Sridevi’s failed wish

Sridevi has long dreamed about seeing her daughter Jahnvi Kapoor’s upcoming film “Dhadak”, starring Shahid Kapoor’s brother Ishaan Khatter and produced by Karan Johar, but will not be there when the film hits screens on July 20.

Sridevi, who was media-shy by nature, kept her daughters away from the glare of media and paparazzi until her elder daughter Jahnvi turned 14 years. Soon, she took it upon herself to give a big push to her daughter’s arangetram in Bollywood and left no stone unturned.

After almost a decade of silence, Sridevi made a come-back when she announced in 2011 her film with Gauri Shinde’s “English Vinglish” and the aptly styled film to her age has made her pave the way for her daughters’ entry into the film field that is getting crowded and competitive.

On family front too, Sridevi remained a solid guide, friend and philosopher to her two daughters and never missed even one occasion to seek blessings for them.

On the sidelines of acting for Tamil film ‘Puli’, she took time off to visit Kalahasti, a temple town for Shiva and known for performing Naga Sarpadosha puja. Accompanied by her daughter Jhanvi, she performed puja three years ago seeking blessings for her daughter’s foray into the filmfield.

Herself a daughter of an erstwhile Telugu actress Rajeswari, who had acted in Telugu and Tamil films, Sridevi knew how her career was shaped by her mother from her childhood at the age of four. Her devotion to her mother remained her tied to Switzerland for long when her mother breathed her last and that was the time, she was helped by friend Boney Kapoor whom she married later.

Like many Bollywood mothers, Sridevi concentrated on her children and never left them stranded in strained relations like many teenagers undergo. It was also because of her children’s future that Sridevi returned to camera and made an impactful “English Vinglish”, followed by “Mom”, truly reflecting the role of motherhood in both films.

Keen on her daughter Jhanvi’s debut film “Dhadak”, Sridevi remained the master-planner for her daughter’s foray into the Bollywood and never let any weak plot or budget constraints come in the way. She had reportedly told her daughter to keep an eye only on acting and never go beyond into relationships with co-star Ishaan.

But fate has different path for the legend Bollywood actress and the mother. Now Jhanvi and Sridevi’s second daughter Kushi have to muster courage to face the challenges without their mother, though their father may be there to help them. Mother is mother and Sridevi has taken care of her mother and her children but not her own health.

Perhaps a good break for her daughter Jhanvi with the release of “Dhadak” in July will make her dream come true.