Even years after her death, Sridevi is still remembered as one of the most powerful and influential stars of Indian cinema. Often hailed as the first female star, she dominated the screen in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu films.
In addition to her stellar performances, she was also known for being very transparent about her boundaries, both personally and professionally. Sridevi has never been one to follow industry pressures blindly.At a time when actors often gave in to the demands of direction, she chose to stand firm on what she was comfortable portraying on screen. Her choices reflected not only confidence but also a strong sense of self-esteem, making her stand out in an era that rarely accommodates such assertiveness.
Sridevi’s ‘Guru’ controversy sparked outrage
According to Newspoint, during the shooting of Guru, where she starred alongside Mithun Chakraborty, Sridevi reportedly refused to do a kissing scene. While Mithun respected her decision, director Umesh Mehra allegedly went ahead and included the moment in the film using a workaround, and later claimed that Sridevi shot it herself. The incident quickly became controversial, as it conflicted with the actress’s explicit disapproval.
Sridevi’s mother strongly opposed what happened and did not back down. “Umesh Mehra cheated us. We refused to give the kiss from the beginning, so he took some extras and shot the scene. He can’t do that. This is not allowed,” she said. Expressing her anger further, she added, “To hell with how he gets extras to do anything and make it look like Sridevi did it! Ask him to remove the scene from the film and we will allow the film to be released.”
“Later, the actress herself spoke about the experience and described it as very disturbing. “The issue of kissing Guru was a nightmare. Someone else’s lips were used to kiss him even though I said I wouldn’t allow it to be done by a substitute.” She also spoke about how it affected her family. “My parents watched the film and were very upset. Director Umesh Mehra even claimed that I had already done the kissing scene.
“She concluded by saying, “This was my worst experience in the film industry. I’m not sure why I would kiss someone I don’t know. Others can do that, but I can’t.”
Sridevi’s legacy outside cinema
From classics like ‘Mr India’ to ‘Chandni’ and ‘Lamhe’, Sridevi has created a body of work that continues to inspire generations. However, stories like these highlight that her legacy isn’t just about memorable roles, but also about consistency in an industry that often requires compromise.