (1987), Sarfarosh (1985) were flops

Sadma released in 1983, brought Sridevi high critical acclaim. A remake of her Tamil film Moondram Pirai, Sadma is included in iDiva's list of '10 Must Watch Movies That Weren't Blockbusters'. Sridevi's performance as a child-woman suffering from amnesia was called by Indian Express "a milestone in her illustrious career". Sridevi also featured in the Mid-Day's list of  'Challenging Roles played by Bollywood Actors' describing her act in the film as "her best performance ever". In 2012, Adil Hussain, Sridevi's co-star in English Vinglish revealed that he became a fan of the actress after watching her in Sadma. The Sridevi-Kamal Hassan pair also appeared on the CNN-IBN 2012 list of 'Greatest Romantic Couples on Celluloid'. The film won Sridevi her first Filmfare nomination for Best Actress.

She also acted with Akkineni Nageswara Rao's son Nagarjuna in Aakhari Porattam (1988), Khuda Gawah (1992) and Govinda Govinda (1993). She has also played the female lead to both Dharmendra and his son Sunny Deol.

Sridevi had successful pairing with Rajesh Khanna in films such as Naya Kadam (1984), Maqsad (1984), Masterji (1985) and Nazrana (1987). In 1986, came the snake fantasy Nagina which saw Sridevi play a shape-shifting woman. The film turned out to be the second highest-grossing film of the year, with Box Office India stating that Sridevi remained "the undisputed #1". It was also named one of the best snake fantasy films by Yahoo. Times of India ranked Nagina as one of the 'Top 10 Snake Films of Hindi Cinema'. Sridevi's climax dance number "Main Teri Dushman" also remains one of the best snake dances in Bollywood, with Desi Hits calling it "one of Sridevi's most iconic dance numbers... that still gives fans goose bumps" and iDiva describing it as "the stuff of movie legends". Besides Nagina, 1986 also saw Sridevi giving box-office hits in Subhash Ghai's multi-starrer Karma and Feroz Khan's Janbaaz. According to CNN-IBN's Bollywood Blockbusters, "Sridevi's popularity grew so much that despite having a guest appearance in Janbaaz, she completely overshadowed the film's lead heroine Dimple Kapadia."

1987–1997: Superstardom, later films and hiatus 
Sridevi followed the success of Nagina by playing a goofy crime journalist in the 1987 film Mr. India opposite Anil Kapoor, which was described by Rediff as "one of the most iconic films of its time". Directed by Shekhar Kapur, it became one of the highest grossing hits of the year and also found a place in Hindustan Times list of 'Top 10 Patriotic Films of Hindi Cinema'. While the trade famously joked that the film should have been named Ms. India, Rediff also stated that "Sridevi was a complete show-stealer in the film". Sridevi's imitation of Charlie Chaplin in the film was described by The Times of India as "the most hilarious act she has ever done". Rediff also featured Sridevi in its list of 'Super 6 Comic Heroines' stating that "her mobile face expressions could give Jim Carrey sleepless nights" and that "her biggest plus point is her ability to be completely uninhibited in front of the camera".

The dance number ''Hawaa Hawaai'', cited by The Times of India as "one of the unforgettable numbers of Sridevi", also became a popular nickname for the actress. Besides comedy, Sridevi featured in the video for the song ''Kaate Nahin Kat Te''; Filmfare described Sridevi as "truly a goddess in a blue sari". Rediff also featured the song in its list of 'Top 25 Sari Moments' praising Sridevi's "ability to look erotic even when she's covered from head-to-toe". Box Office India states that with the success of Mr. India, Sridevi "continued her domination" over her contemporaries Jaya Prada and Meenakshi Sheshadri.

1989 saw the release of the Yash Chopra's romantic musical saga Chandni, with Sridevi playing the title role. The film emerged as one of the biggest blockbusters of 1989. Cited by The Times of India as "one of the most watched films of Indian cinema", the film also reaffirmed Sridevi's position as the top female star of the 1980s. While she topped the Hindustan Times list of Yash Chopra's 'Top 5 Heroines', CNN-IBN also ranked her first on a similar list, saying "Yash Chopra immortalized Sridevi as the perfect Chandni". India Today and NDTV also included her in such lists, stating that the film established Sridevi "as the nation's sweetheart". The Tribune wrote: "Leena Daru scored a winner again when she created the Chandni Look' for Sridevi. Every street corner sold the salwar-kameez and dupatta that gave the heroine a refreshingly understated look, rarely seen on the Indian screen", Sridevi's dance number "Mere Haathon Mein Nau Nau Choodiyaan" proved also popular with audiences, and she also lent her voice to the film's popular title-track.

The same year Sridevi also starred in ChaalBaaz, which had her play a double role of twin sisters separated at birth. Filmfare ranked her performance #4 in its list of '80 Iconic Performances of Hindi Cinema', stating that "Sridevi's penchant for giggles and her ability to look distinctly tearful when required polishes these performances to perfection. Hell, she made Sunny Deol and Rajinikanth look like sidekicks in the film". The Times of India article 'Bollywood's Hit Double Roles' wrote, "Sridevi's performance had rocked the box office". Rediff featured the film in its countdown of "25 Best Double Roles in Bollywood" saying "What you don't realise until you have seen Chaalbaaz is just how incredible Sridevi is at depicting both ends of the spectrum", and that the film "cemented her position as an actress with a killer comic timing". Speaking to The Indian Express about Sridevi's act in ChaalBaaz, the director Pankaj Parashar said "She proved her range with the movie and after that she got lots of offers which saw her in a double role". Her slapstick rain dance "Na Jaane Kahaan Se Aayi Hai" became successful with The Times of India describing it as "a Sridevi classic where she simply looked wow with her chirpy expressions and rain drops kissing her cheeks." Sridevi garnered Best Actress nominations at Filmfare for both Chandni and ChaalBaaz in 1989, winning for the former.

