Sridevi: Remembering an Actress in Pursuit of Perfection

Sridevi: Remembering an Actress in Pursuit of Perfection “I am missing you Papa,” whispered the legendary Sridevi over the phone on 24 February 2018 to her husband. This was how Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan affectionately addressed her husband Boney Kapoor, a prominent producer/distributor of Bollywood. Meanwhile, ‘Papa’ had arrived at Jumeriah Emirates Towers Hotel, Dubai in the evening of that fateful day and the couple spent close to an hour in the privacy of their opulent room number 2201. The actress went to bathe and freshen up before the glitterati couple stepped out for dinner. Those were the ultimate private moments the couple were to spend together. Sanjay Kapoor, youngest brother of Boney Kapoor was to break the news to media, the film fraternity and the news starved electronic and print media that his sister-in-law, the talismanic actress had succumbed to a cardiac arrest. The Dubai Police and local doctors were not in agreement with the assessment of the Indian actor as the toxicological and autopsy reports revealed suspected drowning with traces of alcohol and water in her body and lungs respectively. This activated the churn-mills of social media and trolling began incessantly; imputing various theories to the tragic demise of the first female superstar of Indian cinema. She was supposed to be a fitness freak, with a regimented schedule. How could this happen, was the general refrain among the legions of her followers. Humans are after all mortals and perhaps nemesis is written on our epitaph the very day one arrives on this planet. Madhuri Dixit, her compatriot and a competitor wept inconsolably as the entire dazed nation joined in unison to maintain solemnity of the tragedy. Serpentine queues had formed to bid her adieu as she was cremated with full state honours at the Ville Parle crematorium in Mumbai and her ashes subsequently merged with the ocean at the scenic Rameswaram Coast of Tamil Nadu. The monarch of Indian cinema arrived on planet earth on 13 August, 1963 in the temple town of Sivakasi (also known for the fireworks manufactured there) in Tamil Nadu. Sridevi, during her career spanning over four decades produced an array of fireworks and electrified the silver screen with stellar performances for which she was feted with the Padma Shri in the year 2013. The actress known for loads of talent, and a taste for gyrations and immaculate dancing skills was decorated with the ‘Order of Afghanistan’ for her portrayal in the movie Khudha Gawah, where she played heartthrob to on-screen hero Amitabh Bachchan. Rewinding to past as it happens in the movies, it is noteworthy to mention that the estimable Sridevi began her career as a child artiste at the tender age of four in the Tamil movie Kandan Karunai aeons ago in 1967. “I lost out on going to school and on college life but I got into the film industry and worked without a gap - from child actor I went straight to heroine. There was no time to think and I was grateful for it,” said the enigmatic enchantress, Sridevi. She essayed the role of Lord Muruga in Thunaivan, a Tamil movie and soon made her debut in Tollywood as a child artist with the 1970 Telugu film Maa Nanna Nirdoshi. The year 1979 signified political turmoil, at the national level when the first non- Congress government lead by Morarji Desai (who headed the Janata Party Government) at the centre collapsed on account of machinations and political intrigues. Meanwhile, Chaudary Charan Singh was anointed suzerain of the country but could never face political vote in the Parliament. This was also the year that the first woman superstar and the highest paid female artiste of Indian cinema migrated from the safe confines south of the Vindhyas to make her maiden presence felt in Bollywood, in the blockbuster Solvan Sal. However, she was accepted by the film industry with the epoch making Himmatwala, co-starring the fabled Jeetendra. For her unforgettable roles and impeccable performances, Sridevi won several accolades. She was to triumphantly win the National Award for the best female lead, apart from bagging two Filmfare awards in Bollywood and three Filmfare awards down South. The gifted actress was also voted ‘India’s Greatest Actress in 100 Years’ in a CNN-IBN national poll conducted in 2013 on the occasion of the centenary of Indian cinema. The iconic actress was widely recognised by various media publications as a fashion statesman. Her taste in clothes was varied and ranged from stylishly casual to opulently majestic. In fact she made her debut as a fashion model in the year 2008. The actress modelled clothes for designers Priya and Chintan at the Lakme Fashion Week. The superstar received the ‘Ultimate Diva’ award at the Ciroc Filmfare Glamour & Style Awards in the year 2015. Though she acted in around 300 movies, some