Sridevi's death | She broke the barriers of her own beauty to establish a new character: Ninad Umargekar

Breaking free, showing a reckless and a careless spirit is what typified the '90s be it cricket with the entry of the little master or Bollywood with Sridevi's bold dance moves. The '90s was a time when India was trying to assert itself with the opening up of it's economy. This was time when Sridevi epitomised the free spirit of a country that had come of age.

Growing up with Sridevi meant different things for different people who spend their adolescence in the '90s.

Brand Guru and Chief Strategy Officer of Fountainhead Ninad Umargekar saw Sridevi as someone whose brand broke stereotypes. “ It could be Jaanbaaz with Feroze Khan, Saadma or Nagina. She had the audacity to take different roles which was quite unheard then from actresses of her times who had slotted themselves.”

Ninad feels that she was more of a late '80s actress who received fierce competition from a Juhi Chawla or a Madhuri Dixit in the '90s. He adds that it was a rare boldness that set Sridevi apart from competition.

“She did a wide gamut of roles. As an actress you had to be a seductress. However, Sridevi brought a certain boldness to her acting. Sridevi showed the world that boldness is not about skin show but professional choices. It reflected even in her choice of films like Saadma, Nagina and English Winglish.”

Brand Consultant of the Future Group Niranjan Prakash feels that she symbolised the strenghth, grit and gumption of the new age working woman. “Her peak and my adolescence overlapped. Sridevi was more senior 
than Madhuri. She was a self standing heroine.As a growing up teen ager with a working mother one idolised a strong woman. Be it her reporter character in Mr. India or Nagina or Laadla. Her assertion was infectious. “
Niranjan feels that she was a woman in charge, a seductress with bold dance moves coupled with a rare sweetness and innocence. 

Essentially Sridevi, Akshay Kumar and Anil Kapoor epitomised that spirit. Unlike Rekha, Sridevi broke the barriers of her own beauty and established a new character.