Yash Chopra cast Sridevi in his 1991 intergenerational musical romantic drama Lamhe. The Times of India included it in its list of 'Top 10 Films of Yash Chopra' describing it as a tale of "love transcending the boundaries of time and space" while Rediff called it "Quite easily one of his most definitive films, Chopra surpassed his own findings of romance with the insightful, lovely Lamhe." Sridevi played both the roles of mother and daughter in what iDiva described as "another double role, but it was unlike any played before." Hailed by Rediff as "one of the most remarkable films of her career... often considered a film way ahead of its time", Sridevi's folk dance number 'Morni Baga Ma' also became a rage and was placed among the 'Top 5 Songs' of Yash Chopra by Hindustan Times. Lamhe was an underwhelming success at the box-office, but received high critical acclaim and has become a cult classic over the years. Talking about the film, critic Rachel Dwyer wrote in her biography of the film-maker "Yash Chopra's own favourite film, Lamhe ('Moments', 1991), divided the audience on a class basis: it was hugely popular with metropolitan elites and the overseas market, which allowed it to break even, but it had a poor box-office response (largely lower-class, especially the repeat audience) because of its supposed incest theme". The Hindu reported that "With shades of incest, Lamhe caused more than a flutter and remained the talk of the town", while Sridevi herself admitted in an interview with Rajeev Masand that she found the subject "too bold". Though the film flopped at the box-office, with Rediff describing its failure as "one of those bizarre, unexplained moments of cinema", Lamhe picked up 5 Filmfare trophies including Best Film and a second Best Actress trophy for Sridevi. Her popular Rajasthani costumes in the film also won designer Neeta Lulla her first National Film Award for Best Costume Design.

In 1992, Sridevi starred in the epic Khuda Gawah opposite Amitabh Bachchan. The actress played a double role again as an Afghan warrior Benazir and her daughter Mehendi. Shot mostly in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, it did good business with BBC reporting that "it ran to packed houses for 10 weeks in Kabul". Khuda Gawah still remains popular in Afghanistan and Rediff reported that the film is "in great demand after the reopening of cinema halls in the country" in 2001. At Filmfare, the film picked up the Best Director trophy, while Sridevi earned a nomination for Best Actress. During the production of Jurassic Park in 1992–93, acclaimed Hollywood director and producer Steven Spielberg approached Sridevi for a small role in the film. However, Sridevi, after evaluating the stature of the role, refused the offer. She was the highest-paid actress in India from 1985 to 1993.

Sridevi's big-budget 1993 release Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja was one of India's most expensive films ever made. Though the film failed at the box office, Sridevi was appreciated with Times of India calling her disguise in a comedy scene "the best ever South Indian role played by any actress". She next starred in the 1993 thriller Gumrah, opposite Sanjay Dutt. Directed by Mahesh Bhatt, the actress played a singer falsely accused of drugs smuggling in Hong Kong. Bollyspice stated in its 'Sridevi Retrospective' that "Despite great performances from the rest of the cast, Gumrah was really Sridevi's film. She managed to exemplify female emotion and robustness to a great degree that you remember the film largely for her significant contribution towards it," Her performance earned her another nomination for Best Actress at Filmfare.

In 1994, Sridevi teamed up with Anil Kapoor again in Laadla playing business tycoon Sheetal Jaitley. The character, described by Times of India as "rude, dominant and very competitive" brought her yet another Best Actress nomination at Filmfare.

She acted in her comeback film in Malayalam in 1996 - Bharathan's Devaraagam, a love story in which she starred opposite Aravind Swamy.

The last major film Sridevi starred in before she took a break from the industry was Judaai, released in 1997. Along with Anil Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar, the actress played a greedy housewife going to extreme lengths for money. Talking about her swan-song, critic Subhash K. Jha wrote that Sridevi "left us with the most stunning hurrah in Judaai. A terrible film that I've watched countless times to see her play the money-minded harridan who 'sells' her husband to Urmila Matondkar. Who but Sridevi could carry of such an outrageous role with such enthusiastic élan?!" while Bollyspice stated that "She used her polished acting skills to illustrate her character’s greed and individualism at such a grotesque level." Judaai earned Sridevi her eighth Best Actress nomination at Filmfare. In 1996, Sridevi married Boney Kapoor of the famed Bollywood Royalty, the Kapoor family. During the years 1996–97, her mother was suffering from brain cancer-induced complications. After her mother's death in 1997, Sridevi went on a hiatus from the film industry.

2004–2018: Comeback, television debut and final roles 

After a 6-year hiatus, Sridevi briefly returned to the small screen in the Sahara sitcom Malini Iyer (2004–2005). She also appeared on Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai (2004) and as a judge in the TV show Kaboom (2005). She performed a medley of some of her musical numbers at the 52nd Filmfare Awards 2007. She was also a member of the board of directors at the Asian Academy of Film & Television.

On 19 September 2009, Sridevi appeared on the Sony TV show 10 Ka Dum.

On 13 May 2012, Sridevi appeared on the Star Plus talk-show Satyamev Jayate.

Sridevi had also developed a passion for painting. In March 2010, her paintings were sold by an international art auction house with the money raised being donated.
After an 15-year absence from film, Sridevi starred in English Vinglish (2012), a comedy-drama helmed by debutante director Gauri Shinde. In the film, she played Shashi Godbole, a housewife who enrolls in an English-speaking course after her husband and daughter's mocking of her English skills. The film and Sridevi's performance received widespread critical acclaim. The Times of India called it "easily one of the best films of 2012!" and Sridevi's performance "a masterclass for actors." Raja Sen of Rediff found the film "a winner all the way [...] Sridevi excels in fleshing out her character", and critic Subhash K. Jha said Sridevi "makes the contemporary actresses, even the coolest ones, look like jokes... If you watch only 2 films every year make sure you see English Vinglish twice!" Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN wrote Sridevi delivers "a performance that is nothing short of perfect [...] It's warm and fuzzy, and leaves you with a big smile on your face." "Sridevi doesn't miss a beat. Her performance is a triumph!", added the critic Anupama Chopra. Komal Nahta said she "makes the best comeback in Bollywood history and delivers a landmark performance."

