Sridevi's dedication to her craft went beyond just acting, as revealed by her husband, Boney Kapoor, in a recent interview. He shared insights into her unwavering commitment to Hindi cinema and her last film, "Mom".
According to Kapoor, Sridevi, whose first language was Telugu, recognized the importance of mastering Hindi to deliver authentic performances in Bollywood. Initially, her Hindi films were dubbed, but she felt this compromised her acting. Determined to improve, she took Hindi lessons in the dubbing theater and began dubbing her own films.
Kapoor highlighted Sridevi's dedication on the set of "Mom". She not only dubbed for the Tamil and Telugu versions but also assisted the Malayalam dubbing artist, ensuring the performance matched her own. Kapoor emphasized that very few actors demonstrate this level of commitment.
One of the most remarkable revelations was Sridevi's sacrifice regarding her fees for "Mom". The filmmakers wanted A.R. Rahman to compose the music, but his fees were beyond their budget. Sridevi, without hesitation, offered to forgo a substantial portion of her salary, approximately Rs 50-70 lakh, to secure Rahman's involvement. This act exemplified her selflessness and dedication to the film. Kapoor stated that Sridevi told him not to give her the remaining money but to take Rahman for the film instead.
Adding to her commitment, Sridevi even refused to share a room with Boney Kapoor during the "Mom" shoot. She wanted to remain fully focused on her character, avoiding any distractions. This level of immersion in her role was evident even while shooting in Noida and Georgia, where she prioritized the film above everything else.