Sridevi was hailed as the first female superstar of Indian cinema. Starting her journey in the entertainment industry at an early age, she captivated audiences with her iconic performances, memorable dance numbers and timeless songs.
She continues to hold a special places in the hearts of millions, influencing generations beyond.
Among all her co-stars, one actor collaborated with her more than anyone else. Yes, he is none other than the South megastar Rajnikanth. The duo worked in over 17 films across languages, creating one of the most beloved pairings in Indian cinema.
Sridevi and Rajnikanth’s alleged romance
Sridevi and Rajnikanth first collaborated for the 1976 Tamil film MoondruMudichu, which was directed by K. Balachander. Sridevi was only 13 at the time, but she played Rajinikanth’s stepmother in the film. Despite the unusual start and strange partnership in their first film, their chemistry stood out and became memorable in many other films.
Over the years, their professional relationship turned more personal. Off-screen, reports claimed that they shared a strong bond, with Rajnikanth becoming more possessive for Sridevi. He even became close to his family, especially her mother. As time passed by, Rajinikanth’s feelings for Sridevi intensified. According to reports, he even confessed to her family that he wanted to marry her.
Why Rajinikanth didn’t propose marriage to Sridevi?
Once in an interview, K. Balachander revealed that Rajnikanth was madly in love with Sridevi, and even went to her house with plans to propose. At the time, Sridevi was 13 years younger than him. While, he visited her house, the power suddenly went out, leaving the entire house in darkness. This unexpected incident changed Rajnikanth’s mind, taking power cut as a bad sign. Being deeply superstitious, he didn’t go through the proposal, and left without saying anything.
Even though Rajnikanth never confessed his feelings to her, he and Sridevi still remained friends for a long time. Their bond remained strong till Sridevi’s sudden demise in 2018. By then, Sridevi married producer-director Boney Kapoor in 1996, Rajnikanth, on the other hand, moved on in his life and married Latha Rajinikanth in 1981. Although, Rajinikanth never spoke about this publicly, but people close to him knew how special Sridevi was to him.