With the high critical acclaim and huge commercial success of English Vinglish, Sridevi became the only actress in Bollywood to make a successful comeback as a leading lady after marriage and a long hiatus. Gauri Shinde featured her in the Financial Times 2012 list of '25 Indians To Watch'. She topped Rediff.com's annual listing of the "Bollywood's Best Actresses" in 2012; the website wrote English Vinglish "is a simple film where things are credible, never melodramatic" and Sridevi "always judges the tone right. It's the sort of performance younger actresses should learn from." Sridevi was declared the most-admired Bollywood actress of 2012 in a mobile survey conducted by Vuclip, the world's largest mobile research company. She was nominated for several awards, including her ninth nomination for Best Actress at Filmfare. Following an appearance during the song "Apna Bombay Talkies" in the film Bombay Talkies (2013), Sridevi starred in the Tamil fantasy action adventure film Puli (2015), which became her last Tamil film before her death in 2018.

Sridevi was next seen in her home production titled Mom (2017), which marked her 300th film. In the thriller film, she played a mother who sets out to avenge the rape of her daughter. Sridevi said that as a mother and an artiste, she empathized with her character's rage, and found it hard to be in a normal state during the filming. Mom was released on 7 July 2017 to highly positive reviews, with critics widely appreciating Sridevi's performance. The Times of India and The Indian Express added Sridevi "demonstrates why she is the high-priestess of Indian cinema" and that she "needs only a twitch or a glance to prove that she is a powerhouse and there are several scenes she lifts by just being there." For her performance, Sridevi received the National Film Award for Best Actress and earned nominations for Best Actress and Best Actress (Critics) at Filmfare and the Screen Award for Best Actress. At the time of her death, Sridevi was not shooting for any upcoming films and her last on-screen appearance was in Aanand L. Rai's film Zero (2018) in a cameo. Sridevi had signed the 2019 film Kalank, produced by Karan Johar; however, due to her demise she was replaced by Madhuri Dixit. Another film she had signed, the Malayalam film Sree Sree Devaraagam, a sequel to Sridevi's own 1996 hit film Devaraagam, was subsequently shelved after her death in 2018.

Personal life 
Sridevi was always accompanied by her mother Rajeshwari or by her sister Srilatha to the film sets during shooting of her films between 1972 and 1994. Sanjay Ramasamy is married to her sister Srilatha since 1989.

Sridevi campaigned for her father when he contested the Sivakasi constituency in 1989 assembly elections, but eventually lost in the elections. Her father died in 1990 of heart attack, while she was shooting for Lamhe. Her mother died in 1996, as a result of the complications suffered from an operation that she underwent in 1995 on a brain tumor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The neurosurgeon operated on the wrong side of her brain destroying her vital tissues of vision and recent memory. This was widely reported in US media at that time which then led to a successful court battle and prompted then President Bill Clinton’s proposal of a program for hospitals to disclose their medical malpractice and errors.

Sridevi was extremely discreet about her privacy and rarely gave interviews or discussed her private life in them. In the 1980s, she was reported to have married actor Mithun Chakraborty, whom she met on the sets of Jaag Utha Insan (1984). In 1996, she married producer Boney Kapoor. The couple had two daughters, Janhvi (born. 1997), who is herself an actress, and Khushi (born. 2000).

Despite being known for her portrayals of a strong, vivacious and exuberant woman on-screen, Sridevi was an extremely introverted and reserved person off-screen. CNN-IBN correspondent Rajeev Masand says; "I have never known anyone who was so painfully shy, so quiet off-screen, who just transformed into a force of nature when the cameras came on. She was an interviewer’s nightmare, but the movie-buff’s dream". Commenting on her reserved nature, Firstpost says; "Behind the glamorous heroine with twinkling, magical eyes and a stunning face, was an inherently shy woman, often mistaken as arrogant. The truth is she was shy. Having begun to act when she was just 4, she did not complete formal education or get much of a chance to interact with kids of her own age. Consequently, she developed a strong dislike for crowds and noise."

Death and funeral 
On 20 February 2018, Sridevi and her youngest daughter Khushi had flown to Al Jazirah Al Hamra in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, to attend the wedding of her nephew Mohit Marwah. She decided to spend a couple of days in Dubai to shop for her eldest daughter Janhvi's 21st birthday, after the wedding. Her husband Boney Kapoor was not present with them on the wedding day as he had to attend a meeting in Lucknow on 22 February. However he had already planned a surprise visit to his wife, with whom he spoke on the morning of 24 February, when she told him that "Papa (that's how Sridevi addressed Boney), I'm missing you." According to Boney, he took a 15:30 flight to Dubai and reached Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel around 18:20 (Dubai time) in Room 2201 where the actress was staying. She and Boney briefly met and chatted for 30 minutes or so. Afterwards, they decided to have dinner. Sridevi went to bathe and to get dressed for dinner, while Boney waited in the living room. After 15–20 minutes, around 19:00, he called out to the actress as they were getting late but was unable to get a response.

Sridevi was pronounced dead on 24 February 2018 at 19:00 GMT in her hotel room where her husband had found her. At first, it was announced by her brother in-law Sanjay Kapoor to the Indian media that the cause of death was a cardiac arrest, but the investigation to her death began early Sunday morning around 2:30, and the case was transferred to Dubai Public Prosecution by Dubai Police, where General Department of Forensic Evidence, Dubai revealed that the cause of death was "accidental drowning". The toxicology report later also revealed that traces of alcohol were found in her body, and water was found in her lungs.

After rumours that news of her death was an Internet hoax, her brother-in-law, Sanjay Kapoor, confirmed that she really had died. Her fans, co-stars and other Bollywood stars posted condolences on Twitter to mourn the death. After a few days of police investigation, on 27 February, Sridevi's case was closed, and on the night of that day, her body was flown back to Mumbai, India. Ashraf Thamarassery, helped bring back her body to India by her husband and her stepson, Arjun Kapoor, on a private jet belonging to Anil Ambani. Her funeral took place on 28 February, at the Vile Parle Seva Samaj Crematorium in Mumbai. The final rites were performed by her husband Boney Kapoor. Sridevi was cremated with state honours and also received a gun salute at her funeral. Her pyre was lit by her husband. On 3 March, Sridevi's ashes were flown into Tamil Nadu via Chennai by her husband and her two daughters Jhanvi Kapoor and Khushi Kapoor and later taken to and immersed in the sea off the coast of Rameshwaram.