of her notable films which won her both popular and critical acclaim included Shekar Kapur’s Mr. India in 1987, followed by Chandni and Chalbaaz in the year 1989 and the sensitive portrayal of mother and daughter in the Anil Kapoor starrer Lamhe 1991. The actress was to win critical acclaim for the poignant role of an adult who never grows up but remains at the age of six and is rescued from a brothel while her predators are on the prowl, in Sadma along with Kamal Haasan in the year 1983. Another role was that of a demure and petrified Marathi woman in English Vinglish, where she discovers her inherent strength by attempting to learn a foreign language, English, much to the consternation of her uppity husband. She was to enact in varied roles with élan and panache and her final film was Mom for which she won the National award. Sridevi and the late actor Vinod Khanna were posthumously remembered by a grateful nation with Dada Saheb Phalke award for their contribution to Indian cinema. “Where are the rivals? There can be rivalry only between two equals. My only rival at the moment is Sridevi. I’m constantly trying to upstage her… I’m constantly trying to upstage her…I’m doing it to the point of obsession,” remarked the artiste who was perennially in pursuit of perfection. 2. Sania Mirza: Talismanic Tennis Player In the metropolis of Mumbai, then called Bombay, on 15 November, 1986 a star was born to Imran and Nasima Mirza. The little one was christened Sania. She was soon joined by younger sibling Anam. The sisters were raised in the Deccan city of Hyderabad; then capital of undivided Andhra Pradesh and today the capital of Telangana. The family is related to the fabled Pakistani cricket captain Asif Iqbal and also to the legendary Indian cricketer Ghulam Ahmed. Meanwhile, the year 1986 is also remembered for singular technological advancements and also for certain disastrous and cataclysmic events. Scientists of the undivided Soviet Union in their race against adversaries of the Western world and in particular the United States of America successfully launched the Mir satellite into space in February 1986. A month prior, on 28 January 1986 American scientists encountered an abortive space odyssey. Their shuttle, Challenger crashed barely seventy-three minutes after takeoff, snuffing out the lives of all seven crew members. The war of attrition in the field of technology continued unabated as engineers of France and United Kingdom connected the countries under sea over a distance of 50.45 kms through a tunnel, popularly referred to as the Chunnel. In this seesaw battle between the capitalist world and the communist bloc, the latter suffered a major setback in the shape of the Chernobyl disaster. It was a catastrophic nuclear accident that spread hazardous nuclear radiation across swathes of Europe. So like a classic tennis match, the ball of scientific achievements moved viciously from one court to another; from perilous moments to sublime gravitas. The choice lay with potentates and the people. Amidst this agony and ecstasy, sport nurtured and kindled optimism among humans. The USSR in 1986 hosted the first Goodwill Games. Among various sporting events, tennis featured prominently in this sporting carnival. Which tennis star worth her salt would not like to enter into partnership with tennis icon Martina Hingis? The Indo-Swiss combination of Mirza and Hingis successfully eclipsed the twenty-two year old record of a magical run established by Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva (from America and Belarus respectively) -a partnership of winning twenty eight games- by vanquishing the Romanian- Kazakh team of Raluca Olaru and Yaroslava Shredova in the New York Tennis championship. Sania Mirza held the racket at a tender age of five. She took to the game like fish to water. The Sunni Muslim was coached by her father Imran Mirza, a builder by profession and was later under the tutelage of Roger Anderson. She calls Nasr, an estimable school in Hyderabad as her ‘Home’. It was where she was imparted the 3Rs. She was to subsequently graduate from St. Mary’s College in Hyderabad and later earned a honourary doctorate from the MGR Educational and Research Institute in the year 2008. Talking about her game, Sania Mirza has said, “There's no doubt that my forehand and backhand can match anyone, it’s about the place that they're put in. I can hit the ball as hard as anyone can. However I'm not that fast on my feet.” It is another matter that her game has been mirrored to that of the prodigious Romanian, Ilie Nastase for her proficiency at baseline, ferocious ground strokes and high velocity forehand. This comparison should gladden the hearts of all tennis aspirants and lovers of the game. It is a matter of immense pride and honour that Sania Mirza was voted to be among ‘50 Heroes of Asia’ in the year 2005. Further, the celebrated