Sridevi’s ‘Lady Amitabh’ tag decoded: How she rewrote the rules of Bollywood stardom | Exclusive

On Sridevi's birth anniversary, veteran journalist Dilip Thakur explains why the late actress was called Bollywood's 'Lady Amitabh' and how she redefined female stardom.

New Delhi: On Sridevi’s birth anniversary, film analyst and veteran journalist Dilip Thakur remembers the late actress as Indian cinema’s first undisputed female superstar and explains why she was often referred to as the “Lady Amitabh.”

“In an era strictly defined by male box-office draws, Sridevi completely rewrote the rules of stardom. She was not merely a leading lady, but Indian cinema’s first undisputed female superstar—a rare force capable of carrying multi-crore projects entirely on her own shoulders,” says Thakur.

According to Thakur, Sridevi changed the traditional equation of stardom at a time when films were largely driven by male actors. He points to films such as Nagina and Nigahen, where she occupied centre stage despite sharing the screen with established male stars.

“In Nagina and its sequel Nigahen, she took absolute centre stage, relegating top stars like Rishi Kapoor and Sunny Deol to secondary spaces. Even in ChaalBaaz, while sharing the frame with two massive action icons in Sunny Deol and Rajinikanth, her electrifying dual performance as the timid Anju and the........

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