Tributes and reactions 
The film industry, friends, and fans responded to her death through social and other media outlets. Her husband, Boney Kapoor, wrote: “To the world, she was their Chandni, the actor par excellence, their Sridevi, but to me, she was my love, my friend, mother to our girls, my partner. To our daughters, she was their everything, their life. She was the axis around which our family ran." The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi lamented the death of the actress. On social media, he stated: "Saddened by the untimely demise of noted actor Sridevi. She was a veteran of the film industry, whose long career included diverse roles and memorable performances. My thoughts are with her family and admirers in this hour of grief. May her soul rest in peace." President Ram Nath Kovind wrote: "Shocked to hear of passing of movie star Sridevi. She has left millions of fans heartbroken. Her performances in films such as Moondram Pirai, Lamhe and English Vinglish remain an inspiration for other actors. My condolences to her family and close associates."

Many from the film fraternity and close relatives of Sridevi paid homage to her at Celebration Sports Club in Lokhandwala and also at her funeral. Thousands of fans took to streets and paid their respects to the actress. Police had to resort to lathi-charge to control the number of fans who gathered for the procession from Celebration Sports Complex to the crematorium, the crowd was said to be more than 7,000.

Sridevi's funeral is estimated to have attracted the fourth-highest number of mourners, ranking below the 3 previous biggest funeral processions of non-political film personalities Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Rajesh Khanna in India from the Hindi film industry.

Legacy and influence 
Sridevi is regarded as one of the greatest stars of Indian cinema. Due to her pan-Indian appeal, she is cited one of the most popular actress of Indian cinema. Highly regarded for her range as an actor, critics have commended particularly her comedic abilities and her skills as a dancer. During the 1980s, Sridevi was the highest-earning woman in the Indian entertainment industry. For her role in Mr. India (1987), she was paid a then-unprecedented ₹11 lakhs, making her the highest-paid Indian actress ever. In a 2013 national poll conducted by CNN-IBN on the occasion of the centenary of Indian cinema, Sridevi was voted "India's Greatest Actress in 100 Years", and she placed #10 in a UK poll, "100 Greatest Bollywood Stars", in the same year. In 2012, Sridevi was placed at No. 2 by NDTV in the listing of "The most popular Bollywood actresses of all time". Sridevi featured in Box Office India's Top Actresses list from 1983 to 1993.

An epitaph in Firstpost pointed out that Sridevi had been sufficiently important as an actor to be able to refuse parts in movies, and The News Minute called her "a pathbreaker in many ways". The Guardian called her "the undisputed queen of Indian Cinema".

Film critic Sukanya Verma described Sridevi as "one-of-a-kind". She wrote, "Sridevi's biggest plus point is her ability to be completely uninhibited in front of the camera." Sridevi is cited by media publications as a fashion icon. Her taste in clothes was varied and ranged from stylish casual to opulently majestic. She made her debut as a fashion model in 2008. The actress modelled clothes for designers Priya and Chintan at the Lakme Fashion Week. The next year, she displayed the work of jewelry designer Queenie Dhodhy at the HDIL India Couture Week. She worked at Lakme Fashion Week again in 2010, and at Delhi Couture Week 2012, showing clothes designed by Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

She has also appeared on the cover of several fashion magazines. In 2007, she was featured on the cover of Hi Blitz with the tagline "The Goddess Returns". In 2011, she featured on the cover of Marie Claire, and in 2012, she was on the cover of L'Officiel. In 2013, Sridevi appeared on the cover of Vogue, which was mentioned in Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and India Today.

Sridevi received the 'Ultimate Diva' award at the Ciroc Filmfare Glamour & Style Awards in 2015.

Sridevi's performances, acting style and technique have been influential and have inspired numerous actresses including Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla, Karisma Kapoor, Kajol, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif, Vidya Balan, Deepika Padukone, Asin, Alia Bhatt, Nayanthara, Kajal Aggarwal and Anushka Shetty, who have cited her as an inspiration. In a piece for Time magazine, Priyanka Chopra wrote, "Everyone wanted her and wanted to be like her. She could be childlike, grown-up, funny, serious, beguiling, sexy—she was the ultimate actor. [...] She was my childhood, and one of the big reasons I became an actor."

In the Telugu biopic NTR: Kathanayakudu, Sridevi was portrayed by Rakul Preet Singh.

In a highly exceptional move, the actress became one of the few people from the Indian entertainment industry to be accorded with full state honours usually reserved only for current and former prime ministers, union and state ministers. Sridevi was included in 2018 In Memoriam section during the 90th Academy Awards ceremony. On the occasion of Sridevi's birthday on 13 August 2019, Madame Tussauds Singapore has announced that a wax statue would soon be dedicated to her. The statue is a replica of Sridevi's look in the iconic song, "Hawaa Hawaai" from Mr. India. Her daughters, Janhvi Kapoor and Khushi Kapoor were present at the ceremony accompanied by her husband, producer Boney Kapoor.

In 2018, author and journalist Lalita Iyer wrote a biography of Sridevi. In 2019, author and screenwriter Satyarth Nayak wrote a biography of Sridevi. The book, Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess, was published by Penguin Random House. It received positive reviews in The Times of India and The Hindu, and was also reviewed in India Today, The Week, Mid-Day', Vogue India, and Firstpost.

Acting credits and awards

Awards and honours

Civilian awards 
 1991 – "Order of Afghanistan" for Khuda Gawah
 2013 – Padma Shri – India's fourth-highest civilian award from the government of India

Special honours 
1990 – Smita Patil Memorial Award for her contribution to Indian Cinema
 1997 – Kalasaraswathi Award by the government of Andhra Pradesh
 2003 – Lachchu Maharaj Award
 2003 – Vamsee International Award for her contribution in Indian Cinema
 2003 – MAMI Award in Contribution to Indian Cinema
 2008 – FICCI "Living Legend in Entertainment Award"
 2009 – Special Honour at 33rd Cairo International Film Festival for Contribution to Hindi Cinema
 2013 – Honoured by the government of Kerala for her contribution to Cinema
2013 – Ranked #4 among Bollywood's female actresses and was placed #10 in the overall list in a UK poll celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema '100 Greatest Bollywood Stars' published by British Asian weekly newspaper 'Eastern Eye'
 2013 – Voted 'India's Greatest Actress of All Time' in CNN-IBN Poll
 2013 – President of India 'Medallion of Honour' for contribution to 100 Years of Indian Cinema
 2014 – Inspiring Icon Award from Sathyabama University, Chennai
 2018 – Asian Award for Contribution to Cinema
 2018 – 71st Cannes International Film Festival Titan Reginald F. Lewis Icon Award
 2018 – Outstanding Achievement in Cinema at The Asian Awards
2019 – ANR National Award for 2018

