Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has opened up about a very personal memory of working with the late superstar Sridevi. He shared how his first day of shooting with her left him completely spellbound. The memory dates back to 1987, when the two were working together on the iconic film ‘Mr. India’.
The movie, which also starred Anil Kapoor, went on to become a landmark in Indian cinema. For fans, ‘Mr. India’ is remembered for its songs, dialogues, and Sridevi’s unforgettable performance in “Hawa Hawai.”
But for Shekhar Kapur, what has stayed in his heart are the moments behind the camera, with moments that showed him who Sridevi truly was, both as an actress and as a person.
Shekhar Kapur on Sridevi:
On Sunday, Kapur took to Instagram to share a throwback photo from the sets of the film. Along with the picture, he wrote an emotional note about his first encounter with Sridevi’s talent. He recalled that the very first day of shooting was at Mahabaleshwar, where they were filming a song.
“When she started to dance, the world stopped for all of us,” Kapur wrote. “It felt like the only thing moving was Sridevi herself. We were all watching in complete silence, unable to look away. I even forgot to say ‘cut’ because, like everyone else on set, I was too mesmerised.”
For Kapur, it was the way Sridevi carried herself that struck him. He said it felt as though “another being had descended” among them, someone so extraordinary that the entire crew simply froze in admiration.
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Kapur also spoke about a side of Sridevi that people rarely saw. While she was known across India as a glamorous star and one of the finest actresses of her time, he remembered her as fiercely loyal and deeply supportive.
“When the film faced difficulties, she always stood by me,” he revealed. “She would go out of her way to protect me. She would talk about how good I was and defend me whenever things got tough. Took it upon herself to look after her director.”
But beyond her loyalty and professionalism, Kapur remembered something even more striking: her innocence. Behind the dazzling stardom and the unmatched talent was a woman who was vulnerable and gentle.
According to him, Sridevi poured this innocence into her performances, which made her screen presence even more special.
“She used not only her acting skills but also her vulnerability and innocence,” Kapur wrote. “It was almost as if the only one she trusted with her inner emotions was the camera. The camera became her safe space, her protector. And that is why she was such a big star—because she was never afraid to show her true self to the lens.”
Although Kapur and Sridevi worked together only once, ‘Mr. India’ went on to create history. The film became one of Bollywood’s most loved classics, and Sridevi’s role is still remembered as one of her finest. Songs like “Hawa Hawai” continue to be celebrated even today, more than three decades later.