What do Sridevi, Kajol and Preity have in common?
December 02, 2004

She gets paid in millions and compliments. And she loves them both.

Here's a quick look at the most popular and unimaginative compliments paid
to our Hindi film actress:

"Wow, you are so pretty." [The most irritatingly common one]

"You and XYZ make a lovely pair on screen." [Beaten to death]

"I love your dressing sense." [Second runner up]

"You are an amazing actress." [Last but not the least]

But how many actresses can we think of saying, "You are funny as hell"?

In our films, actresses have fixed emotions to convey no matter how big or
small the length is. Women in films are usually an 'object' of someone's
affection. So like true blue props, they add glamour to the grim settings by
looking gorgeous and breaking into impulsive dance urges. To them, getting
into the skin of the character usually boils down to displaying oodles of
the same.

Playing a woman of substance translates into a wronged individual turning
into a madcap avenger unleashing her fury on the male-dominated system. Or
she takes the glycerin path by accepting regressive characters in social
dramas -- an extension of small screen saas-bahu soap operas.

Again, where is 'funny'? Rack your brains to name an actress who displayed a
fabulous sense of humour or possessed a keen comic timing, and a shockingly
low percentage comes to mind.

Low or high, this set of actresses should be applauded for doing more than
just looking good and crying buckets.

One of the earliest to dabble in comedy were the divas of the black and
white era like Geeta Bali (Albela) and Madhubala (Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Half
Ticket). Geeta Bali's cute brand of laughter or Madhubala providing the
perfect foil to Kishore Kumar's rib-tickling comedy is guaranteed to bring a
smile on the viewer's face even today.

Even the impish Mumtaz didn't shy away from playing the clown's amused girl.

The 1970s saw the likes of Rekha, Hema Malini (Seeta Aur Geeta, Satte Pe
Satta) and Neetu Singh (Rafoo Chakkar, Amar Akbar Anthony) justifying the
phrase 'girls just wanna have fun'. While it was somewhat hard for Hema
Malini to get out of the dream girl mould and Neetu Singh appeared content
playing the happy-go-lucky girlfriend, Rekha emerged winner with her
spontaneous comic timing in films like Khubsoorat, Jhoothi, Bahurani and
Biwi Ho To Aisi.

In the last 10-15 years, the trend appears to be coming of age with more
actresses coming forward to successfully or otherwise essay nutty roles.

Here's my pick of the super six comic heroines in recent times:

SrideviSridevi

Her mobile face expressions could give Jim Carrey sleepless nights. And yet,
she is one of a kind.

Sridevi's biggest plus point is her ability to be completely uninhibited in
front of the camera. Remember her in the beer scene in the bar or getting
into scraps with each and sundry in Chaalbaaz?

Her take off on Bollywood's classic icons in the song medley of Lamhe was
equally entertaining. Her antics as Ms Hawa hawai in Mr India cannot be
ignored either.

Even in super bloopers like Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and Gurudev, Sri
evoked laughs with her (deliberated) clumsy body language, dancing eyes and
wobbly, thick-accented voice. Not to forget her desperately-seeking-money
act in Judaai. It is hard to erase the memory of the actress crazily jumping
about her bed counting money like the greedy wazirs you encountered in Ali
Baba And The Forty Thieves.

FROM: http://www.rediff.com/movies/2004/dec/02corner.htm


Pic below from CB, dec 2004. See large version in files, in part 3 of this
egroup!

SF