References

Further reading

External links 

 
 

1963 births
2018 deaths
20th-century Indian actresses
21st-century Indian actresses
Filmfare Awards winners
Filmfare Awards South winners
Indian women film producers
Film producers from Tamil Nadu
Indian film actresses
Kerala State Film Award winners
Nandi Award winners
People from Virudhunagar district
Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards winners
Indian child actresses
Actresses from Tamil Nadu
Actresses in Tamil cinema
Actresses in Telugu cinema
Actresses in Kannada cinema
Actresses in Malayalam cinema
Actresses in Hindi cinema
Hindi film producers
Accidental deaths in the United Arab Emirates
Deaths by drowning
Best Actress National Film Award winners
Businesswomen from Tamil Nadu
20th-century Indian businesswomen
20th-century Indian businesspeople
21st-century Indian businesswomen
21st-century Indian businesspeople
Burials at sea
English Vinglish is a 2012 Indian comedy-drama film, written and directed by Gauri Shinde. The narrative revolves around a woman named Shashi, a small entrepreneur who makes snacks.  Shashi enrolls in an English-speaking course to stop her husband and daughter mocking her lack of English skills and gains self-respect in the process. The protagonist, played by Sridevi, was inspired by Shinde's mother. English Vinglish was originally made in Hindi; later it was partially re-shot in Tamil and released along with a Telugu dubbed version on 5 October 2012. The film marked Sridevi's return to filmmaking after a 15-year hiatus; it features Adil Hussain, French actor Mehdi Nebbou,  and Priya Anand. Amitabh Bachchan and Ajith Kumar had cameo appearances in the Hindi and Tamil versions respectively.

English Vinglish premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received a five-minute standing ovation Before its release, the film was screened for the Indian press and critics. The film received widespread critical acclaim with reviewers praising Shinde's screenplay and direction, Sridevi's performance as well as the film's soundtrack and cinematography. It became a major financial success as well,  grossing  against a budget of .

English Vinglish won all of the Best Debut Director awards of 2012 for Gauri Shinde. It was shortlisted as India's official entry for the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category. The film earned global acclaim at several international festivals and Sridevi was hailed as the "Meryl Streep of India" and the "female Rajinikanth in India".

Plot 
Shashi Godbole is an Indian homemaker who makes and sells laddoos as a home-run business. Her husband Satish and daughter Sapna take her for granted, mock her because she doesn't speak much English, and generally treat her with disrespect, making Shashi feel negative and insecure. However, her young son, Sagar  loves her as she is, and her mother-in-law offers her words of sympathy.

Shashi's older sister Manu, who lives in New York City, invites Shashi's family to her daughter Meera's wedding to Kevin. It is decided that Shashi will go to New York alone five weeks before the wedding to help Manu organize. Her husband and children will join her as the wedding approaches. During her flight to New York, Shashi is given inspirational advice by a fellow passenger. While Shashi is in New York, she has a traumatic experience at a café where the waitress is rude to her due to her inability to communicate in English. She is comforted by a French chef Laurent who happened to be queuing up behind her at the café as he himself is weak in English.

Using the money she made from selling laddoos, Shashi secretly enrolls in a conversational English class that offers to teach the language in four weeks, showing her resourcefulness at navigating an unfamiliar city alone. The class comprises the instructor David Fischer, a Mexican nanny Eva, a Pakistani cab driver Salman Khan, a Chinese hairstylist Yu Song, a Tamil software engineer Ramamurthy, a closeted African-Caribbean man Udumbke, and Laurent, whom she had met earlier. Shashi quickly becomes a promising and committed student, earns everyone's respect with her charming behavior and her cuisine, and gains self-confidence. Laurent becomes attracted to Shashi, leading to some interpersonal drama.

Meanwhile, Shashi's niece Radha who is Meera's younger sister finds out about her secret English classes and is supportive of her pursuit. Shashi starts watching English films at night and does her homework assiduously. To complete the English-speaking course and get an academic certificate, each student must write and deliver a five-minute speech. Shashi's family joins her in New York earlier than planned, to surprise her. Shashi tries to continue attending class but decides to quit because of scheduling conflicts. The test date coincides with that of the wedding, forcing Shashi to miss the test.

Radha invites Fischer and the entire class to the wedding, where Satish is taken aback at being introduced to a diverse group of people by his wife. Shashi gives a touching and enlightening toast to the married couple in English, surprising everyone who knew her as a typical, conservative, Indian homemaker. In her speech, Shashi extols the virtues being married and having a family, describing the family as a safe space of love and respect where weaknesses are not mocked. Satish and Sapna regret treating her with disrespect. Fischer declares that she has passed the course with distinction and issues her the certificate. Shashi thanks Laurent for making her feel better about herself. Shashi and her family return to India.

Cast 

 Sridevi as Shashi Godbole
 Adil Hussain as Satish Godbole, Shashi's husband
 Mehdi Nebbou as Laurent, Shashi's classmate
 Priya Anand as Radha, Shashi's niece
 Navika Kotia as Sapna Godbole, Shashi's daughter
 Shivansh Kotia as Sagar Godbole, Shashi's son
 Sujata Kumar as Manu, Shashi's sister
 Cory Hibbs as David Fischer, Shashi's teacher
 Ruth Aguilar as Eva, Shashi's classmate
 Sumeet Vyas as Salman Khan, Shashi's classmate
 Rajeev Ravindranathan as Ramamurthy, Shashi's classmate
 Damian Thompson as Udumbke, Shashi's classmate
 Maria Romano as Yu Son, Shashi's classmate
 Neelu Sodhi as Meera
 Ross Nathan as Kevin
 Maria Pendolino as Jennifer
 Sulabha Deshpande as Mrs. Godbole, Shashi's mother-in-law
 Ashvin Mathew as Father Vincent, Sapna's teacher at school

Cameo appearances
 Amitabh Bachchan as a passenger on flight (Hindi version)
 Ajith Kumar  as a passenger on flight (Tamil version)

Production

Development 

The story was inspired by Shinde's mother, a Marathi-speaking woman who ran a pickle business at her house in Pune. Her mother was not fluent in English, which embarrassed Shinde as a child. In an interview, Shinde said, "I made this film to say sorry to my mother." The film started development in 2011 or earlier, and several plot points and cameo appearances were decided early on. English Vinglish garnered much media coverage because of Sridevi's comeback after nearly 15 years away from film production. The rights were sold to Eros International for  ().