Time magazine in the year 2016, counted her among the top 100 influential personalities in the world. The illustrious Economic Times perched this talismanic tennis player among the 33women who engineered to make India proud. The winner of 6 Grand Slam titles was reckoned by World Tennis Association to be the number 1 mixed-doubles player for almost a decade (between 2003 and 2013). She was amongst the highest paid tennis stars in the Indian circuit, who demolished the aspirations of significant players like Svetlana Kuznetsova, Vera Zvonareva, Marion Bartoli, Martina Hingis (her durable doubles partner), Dinara Satina and Victoria Azarenka. Sania Mirza attained the apogee of 27 ATP individual ranking in the year 2007. This was the highest singles ranking she could ever achieve in her dramatic career. The virtuosity of her talent can only be gauged by the number of medals she has won for the country and not the wealth she garnered. Sania has won 14 medals in the Asian Games, Afro-American Games and the Commonwealth Games. People have heard of Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik's marriage and love. But before they found each other they almost went on separate paths. Shoaib was originally married to Ayesha Siddiqi, a marriage which did not endure the vicissitudes of life. Meanwhile, Sania broke her engagement with millionaire Sohrab Mirza. In 2010 Sania Mirza married Shoaib Malik. The sporting couple are now proud parents of a baby boy, whom they have decided to call Izhaan Mirza-Malik. Passionate about the game of cricket and swimming, Sania is also fascinated by nature, cats, loves exercising and sporting sun glasses. She endorses GVK industries, Tata Tea, Atlas Cycles and Sahara among others. The prominent tennis player has been the Regional UN Women Ambassador to South Asia in 2014 and highlights gender issues, empowerment of women, human rights and a fight against cruelty towards animals. Sania Mirza is presently parenting baby Mirza-Malik and mentally training to participate in the Olympic Games, scheduled to be held in Tokyo in 2020. Sania Mirza quite candidly says that she has an attitude and everyone should possess an attitude. “As tennis players you are never satisfied. We are greedy as players always want better results,” says Sania. This is reflective of her attitude towards life in general and the game in particular. 3. Ranbir Kapoor, Rockstar Saawariya, starring Ranbir Raj Kapoor was canned in 2007 and was his maiden feature. However, critical acclaim came his way for essaying the role of a hearing and speech impaired character in the wondrous motion picture Barfi. The emotive feature film directed by Anurag Basu, won several accolades. It was nominated for the estimable Oscar Awards in 2012, as India’s entry in the ‘Best Foreign Language Film’ category. It was also screened at the prodigious Marrakech Film Festival and at the exalted Bussan International reverie. Ranbir began his voyage into tinsel world by assisting Sanjay Leela Bhansali in 2005 for the alluring and critically acclaimed talkie, Black, starring Rani Mukherjee. This celebrity is a product of the Method School of acting, who honed the craft at the School of Visual Arts, New York and subsequently was a tutee at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. It is believed that in order to get under the skin of the character in the movie Rockstar, Ranbir followed all the tenets of Method Acting. The simpleton Janardhan in the film scales the summit but simultaneously leads himself to self-destruction. To enact the role to the hilt , the artiste stayed with a Jat family in Pitam Pura, West Delhi for a considerable length of time and would also strum the guitar for hours at A R Rahman’s studio in order to pick up the subtle mannerisms characteristic of musicians; an indicator of his sterling commitment. In the realm of commercial cinema of Bollywood, one reckons that perhaps legends like Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan displayed such allegiance to their profession. The year was 1982, yet another rambunctious and tumultuous year. Mark Thatcher, son of the iconic Iron Lady of Britain, Margaret Thatcher disappeared in the Sahara during the Dakar Rally. Fortuitously for the denizens of Great Britain before they agreed to secede and gave thumbs up to Brexit, the son was rescued. Meanwhile temperatures froze across the United States of America as a Cold Sunday swept across the northern part of the land on the 17 January that year. The Universe too played startling games; called the Jupiter Effect when eight planets in the Solar System were all aligned on the same side. Back home in India, there were two important events in 1982 – Congress (I) lost power to NTR in Andhra Pradesh and Ramakrishna Hegde worsted the Congress in Karnataka. On 28 September of the same year Ranbir Raj Kapoor was born to Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh. The fabled actor is among the Forbes list of 100 celebratory personalities. American critics have labelled him to perfect ‘The Art of Minimalist’ for his portrayal in Prakash Jha’s political thriller, Rajneeti, inspired by Mario Puzo’s The Godfather and the immortal Indian epic, Mahabharata. The movie scorched Bollywood screens as it garnered $8.4million as earnings and catapulted Ranbir Kapoor to the realms of stratosphere. It was however Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani which earned the producers gargantuan manna. This Ranbir Kapoor, Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif flick was the reportedly the fourth largest grosser of Bollywood in 2009. Wake Up Sid, another Ranbir starrer along with Konkana Sen Sharma and Anupam Kher, where a younger man falls for an older woman was termed as a sleeper hit for the unusual plot. The artiste for his portrayals in Barfi, Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani, Rocket Singh – The Salesman of the Year and Sawarian has either been recommended or won Filmfare awards, which is certainly no mean achievement in a relatively short span of his film career. Sanjay Dutt has certainly received a new lease of life through the dramatic portrayal by Ranbir Kapoor in biopic Sanju. Released in June 2018, the movie has grossed US $81million. Kapoor essays the role in a manner that it is not hagiographic, but the narrative is captivating and engrossing. More importantly the movie re-established Ranbir Kapoor’s status as a bankable star on the Bollywood firmament. Sheryl Crow was to sing, ‘The first cut is the deepest’. The first affair, even though merely an infatuation has an indelible impression on the human mind and heart. Ranbir was attracted to a prepossessing girl at a tender age in class seven. He has had his share of alleged affairs with co-stars like Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif and is Alia Bhatt. These glittering names would make the hearts of stock individuals flutter. “Yes, I was addicted to cigarettes and alcohol,” says this fabled star. This is not an achievement to endorse, but does indicate the candour in his persona. Like several other celebrities in Bollywood, Ranbir has a streak of sportsmanship and an inane humane approach to life. He is a football enthusiast and patronises a club called All Star Football Club. He also supports, YUWA, an all girls soccer squad in a bijou town of Jharkhand. Together with Aamir Khan he runs the Pani Foundation to provide succour to the parched throats of Mumbaikars. Ranbir in partnership with Shabana Azmi has established the Millennium Welfare Society for the impoverished and underprovided women of the financial capital of the country. When Nepal was subsumed by a devastating earthquake, he liberally provided assistance and ministration. Similarly, the cops of Mumbai were pleasantly surprised when he donated two thousand raincoats to brave the rains. Like millions of individuals who traverse this planet, Ranbir has had his shades of black, grey and white on the roller-coaster ride in Bollywood. Says the trouper, “Personally, love is very important for me. There are lots of ordinary things in life, so love should be extraordinary, I hope I achieve that.” 4. Mohammed Rafi Fans, You Must Know This! The year was 1980. Mrs Indira Gandhi, after a political exile of two years, stormed back into the corridors of power. Her son Sanjay, infamous for the excesses of sterilisation during the tenebrous days of the Emergency succumbed to an ill-fated plane crash. The baton of the dynasty was passed on to the reluctant older son, Rajiv Gandhi. It was in many ways a tumultuous year. Brawny Soviet Union trampled all democratic norms and their tanks stormed into Afghanistan. This incident triggered large scale boycott of the Summer Olympics at Moscow, led by the United States of America. Later that year came the revelations of the flagitious case of Bhagalpur blindings, immortalised years later by Prakash Jha’s iconic film Gangajal. All these events however, were overshadowed in the collective memory. On the 31July that year as it poured heavily in Delhi and motley crowds sat sipping steaming cups of tea, glued to their radio sets, they heard about the tragic demise of the estimable playback singer of Hindi cinema - the one and only mellifluent Mohammed Rafi. The skies darkened and there was a heavy downpour as the elements too seemed to shed tears in his memory. It was a frosty and nippy winter in Kotla Sultan Singh, a verdant hamlet in the undivided Punjab of British India. The year was 1924 and just a day prior to Christmas, when the charismatic vocalist Mohammed Rafi was born to Haji Ali Mohammad and Allahrakhi Bai. The prodigious child was the fifth of the six siblings. The child’s musical prowess was revealed from a very tender age and his talent was recognized