Sridevi’s ‘soul’ connection to the city

Sridevi got married to Boney Kapoor in June 1996, at an intimate private gathering, held in the city. Although Boney hailed from Mumbai, Sridevi insisted that their special day be held in Chennai. Actor Vijaykumar, who was her co-star in films such as Sigappu kall Mookutthi and Thanikaatu Raja among others and a close friend of Sridevi tells us, “Her wedding was solemnised at our house. She was close to her sisters and her cousins from the maternal side. It was a lovely ceremony. I was proud to see how she raised her daughters Jahnvi and Khushi.” 

He adds, “Sridevi even celebrated her birthdays in Chennai. Last time around, she hosted a grand get-together. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be a part of it as I was shooting in Hyderabad. Also, she comes to the city often. She is very particular about the upkeep of her two properties in Chennai — one in CIT colony, Mylapore and a property on ECR. She always made it a point to spend quality time with her sisters and their children while she was here.” 

Actress Sheela of Chemmeen fame was Sridevi’s neighbour at CIT Colony. She recalls Sridevi as a mild-mannered girl offscreen. “But she came alive like a lioness, once the camera got rolling. Watching her develop as a star was one of the privileges of my life. We used to go for morning walks together at the PWD Avenue in Poes Garden. She was a girl who followed her mother’s advice to the tee. Even at social gatherings, she would wear sarees, recommended by her mom. Although we have worked together only in three films, she was a good friend of mine, who made it a point to attend all functions at my house. And I did the same for her.” 

She adds, “I was secretly in awe of her luscious hair. Once, when she flew out of town for a Hindi film shoot, she came back lamenting that the producers asked her to trim her mane. It was because they were finding it hard to mount a wig on her head. Her mother, then took her to a parlour in Mylapore and got it done. Sridevi was inconsolable and she told me how much she loved her hair. I had to convince her to attend the shoot.” 

She sums up saying, “Her most memorable moments in Chennai involved her sisters and cousins. If not for them, Sridevi wouldn’t even step out of her living room. 

Nirmal, the security guard at Sridevi’s house, tells us that she was a generous and humble woman. “I have been working here for the past few years. She visited Chennai thrice last year. Every time she came, she inquired the wellbeing of my family. I had never seen her losing her cool even once. For all the stardom she enjoyed, she treated everyone as equals.”