Sridevi’s legacy is defined by her performances, her remarkable screen presence and the milestones she achieved across Indian cinema. But away from the camera, the actress’ personal life was often the subject of intense media attention. From her reported relationship with a married Mithun Chakraborty to her eventual marriage to producer Boney Kapoor, several chapters of Sridevi’s life became the stuff of headlines. On her birth anniversary, here’s a look back at five of the most talked-about controversies surrounding the late actor.
Sridevi And Mithun Chakraborty’s Reported Relationship
Sridevi’s reported relationship with Mithun Chakraborty remains one of Bollywood’s most discussed celebrity romances of the 1980s. The two reportedly grew close while working together, including on Jaag Utha Insan.
The controversy stemmed from the fact that Mithun was already married to actress Yogeeta Bali. India Today reported at the time that gossip columns even claimed Sridevi and Mithun had secretly married, although neither actor publicly confirmed such a marriage.
Did Sridevi Secretly Marry Mithun?
The alleged secret marriage became a story in itself. Decades later, the claim continues to resurface, although there has never been definitive public confirmation from either Sridevi or Mithun that such a marriage took place.
More recently, veteran journalist Jyothi Venkatesh revived the story by claiming that the two had lived together as a married couple for around three months. The claim, however, remains part of the long-running account surrounding their relationship rather than an established fact.
The Unusual Rakhi Connection With Boney Kapoor
Perhaps the strangest detail in the Sridevi-Boney Kapoor story concerns a rakhi. According to a long-circulating account reported by India Today, Sridevi was said to have tied a rakhi to Boney Kapoor when rumours about her closeness to him had begun making Mithun insecure.
The irony became impossible to ignore when Sridevi eventually married Boney.
Sridevi And Boney Kapoor’s Relationship
When Sridevi and Boney Kapoor’s relationship became public, it attracted considerable attention because Boney was still married to Mona Shourie Kapoor. Boney himself later recalled that he and Sridevi had married secretly on June 2, 1996, in Shirdi, before making the marriage public months later.
The relationship also became controversial because of its impact on Boney’s first family. He had two children, Arjun and Anshula, with Mona.
Was Sridevi Pregnant Before Marriage?
For years, reports claimed Sridevi was pregnant with her first daughter Janhvi before marrying Boney. Boney later directly addressed the speculation, clarifying that the couple had actually married in June 1996 and that their marriage was made public in January 1997 when Sridevi’s pregnancy had become visible. Janhvi was born in March 1997. Boney specifically denied that she had been born before their marriage.
Despite the controversies and speculation that surrounded her personal life, Sridevi ultimately built a lasting family life with Boney. In her final Filmfare interview, she spoke warmly about her husband and daughters, describing herself as fiercely loyal to Boney and saying that her love for him grew with every passing day.
Her personal life may have generated headlines, but it is her extraordinary body of work, spanning Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi cinema, that ultimately secured Sridevi’s place as one of Indian cinema’s defining stars.