by his elder brother’s friend Abdul Hameed. This friend prevailed upon Mohammed Rafi’s family to nurture the amateur’s talent. Mohammed Rafi first learnt the craft of Hindustani classical music under the tutelage of Pandit Jiwan Lal Mattoo. Panditji taught him various intricacies of raag shastra and the strains of Punjabi folk ragas besides imparting to him the knowledge esoteric raagas like Pahaadi, Bhairavi, Basant and Malhaar. He later trained under Ustad Abdul Wahad Khan of the Kirana Gharana and also received rigorous lessons from the legendary Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan of the Patiala Gharana that further honed his musical skills. Rafi Saheb, as he was known among the music fraternity was to subsequently polish his metier under the renowned musicologist, Feroze Nizami, a producer with the All India Radio, Lahore. Legions of Rafi Saheb’s followers are perhaps unaware that K.L. Saigal and G.M. Durani were his idols and in the nascent stages of his career he emulated Saigal’s style of rendition. Mohammed Rafi performed his first stage show as a young boy of 13 in Lahore. The singer then embarked upon his musical odyssey by rendering for the All India Radio in Lahore in the year 1941. Then arrived the momentous occasion when he soulfully sang ‘Soniye Nee, Heeriye Nee,’ a duet with the fabled singer, Zeenat Begam for the Punjabi film Gul Baloch. However, it is quite a travesty that the film was screened three years later that is the year 1944. Mohammed Rafi’s maiden foray in the tinsel world of Hindi cinema was with the magical wand of Naushad. The number was ‘Hindustan Ke Hum Hain’ along with Shyam Kumar, Alauddin and others, in A. R. Kardar's film Pehle Aap. It so happened that around the same time, the talismanic vocalist recorded another song for the 1945 film Gaon Ki Gori, ‘Aji Dil Ho Kaaboo Mein.’ As it was his first solo number, the eminent singer considered it to be his first Hindi song. Mohammed Rafi has been considered as one of the most versatile singers produced in the subcontinent. Quite seamlessly he could sing romantic, patriotic, classical or melancholic numbers; bhajans, quawallis or peppy beats, the virtuoso singer could do wonders. Perhaps the singular quality he was known for was his unique ability to mould his voice to the persona and style of the actor —ranging from Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Rajendra Kumar to Shammi Kapoor— on the silver screen, with astonishing ability. The lip-syncing matched the performance of the actor. Rafi Saheb recorded round 7,500 songs during his career and was feted with six Filmfare Awards and one National Film Award, among others. For his gargantuan contribution to Indian cinema the maestro was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India in the year 1967. The sonorous rendition of ‘Bhagwan Bhagwan, Ae Duniya Ke Rakhwale, Suno Dard Bhare Mere Nale’ is a reflection of the pluralism and secularism of this country. The magical number which moistens the eyes of cine goers to this day is from the celebrated film Baiju Bawra. The song was picturised on Bharat Bhushan and the lyrics were penned by Naushad Ali and Shakeel Badayuni. The Voice of the Millennium, Lata Mangeshkar was to once remark, “As a singer you have to bring soul to the song.” Certainly, Mohammed Rafi who sang with all zest, ebullience and gusto succeeded in doing just that…..effortlessly. 5. Immortal, Multifaceted Kishore Kumar Gloom enveloped the world economy as markets tanked in 1929. Wall Street had collapsed and the Great Depression was declared officially. Elsewhere in the world, the BBC TV was launched formally. Back home in India, there was the clarion call of Purna Swaraj at the Lahore session of the Congress. It was a momentous decision for Indians to strive for freedom and become suzerains by their volition and their own right. Amidst all this cacophony, there were strains of harmony and symphony. Lata Mangeshkar, the mellifluous singer was born on 28 September 1929, in Indore and the euphonious songster Kishore Kumar arrived on 4 August that very year in Khandwa. Thus present day Madhya Pradesh has the unique distinction of becoming the cradle to two prominent, legendary and fabled singers of Indian cinema. Kishore Kumar was born into a Bengali Brahmin family. His father, Kunjalal Ganguly was an estimable lawyer and mother Gouri Devi hailed from an opulent family. Kishore Da, as he was affectionately referred to, was the youngest of four siblings. His oldest brother was the consummate trouper, Ashok Kumar who essayed riveting roles that fired the imagination of millions of Indians. Anup, another brother too forayed into tinsel world but with not much success. Sati Devi was the only sister. Kishore Kumar was literally coerced to don the greasepaint and act, by his older sibling Ashok Kumar. But perhaps acting was not in his blood and he was to