English Vinglish also marked the Bollywood debut of South Indian actress Priya Anand, who previously worked in the Tamil and Telugu film industries. It is the directorial debut of Gauri Shinde, who previously worked as an advertisement filmmaker. It was shot mostly in New York. The principal photography concluded in October 2011 and it was released in Hindi and Tamil. It was later dubbed into Telugu.

Ajith Kumar performed the cameo appearance without receiving payment. He even flew in for the shooting at his own cost.

Promotion 
The first preview of English Vinglish was launched on 14 June 2012. The official distributor Eros International posted the preview video and poster on YouTube and Twitter. A two-minute teaser showing Sridevi reading the Censor Certificate of the film in deliberately broken English was also released. The preview received positive response and was lauded for its unique and fresh concept. The full theatrical trailer was unveiled at a special media event on 13 August 2012 coinciding with Sridevi's birthday. It received a positive response and went viral on YouTube, exceeding one million views in a week. Sridevi's performance in the trailer was highly acclaimed by her fans and the media; the Hindustan Times said, "Sridevi casts a spell in English Vinglish."

The Tamil and Telugu theatrical trailers were subsequently released in Chennai and Hyderabad respectively. Sridevi also appeared on Kaun Banega Crorepati with Gauri Shinde and on the dance show Jhalak Dikhla Ja.

Soundtrack 
The soundtrack and background music were composed by Amit Trivedi and the lyrics were written by Swanand Kirkire for the Hindi version, Pa. Vijay for the Tamil and Krishna Chaitanya for the Telugu versions respectively. The album comprises six songs including a male and a female version of the title track "English Vinglish". Both the versions of the soundtrack was released on 1 September 2012, in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Track list

Critical reception 

IBNlive.in rated the soundtrack 3.5/5 stating, "Although the English Vinglish album lacks the lustre of new age Bollywood albums, it manages to leave the listener smiling with its simple approach. There are no remixes and nothing out-of-the-box here, but it delights." BBC reviewed the soundtrack as "Having delivered hit albums like Ishaqzaade, Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu and Dev.D, Trivedi proves here that he’s a talent unafraid of experimenting. He stands on the verge of big success." Glamsham rated 3.5/5 for the album. Joginder Tuteja of Bollywood Hungama rated 3 out of 5 stars stating, "The music of English Vinglish does well in creating added perception about the film and only lends further weight to this Sridevi starrer. In fact it won't be wrong to say that the soundtrack does its job in exciting a listener to check out what the film is about. Though most of the songs are situational, which means their shelf life would be restricted till the film's run in theatres, none associated with English Vinglish can be expected to mind that as this Amit Trivedi and Swanand Kirkire soundtrack ensures that there are many forward steps taken here."

BollywoodLife rated 3 out of 5 stars stating "The music is situational and an integral part of the movie. English Vinglish is sweet-sheet, cool-shool and fun-vun! Give it a listen!" Koimoi rated 3 out of 5 stars "Overall the music of the album is good with varied shades of emotions that include colors of celebration and ‘masti’. Despite lacking a commercial chartbuster, the album still does well in holding your attention with Swanand Kirkire's lyrics aptly supporting compositions by Amit Trivedi." BizAsia Live rated the album 8 out of 10 stating, "Director Shinde has made a number of correct decisions to deliver English Vinglish for her first movie. Apart from the story angle and choosing Sridevi as the leading lady, believing in the talent of Trivedi and Kirkire is the biggest blessing for her. For a niche and offbeat non-commercial project like this, the soundtrack should not have been commercial either to match the overall feel of the movie. Trivedi once again stamps his innovative genius all over this six-track album with great contribution to the vocals as well. Rao and Chauhan are the other two superstars for this female lead movie. The music might not deliver well on the international music charts but if one has an ear for good music, this is a must-buy album with a global sound. 'Navrai Maajhi', 'English Vinglish' and 'Dhak Dhuk' are the picks to sample great talent, variety and maturity in Indian music."

Music Aloud rated the album 7/10 stating "Not in the same league as Ishaqzaade or his Coke Studio episode, but a neat score from Amit Trivedi, led from the front by 'Gustakh Dil' and 'Dhak Dhuk'." Milliblog reviewed it as a competent soundtrack from Amit Trivedi.

Release

Screenings at international film festivals 
In July 2012, English Vinglish was selected by the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and scheduled for a world premiere at the coveted Galas section of the festival. Sridevi's comeback made it a highly anticipated film and all shows at TIFF sold out during advance booking. The premiere took place at the Roy Thomson Auditorium on 14 September and was attended by Sridevi, Mehdi Nebbou, R. Balki, Gauri Shinde and other members of the cast and crew. At the end of the premiere, the full-house audience gave a 10-minute standing ovation.

After the Toronto premiere, some international media outlets hailed Sridevi as the "Meryl Streep of India". Two weeks later, America's entertainment weekly Variety wrote in its review of English Vinglish that it found Sridevi "[d]isarmingly charming in a manner that recalls Audrey Hepburn." English Vinglish was selected to be showcased in December 2012 at the Marrakech International Film Festival; it was screened to an audience of around 15,000 viewers and was attended by Sridevi, Shinde, Balki and Nebbou.

In February 2013, English Vinglish was screened at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival as part of Indo-German Film Week. Shinde conducted a screenwriting workshop and spoke about the film and women's rights in India.

The film had its US premiere at the 36th Portland International Film Festival. Writer and critic David D. Levine praised the film, saying "[t]hough it's not a musical, strictly speaking, there's quite a bit of music and dance, and the film is laugh-out-loud funny and heart-rending by turns ... My favorite film of this PIFF. Five stars out of five." In April 2013, English Vinglish was selected to play at the third Beijing International Film Festival and the International Film Festival of Panama. In May the same year, it won the 'Best Visiting Artist' award at the San Diego Film Festival. Andrew Friedenberg, director of the Cinema Society of San Diego announced that English Vinglish "dominated the voting".

