How Kamal Haasan and Sridevi Were the Ultimate Screen Couple

Chennai: While the film fraternity is mourning the demise of actress Sridevi, her good friend Kamal Haasan shared his memories of the popular actress.

The two of them were child artists and began acting at the age of four. The two of them were regarded the ‘best on-screen couple’ and acted in 27 films together. They had a terrific chemistry on screen and were also good friends.

Kamal Haasan recalls how lullaby song ‘Kanne Kalaimane’ from the film, ‘Moondram Pirai’ haunts him today. In a tweet, he said: “Have witnessed Sridevi's life from an adolescent teenager to the magnificeint lady she became. Her stardom was well deserved. Many happy moments with her flash through my mind, including the last time I met her. Sadma's lullaby haunts me now. We'll miss her.”

Kamal Haasan also admits that the two were fond of each other. In a video message, he said: “Mrs Sridevi Kappor's astounding talent was not luck. It was well deserved and she worked for it from her childhood. I’m also a child actor. I have known her from her teens. She was still a child then when she came to work. Mr. Balachander, my mentor, sometimes gave me the responsibility of working with her and correcting her acting and even her dance moves... She was very fond of me and I was very fond her. Our paths diverted when she became a superstar in Hindi cinema. She has acted in almost all languages. She acted in about 27 films with me.”

The last time he met Sridevi was in January when the two participated in an awards function. “I think I saw her last month and we are not prone to showing emotions but somehow we both hugged each other and I am very grateful for that hug,” he added

He narrated how she was a great mother. Haasan said: “My deepest condolence to the family- Mr. Boney, the children. I know they loved her and I know how much she loved her daughters. I used to make fun of it. Some other day, when we were in a party, I found both the daughter and mother cuddling in a corner and showing love to each other and I was making fun of that. That poor child is going to miss all that.”

Actor Radha Ravi, who is a good friend of Sridevi, said: “When Kamal Haasan and Sridevi are in one frame, they compete with each other to perform better. In a romantic scene, if Kamal gives 10 different expressions, Sridevi tries to give 12 different expressions. This is why their chemistry was spoken about in every film they acted together. They were great on screen as a couple.”

Film critic Sreedhar Pillai remembered how their chemistry lit up screens.

“I would say her chemistry with Kamal was much much bigger than her chemistry with Rajini. The audience of that age liked their chemistry and it dazzled on screen. They had the best directors those days. They knew how to extract quality work from these two people. The crackling chemistry was an advantage. They looked like a real couple in all the films,” said Pillai.