Sridevi, an icon star of Indian cinema, was remembered and celebrated by Bollywood celebrities and her family members on her 60th birth anniversary last August. Recently, an intriguing old interview clip featuring veteran actor Jeetendra was circulating on social media, shedding light on how Rekha recommended him to work with Sridevi even before the latter made her Hindi film debut.
In an interview with Zoom, Jeetendra shared the story of how Rekha suggested him to work with Sridevi while they were watching a Telugu film featuring the late actor. Recounting the incident, Jeetendra said, “One time me and Rekha were watching a Telugu film (which starred Sridevi). Rekha was suppose to play the female lead in Himaatwala at the time. While we were watching the Telugu film, Rekha kept telling me that, ‘You should work with her.’ I told her I will definitely work with her. I think Rekha couldn’t give her dates for Himaatwala and then the film’s director K Raghavendra Rao said let’s take Sridevi.”
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Speaking of Sridevi’s exceptional dancing skills, Jeetandra said, “When dance master used to teach us the steps, she would learn it quickly in just two rehearsals, while I took more time. She would rehearse with me until I perfected my steps.”
Sridevi, already an established star in Telugu and Tamil cinema, made her Hindi film debut with the 1972 film Rani Mera Naam. Her collaboration with Jeetendra began with the 1983 film Himmatwala, a remake of the Telugu film Ooruki Monagadu (1981).
The movie, featuring Jeetendra and Sridevi in lead roles, turned out to be a massive commercial success, grossing Rs 5 crore and becoming one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of the 1980s. Himmatwala proved to be a breakthrough moment for Sridevi in Bollywood, catapulting her to stardom, with her dance number “Naino Mein Sapna” becoming a sensation.
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