Producer Boney Kapoor revealed that Sridevi declined the role of Sivagami in Baahubali due to unfair salary offers and false rumors spread by producers. He defended her professionalism, denied her extravagant demands, and highlighted Rajamouli’s regret over public comments. Sridevi passed away in 2018 at age 54.
The ‘Baahubali’ franchise’s success sparked a pan-India trend in filmmaking, benefiting everyone involved. Alongside its popularity, the film faced controversies, including claims that late actress Sridevi turned down the role of Sivagami due to unmet demands. In a recent interview, producer Boney Kapoor has finally addressed the long-standing rumors that his late wife, Sridevi, turned down the role of Sivagami in Baahubali due to exorbitant demands. Kapoor stated that the producers of the film, not Sridevi, were responsible for the misunderstanding, accusing them of lying to director SS Rajamouli about her salary and requests.Let’s delve into this revelation made by Boney Kapoor right here.
Boney Kapoor gives an explanation
On the YouTube show Game Changers, Boney Kapoor explained that his wife Sridevi did not join Baahubali because the producers refused to pay her a fair salary. He shared, “The film (Baahubali) with Rajamouli didn’t happen, but I still have his text saying he was a fan of Sridevi as an actor, but after having a conversation with her, his respect for her had increased multifold. That was because of the inputs she gave. She didn’t work in that film because of the confusion that was created by the producers. Rajamouli had come to our place and had a conversation about the film. When he went out of the room, the producers offered her less money than she got for English Vinglish. She wasn’t a struggling actor; you’re getting mileage out of her, which includes some help in both Hindi and Tamil. Why would I want my wife to do that?”.
Accusations against producer Shobu Yarlagadda
He also accused producer Shobu Yarlagadda of misleading SS Rajamouli about Sridevi’s pay. He explained, “I think the producers never told Rajamouli about the offer they had made. They told him that she wants the entire floor of the hotel; she wants a certain entourage. The only thing we wanted was for the big shoots to be scheduled during the time when our children had holidays.”
Boney Kapoor on defending late Sridevi’s professionalism
He added, “These producers were the culprits who fed Rajamouli with wrong things. He said in an interview what all she wanted, and that is false. This Shobu guy was the one who did this, and maybe he didn’t want to part with that money. To say things like ‘She was being unprofessional’ is wrong. People like Rakesh Roshan, Yash Chopra, and Raghvendra Rao have all repeatedly worked with her. Why would they do that if she was unprofessional?”.Rajamouli’s interview and Sridevi’s responseEarlier, in an interview with ABN Telugu, Rajamouli claimed that Sridevi requested an entire hotel floor, Rs 10 crore, and 10 flight tickets. Sridevi later expressed her dismay, stating in a Telugu channel interview, “I have been in the industry for about 50 years and acted in more than 300 films. Do you think I could have accomplished all of this by making such demands? People in the industry would have sent me packing if I was like that. But, when you hear such things about yourself, you really get hurt. I don’t know if the producer wrongly told Rajamouli that I made all these demands, or there could have been some miscommunication. I think it is not in good taste to speak on a public platform like this.” Shortly after, Rajamouli told DNA that he “regrets” making those remarks and admitted he “shouldn’t have discussed such details on a public platform.”
Remembering Sridevi
With a rich repertoire of films underlining her legacy, Sridevi passed away in 2018 at 54 owing to accidental drowning. Go to Source
