After an astounding comeback in “English Vinglish”, Sridevi is back with another movie on her proud shoulders. While the feminist bandwagon speaks of the short shelf life of women in Indian cinema, 53 year old Sridevi is creating wonders by being her own hero.
Sridevi has been recognized to break cinematic glass ceilings from early on in her career. In the 1980s when Amitabh Bachchan was the only one dominating the scenes, and all the actresses wanted to be cast opposite him, Sridevi created ripples in 1986 when she refused roles opposite him on the argument that such roles were mere glorified extras.
Same year, “Nagina” released. Since then, Sridevi has proved her mettle to carry whole films on her own shoulders. With “Chandni” and “Mr. India”, she again proved her point. She held her own against North Indian star Sunny Deol and South Indian superstar Rajnikanth in “Chaalbaaz”.
She went on a sabbatical in 1997, but returned with a bang with “English Vinglish”. India’s own Wonder Woman got a standing ovation at the Toronto Film Festival and was also dubbed by some as “India’s Meryl Streep”.
Sridevi’s acting prowess, brilliant music score by Rahman, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s fantastic act as a ‘creepy bald man’ makes MOM a movie entering my watchlist.
It’s no wonder that she holds her fort again in “Mom”. If the film culture is a mirror to society, her “Mom” will only prove the point further. Her crisp and enigmatic performance is awaited by all fans, young and old, as she returns to the screen to weave her own brand of magic.
Sridevi’s acting prowess, brilliant music score by Rahman, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s fantastic act as a ‘creepy bald man’ makes MOM a movie entering my watchlist.
