Sridevi and Kamal Haasan pairing is irreplaceable. Here’s why

Sridevi and Kamal Haasan as a couple were electrifying on the big screen. They together appeared in 27 films including, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi.

Kamal Haasan, Sridevi, Sadma, Sadma remake, Kamal Haasan actor, Sridevi actress, Kamal Haasan films, Sridevi films, Entertainment News

Sridevi and Kamal Hassan in a still ‘Sadma’

Sridevi was introduced to me by my mother. Paranthaalum Vidamaadden from Guru (1980) was playing on the television. “She is Kamal Hassan’s best onscreen pair,” I was told. The song is about the persistence of Kamal’s character to win over Sridevi, who loathes the very sight of his existence. The sequence is set mid-air, with Kamal, and Sridevi flying in different aircrafts. Their headphones are paired and the exchange between them is back and forth. They also have a clear vision of each other as they can catch even the smallest facial expressions made during the course of the song. All this is happening while, let’s say, the flight is at an altitude of 20000-25000 ft. Looking back at the song choreography, we can see how it defies basic logic and technology. But, back in the day, it inspired amusement from the viewers. This is what Kamal and Sridevi’s combination was capable of doing. They could make audience buy anything. Well, they weren’t only selling empty calories through their performances, they encouraged the Tamil audience, who were only fed on masala films, to appreciate slow cinema.

In Moondram Pirai (1982), Sridevi’s Viji suffers from a memory disorder that makes her behave like a child. Kamal’s Cheenu saves her from a prostitute racket and becomes her guardian. Nobody other than Sridevi could have made the audience take Viji seriously. It would have mostly been a disaster for other actors. But, Sridevi makes us emotional and invest in a character, which is largely used for comic purposes in commercial films even today. And the presence of Kamal added weight to the narration.

Sridevi and Kamal as a couple were electrifying on the big screen. They both brought the best out of each other. Their performance in Sippi Irukkuthu song in Varumaiyin Niram Sivappu (1980) sums up how they complemented each other. In that song, Sridevi challenges Kamal to come up with apt lyrics to the tunes she sings. The competition is cut-throat. One pushes the other to do better. And it eventually ends with them expressing mutual respect and love they have for each other.

The iconic journey that began with Moondru Mudichu in 1976 continued for over a decade until the late 80s. They both together appeared in 27 films including, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi. The Sridevi and Kamal Jodi will remain iconic and irreplaceable for generations.

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ED arrests Biswal Tradelink’s MD in fake bank guarantee case, to confront him with Anil Ambani

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Partha Sarathi Biswal, managing director of Biswal Tradelink Private Limited (BTPL), in connection with an alleged fake bank guarantee case. “A probe has revealed that BTPL fraudulently arranged and submitted fake bank guarantees of Rs 68.2 crore along with forged State Bank of India (SBI) endorsements and fabricated confirmations for a Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) tender. For providing this bank guarantee, BTPL received Rs 5.40 crore from Reliance Power Limited,” an official said. Seven days after searching multiple locations in Mumbai linked to Anil Ambani, the ED has summoned the industrialist on August 5 to join the investigation into a money laundering case linked to a multi-crore bank loan fraud involving companies of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group. The ED has also issued a lookout circular (LOC) to prevent him from travelling abroad. BTPL was one of the companies where the ED recently conducted searches. Biswal's arrest was made on August 1 and he was produced before a Delhi Court, which sent him to their custody till August 6. "We are planning to confront him with Anil Ambani during questioning and will try to verify some facts," an official said. The ED has initiated its investigation against BTPL based on an FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Delhi Police, against the firm, its directors and others, for allegedly providing a fake bank guarantee which was submitted to SECI. “During the investigation, the ED has collected several pieces of evidence and they confirmed the use of fake documents in the name of certain banks and fake email IDs in the name of SBI. Probe has also revealed that BTPL, a small company incorporated in 2019, maintained multiple undisclosed bank accounts and carried out transactions disproportionate to its declared turnover. Many violations of the Companies Act are found, and no statutory records are found at registered addresses, such as books of accounts, shareholders’ registers, etc,” the official said. The probe also revealed that dummy directors were used solely to sign documents, and found at least seven undisclosed bank accounts of the company. “Proceeds of crime, of crores of rupees, have been traced to these accounts,” the official added. A spokesperson for Reliance Power said the ED case related to a bank guarantee. “The company and its subsidiaries acted bona fide and have been a victim of fraud, forgery and a conspiracy. The company has made due disclosure on this to the stock exchanges on November 7, 2024. A criminal complaint in this regard has already been lodged with the Economic Offence Wing of Delhi Police against the third party on October 16, 2024. The due process of law will follow," said the spokesperson.

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