give a string of flops. In fact it is estimated that as many as 16 of his first 22 movies bombed at the box-office. His maiden foray in front of the camera was in the film Andolan directed by Phani Mazumdar in 1951. Kishore’s heart beat to be the mellifluent voice behind the actor. He was not a trained classical singer, yet this amazing talent immortalised innumerable songs which are crooned to this day. This multifaceted artiste got his maiden opportunity to sing in the movie Ziddi, aeons ago in the year 1948. This opportunity to sing the song, ‘Marne Ki Duayen Kyon Mangoon’ was provided by music director Khemchand Prakash. Kishore Kumar was enormously dexterous; he could seamlessly render any kind of song, without any formal training in the field of music. He was a trouper, script writer, lyricist, producer and director and possessed Mandrake like magic to conjure a plethora of tricks on the legion of his fans. The talented playback singer was blessed with a soulful voice which enabled him to enrich the world of music through comic, melancholic, patriotic numbers and besides haunting romantic songs. ‘Hame Tumse Pyaar Kitna’ left an indelible impression on the minds of cinema goers; ‘Aane wala Pal’ from the movie Gol Maal, composed by RD Burman, resonates in the minds of listeners to this day. His vast repertoire, spanning four decades, illuminated the universe of cinema through enigmatic renditions. In a facile manner he skilfully rendered his voice to actors such as Dev Anand, Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Shammi Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor and the one-man industry Amitabh Bachchan. He wrote and directed Chalti ka Naam Gadi in the year 1958 where the three brothers Ashok, Anup and Kishore along with the ethereal beauty Madhubala had audiences in splits. The artiste teamed up with Mehmood and Sunil Dutt and the prepossessing beauty Saira Banu to scorch Bollywood with Padosan in the year 1968. A few years later it was the triumvirate of Kishore Kumar, Mehmood and Amitabh Bachchan that provided wholesale entertainment to audiences in form of Bombay to Goa in the year 1972. Kishore Kumar's numbers like ‘Meri Bhigi Bhigi Si’, ‘Jhoom re Jhoom’ and ‘Yeh Dosti’ inspired a generation of singers and audiences. Kishore Kumar was particularly fond of yodelling. This is an Australian form of music where gibberish and nonsensical words without any particular meaning are dovetailed with the song. Kishore Kumar with his sense of timing and rhythm could endlessly and incessantly yodel. The impact was nevertheless dramatic on scores of artistes. In particular Shammi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan lip synced to these numbers with finesse much to the amusement of cine goers of various ages and classes. Kishore Da could never be cast in the classical mould but instead he carved a remarkable niche for himself in the tinsel world. This exceptionally talented singer could render compositions in a facile manner in Bengali, Marathi, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Bhojpuri, Malayalam and Urdu and of course Hindustani. Such was the repertoire and span of this quintessential tinder box exploding with talent that it left audiences gasping for breath. The romantic Kishore Kumar married four times. Perhaps he was a restless soul. His wives were Ruma Guha Thakurta, the ethereal Madhubala, the voluptuous Yogita Bali and the enigmatic Leena Chandravarkar. For his extraordinary contribution to Indian Cinema he was feted with 8 Filmfare Awards for best play back singer. In the year 2012 his adieu song ‘Guru Guru’ was auctioned at the Osions Cinefare auction. This song was recorded just a day before his tragic demise. However, the artiste in him could never be caged and had an anti-establishment streak, particularly during the Emergency. So much so, that his songs and movies were banned by Doordarshan, at that time the only television channel on the landscape. It is indeed poignant that Kishore Kumar cast his mortal self on the birthday of his older brother Ashok Kumar, on 13th October 1987. Such is the travesty and destiny of life. 6. Dhak Dhak Girl Reduced to Tears The year was 1967 and a star in Mumbai was born into a conservative Marathi Konkanastha Hindu Brahmin family. The star made a obsequious entry into the film world through a Rajshri production called Abodh. The Dhak Dhak girl, gifted with a magnetic personality and a cherubic face by the Divine has a net worth of $3.5 million and is said to charge Rs 3 to 4 crore per movie, besides endorsing a range of products like Maggie, Olay and Chyawanprash. Her presence electrifies the atmosphere and certainly she commands a unique screen presence. The actress adores Balraj Sahni, Gregory Peck, Meryl Streep, Nargis, Madhubala and Ingrid Bergman and likes to be draped in her favourite orange colour. But it was the 1987, N.Chand