Indian premiere 

The Indian premiere of English Vinglish was held on 4 October 2012 and was one of the biggest premieres of that year It was organised as a red carpet event to celebrate Sridevi's return to filmmaking, and some famous Bollywood personalities attended, including Directors Yash Chopra, Ramesh Sippy, Rajkumar Hirani and Ashutosh Gowariker and actors Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Bipasha Basu, Tabu, Shilpa Shetty, Konkona Sen Sharma, Madhuri Dixit, Ayesha Takia, Kangana Ranaut and Javed Akhtar.

Theatrical release 
After Eros International's efforts to release the film on 21 September 2012, English Vinglish had its worldwide theatrical release on 5 October 2012. The Hindi version was released across 739 screens, while the Tamil and Telugu versions were released on 110 and 47 screens respectively. It was released in over 250 screens overseas.

World television premiere 
On 29 December 2012 English Vinglish saw one of the biggest world television premieres on Zee Cinema. The premiere was conducted as a high-profile event, and Zee TV arranged a special press conference attended by Sridevi and Gauri Shinde. To publicise the premiere, the channel launched a free English-speaking module telephone service using IVRS, which was a success with over 25,000 calls from across India in less than a week. English Vinglish-styled signs, including 'Exit-Vexit', 'Coffee Voffee' and 'Switch off Mobile-Vobile', were posted at 900 touch-points in cafes, malls, multiplexes and airports. Zee Cinema formed partnerships with Cafe Coffee Day, Inox, Fame, Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, Globus and Westside to market the premiere. Mohan Gopinath, business head of Zee Cinema said, "More than two generations of India have worshiped Sridevi. Add to that an extremely simple yet heart-warming narrative, some spot-on direction by Gauri Shinde, Balki's unmistakable touch and you have a winner on your hands."

Box office 
Following its release in East Asian markets during 20132014, the film's total worldwide gross was  () as of 2014.

In India
The worldwide gross for English Vinglish stood at  at the end of its third week, and reached  () by the end of its fourth week. The film performed well in large cities, earning  on its first day of release. The gross went to 125% and the total figures for two days were  The Sunday figures were even higher; collections increased by 200% and English Vinglish ended its first weekend with  net. The film ended its first week earning  net.

Despite new releases Aiyyaa, Bhoot Returns and Student of the Year, the film's box office revenues remained steady. At the end of its second week, its revenue exceeded . Lifetime earnings for the film in India stand at over  net, and  () gross. English Vinglish ran for 50 days in theatres.

Outside India 
According to Box Office India, English Vinglish'''s overseas gross figure was  in 2012, making it one of the Top 10 highest overseas grossing Bollywood films of 2012. The film opened to a revenue of  overseas, bringing its worldwide total to  () net in 2012. English Vinglish overseas collections was  in its first weekend. The film collected around  in 17 days. The movie collected a total of  () in 10 days. The film entered the UK box office top 10, as of 13 October 2012. The film performed well overseas, collecting record figures unheard of for a heroine-oriented film. It grossed  in the United States and Canada, and £464,508 () in the United Kingdom. In Nigeria, the film grossed US$842,330.English Vinglish created box office history in Hong Kong in May 2013, becoming the second biggest Bollywood hit in the territory after 3 Idiots. It earned the distinction of being screened at Hong Kong's Director's Club: a privilege usually reserved for the best and most celebrated films in the world. English Vinglish grossed  in Hong Kong. English Vinglish also created waves in Japan when it was first premiered in 2014. It outperformed most other films and became the second highest-grossing Hindi film in Japan, earning around $1.4 million. The film is second only to Aamir Khan's 3 Idiots which had collected . It got an overwhelming response and Sridevi was hailed as the 'Female Rajinikanth of Japan.' It also grossed US$300,000 in Taiwan, making it the second biggest Bollywood film there after 3 Idiots. In South Korea, the film drew a box office audience of 31,334 viewers in 2014, grossing  (). Its total gross in East Asia was  as of 2014, bringing the film's overseas total to , which in Indian rupees is .

 Reception 

The film and Sridevi's performance received unanimous praise from critics. The Times of India gave it four out of five, calling it "[e]asily one of the best films of 2012 ... [Sridevi's] performance is a masterclass for actors ... Request you to make a little place next to you, Rajkumar Hirani; Gauri Shinde has taken a bow in mainstream Bollywood." Aniruddha Guha of Daily News and Analysis also gave four out of five and said it is "among the most refreshingly novel films made in recent times ... If you're a Sridevi fan, you can't miss it. If you aren't, you still can't miss it."

Another four out of five came from Raja Sen of Rediff, who called it "a winner all the way" and wrote "Sridevi excels in fleshing out her character." Taran Adarsh also scored it four out of five and called it "a remarkable motion picture ... A must-watch for every parent, every child. Strongly recommended!" Critic Subhash K Jha gave a four and a half rating, and wrote that Sridevi "makes the contemporary actresses, even the coolest ones, look like jokes ... If you watch only two films every year make sure you see English Vinglish twice!" Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN gave it three and a half, and said that Sridevi delivers "a performance that is nothing short of perfect ... It's warm and fuzzy, and leaves you with a big smile on your face." IMDb gave the film a score of eight out of ten.

Firstpost's Rubina Khan gave five out of five, saying "Sridevi brings acting back in English Vinglish". Komal Nahta said the film was "beyond stars" and said Sridevi "makes the best comeback in Bollywood history and delivers a landmark performance". Social movie rating site MOZVO gave it 4.1 out of five. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian, gave it three out of five, and called it "[a]n undemanding picture that goes down as well as the heroine's tasty laddoos".

