Goodbye 'Ms Hawa Hawai'

Sridevi, the name of a fairy tale or an undisputed queen, ruled Bollywood and her worldwide fandom for decades. She broke the mould when it came to playing traditionally timid female roles. The iconic actor breathed her last after suffering a heart attack in Dubai on Sunday. When the whole world is mourning the sudden demise of the legendary B-town diva, Dhaka Tribune's Showtime presents a look at some of her evergreen performances in memorable Bollywood movies. [caption id="attachment_249076" align="alignleft" width="218"] Still from 'Sadma' Collected[/caption] Sadma In 1983, her second film Sadma established her as a prominent actor in Bollywood. One of her most popular pairings was opposite Kamal Haasan. The sensitivity with which Sridevi played the woman with a mind of a child was both heart-breaking and touching. Chandni This 1989 film “Chandni” Sridevi became Yash Chopra’s go-to heroine. In fact, till date, the songs from the film make their way into wedding playlists; “Mere Haathon Main” is a must have for a “sangeet” ceremony even today. Laadla “Understand? You better understand!” a dialogue of the film, resonates equally to contemporary audience, as it did to fans back in 1994, at the time of the film’s release. This was the biggest film in Sridevi’s career. “Laadla” was the remake of a hit Kannada film. Here, Sridevi proved her acting prowess in a negative role as well. Mr India In this 1987 film, Sridevi fans witnessed her humorous side for the first time. She played an eccentric crime reporter and stole screen-space from co-star Anil Kapoor so much that trade journals joked it should have been called Miss India. Her talented Charlie Chaplin sequence in the film was eclipsed by the dance number 'Hawa Hawaii', and earned the actor one of her many accolades. [caption id="attachment_249077" align="alignright" width="300"] Still from 'Chaalbaaz' Collected[/caption] Chaalbaaz Even today, many critics hold the opinion that no one can portray a comic role in Hindi cinema as perfectly as Sridevi. She played the role of twin sisters in the film and her comic timing in this one was just perfect. Nagina Released in 1986, Sridevi played the role of a shape shifter in the blockbuster, which created a cult following. One of the songs of this film 'Main Tera Dushman' set the bar high for other 'Ichhadhaari Naagins' to follow. She starred in 2 films in the series rendering an impressive performance each time. Lamhe In this 1991 film by Yash Chopra, Sridevi was seen in a bold character. And yet again in a double role, her performance in this film won critical acclaim. She was seen playing both mother and daughter in this film. Judaai The transition of Sridevi’s character in this 1997 film was quite entertaining to watch. In the film, she starred alongside Anil Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar, Sridevi played the role of a materialistic wife who could go to any length for money. She even trades her husband for money. But once again the actor had showcased her bravery with this part. [caption id="attachment_249078" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Poster of 'English Vinglish' Collected[/caption] English Vinglish After her 15- year break, Sridevi was back in Gauri Shinde's “English Vinglish” (2012) as the homemaker who goes to learn English but instead discovers her identity. The film travelled to international festivals and spawned a series of renditions in other languages. Produced by R Balki and Gauri Shinde, Sridevi’s simplicity and impeccable craft in this comeback film won the audience’s hearts. Mom This was Sridevi’s last cinematic venture. While she was a loving mother in real life, she took her real life role to the reel life. Sridevi, with her seasoned craft, owned this film where she played the part of a mother seeking revenge from the predators who wronged her daughter. Sridevi's last movie Sridevi will be seen making a cameo in the film “Zero” and would be seen playing herself in the film. The scene is said to be a party scene wherein she will share the screen with Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt and Karisma Kapoor.