Ajith was exceptionally kind. He had a lot to do with Sridevi Ma’am for him to agree to do the cameo, claims Gauri Shinde.
Gauri Shinde made her directing debut in 2012 with the Sridevi-starring film English Vinglish. The movie proved to be a pleasant surprise, pleasing both the public and the critics, and it is now recognized as the movie that brought Sridevi back to the entertainment industry. Four years after releasing English Vinglish, Shinde gave the audience another uplifting story in the form of Dear Zindagi, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Alia Bhatt. Gauri reflects on her first encounter with the great Sridevi and describes it as a blind date as she marks her tenth year as a director. She remembers, “It was pure luck to meet her.
“At the end of the narrative, I remember her first response: I don’t know about you, but I would like to do this film,” adds Gauri quickly. The movement of women-led movies in Bollywood is said to have begun with English Vinglish and Kahani. Naturally, Gauri is pleased to know this. “This project struggled mightily to get off the ground. Nobody believed the simple tale about a woman wearing a saree would appeal to the audience. Even though we had no intention of starting a movement, looking back, I am happy we did,” she says.
But what specific challenges did she face? “People enjoyed what they read but declined. Although I was willing to make it the way it was intended to be produced, I was able to understand their point of view. Amitabh Bachchan and Ajith Kumar made cameo appearances in the Hindi and Tamil versions of English Vinglish, respectively. “For me, seeing Sridevi and Amit Ji in the same movie was like an Oh My God moment. Who wouldn’t embrace such a concept? The entire credit for this goes to Balki, and Amit Ji was kind enough to do it for my movie.
She also expresses her gratitude to Ajith Kumar. “Before deciding on the Tamil version, we were unaware of it, but once we made the choice, we wanted someone in the Tamil film industry to handle the coming. Ajith was really considerate. He owed a lot to Sridevi Ma’am for consenting to make the cameo. It’s so weird to think of working with these people. Gauri has avoided directing since the premiere of Dear Zindagi, despite receiving numerous offers from studios.
Making movies that truly delight me is all I do. In addition to the audience, I want my films to have an impact on me. All I can do is make sincere movies and then wait for others to notice them. I don’t get easily seduced by offers, but I need a compelling argument before I start a movie.
She acknowledges that she is developing a script. “Now that enough time has gone, even I want to make a movie. It ought to occur soon,” she grins. There have been numerous rumors that Gauri will work on a movie with Janhvi Kapoor, Sridevi’s daughter. Would she now want to helm a movie starring Janhvi after Sridevi? We talk about movies since we know each other, she says as she ends. She has always been to me like a young baby or toddler. She and I talk about movies frequently, and of course, I want to collaborate with her. We also get together as buddies. In response to your inquiry, I definitely want to collaborate with Janhvi.