Kate Taylor of The Globe and Mail gave it two out of four and wrote: "One wonders how long the neglectful Satish will remember the message of equality and gratitude if it is delivered as gently as this movie does." Amer Shoib of The Cinema Journal gave it 4/5 and called the film, "a hilarious, touching, sensitive, and sweet film that marks the triumphant come back of India's biggest female star...Sridevi." Indian columnist Shobha De tweeted, "Paresh Rawal and SrideviActors of the Year! The rest are just successful stars!" and wrote a column titled 'What is that something about Sridevi?' UTV Stars called it the "Mother India of our times".The Hollywood Reporter also gave a glowing review, and said, "Indian screen legend Sridevi triumphs in a gentle, but affecting, story of a woman's awakening self-respect ... It's no surprise that by the end of the film, Shashi will conquer her fears, but the route Shinde takes to get her there is distinctively Shashi's. The image of the newly confident Shashi striding down a Manhattan street, a takeout coffee in hand and a trench coat belted over her sari, will make you smile days after you leave the theater ... Ultimately, what make English Vinglish memorable are the small, step-by-step choices Shashi makes to transforms herself. Yes, there's grit there, but it's tempered with compassion and dignity. The way the character has been crafted by Shinde, and interpreted by Sridevi, is gloriously feminine, and uniquely Indian." [Amazon prime video] rated 7.8 out of 10 and stated The challenges of an ordinary middle class woman who is not proficient with the English language, and how she overcomes them.

AccoladesEnglish Vinglish garnered awards and nominations in a variety of categories with particular praise for its direction and the performance of the lead actress. At the 58th Filmfare Awards, the film received four nominations, including Best Film and Best Debut Director for Shinde. Shinde went on to win her category. Sridevi received est Actress nominations at several awards ceremonies, including Filmfare, IIFA, Screen, Zee Cine, and Star Guild. At the 11th Stardust Awards, the film earned five nominations, going on to win Best Drama Actress and Best Debut Director.

 Impact 
With English Vinglish Sridevi made a successful comeback after a long hiatus. Box Office Capsule hailed the film and Sridevi's return as "Golden Comeback of the Queen." Sridevi was ranked No.1 on many year-end lists, including:

 Rediff's "Top 10 Bollywood Actresses of 2012" for giving a "performance younger actresses, including the ones on this list, should learn from."
 CNN-IBN's list of "Top 10 Bollywood Actresses of 2012" for a performance that "overshadowed young actresses".
 Yahoo's "Top Ten Actresses of 2012" for "winning the hearts of millions of middle-class housewives".
 Box Office Capsule's "Top 10 Bollywood Actresses of 2012" for "conquering hearts as well as the box-office".
 Bollyspice's "Top 10 Bollywood Actresses of 2012" for "making us fall under her spell all over again".
 Buzzine's "Top 5 Bollywood Actors of 2012" list for returning with "grace and elegance".

Sridevi won the "Vuclip Icons of 2012" mobile survey to be voted as the Most Admired Actress of Bollywood. Her performance created an enormous impact when Amitabh Bachchan said in his blog that Sridevi's heart-rending acting in English Vinglish moved him to tears leaving "collective lumps in the throat". A poll by BollywoodLife declared Sridevi as the "Most Powerful Actress in B-Town", winning by a landslide 75% votes over all the current actresses.

The actress was featured as one of the Top Newsmakers of 2012 by NDTV and Filmfare. Filmfare listed Sridevi as the "Top Game Changer of 2012" for making "a hit comeback after getting married and mothering two kids". Reuters' list stated that "Sridevi, in her comeback movie, outshone any actress in any role this year and proved once again that you don't need a male star to make a good Bollywood film", while India Today said, "Sridevi was reinvented in a role of substance". MTV wrote, "when an actor of Sridevi's calibre breaks her 15-year hiatus, you can be sure she has a winner in tow".

Since its worldwide success, English Vinglish consistently appeared on media outlets' Best Films of the Year lists. It was ranked first on the Times of Indias list of "Top 10 Films of 2012", which compared Gauri Shinde's directorial debut with veterans Manoj Kumar, Gulzar and Aparna Sen. It featured in "Best Bollywood Films of 2012" by Reuters, "Bollywood's Most Appreciated Films of 2012" by CNN-IBN, 'Top Bollywood Movies of 2012' by India Today, "Best Films of 2012" list by Rediff and Forbes "Best of Bollywood 2012". The film ranked third on MTV's "Top 5 Movies of 2012". It ranked second on Raja Sen's "Ten Best Films of 2012" and fourth on Rajeev Masand's list of "Top 5 Hits of 2012". The café scene in the film ranked second on CNN-IBN's list of "Top 10 Bollywood's Best Scenes of 2012". English Vinglish, particularly Sridevi's character in the film, was noted for inspiring Dalit girls in Bihar to master the English language. Filmfare listed it as one of the fifteen strongest women characters in Bollywood. Radhika Seth and Riya Dhankar of Vogue India listed it as one of the most empowering female characters in Bollywood. Srishti Magan of ScoopWhoop listed it as one of the nineteen most relatable female characters from Bollywood.

Director Gauri Shinde featured in the Financial Times 2012 list of "25 Indians To Watch". She also featured on Rediff's list of "Bollywood's 5 Best Directors of 2012".

 Oscar shortlist 

In September 2013, English Vinglish'' was considered for being shortlisted for the Indian submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

References

External links 

 
 
 

2012 films
2012 comedy-drama films
Films directed by Gauri Shinde
Hindi-language films
2010s Hindi-language films
Indian films
Indian feminist films
Indian comedy-drama films
Films about women in India
Films scored by Amit Trivedi
2012 directorial debut films
Indian films set in New York City
Films about language Sridevi (born Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan; 13 August 1963  24 February 2018) was an Indian actress and film producer who worked in 300 films as a lead actress.

Her acting career started in South Indian Cinema at the age of 4, with the Tamil film Kandan Karunai. She then made her transition to adult roles by the age of 13 with Moondru Mudichu. Due to her immense popularity and pan Indian appeal, she was often cited as the first female superstar of Indian Cinema. Sridevi's performances in films in a variety of genres had earned her praise and awards. She took a sabbatical from film acting in 1997. During her career, she won 6 Filmfare Awards: 3 for Hindi films, 2 for Tamil films and 1 for Telugu film. Her comeback was with English Vinglish in 2012. After English Vinglish, she worked in Tamil film Puli in 2015 and Hindi film Mom in 2017. She received the National Film Award for Best Actress for Mom. Sridevi's last role was a cameo appearance in Zero before her death in 2018.

Tamil

Malayalam

Telugu

Hindi

Kannada

Television

References

Indian filmographies
Actress filmographies