Sridevi was initially in talks to play the role of Sivagami in SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali. The role finally went to actor Ramya Krishnan at the end. There were reports that Sridevi had declined to do the film because her demands were not met. Now, the late actor’s husband and producer, Boney Kapoor, has refuted the rumours and lashed out at the producer of Baahubali for creating a ‘misunderstanding’ between Sridevi and SS Rajamouli, due to which she could not work on the film.

What Boney shared

Boney was speaking in the latest episode of Game Changers on their YouTube channel, where he said, “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 what she got for English Vinglish. She wasn’t a struggling actor; you’re getting mileage out of her… which includes some advantage in both Hindi and Tamil. Why would I want my wife to do that?”

On claims that she is an unprofessional actor

“These things the producers did not tell Rajamouli. Instead, they were the culprits who fed Rajamouli with wrong things. I am a witness to that, and I can say to his face. He said in an interview what she wanted, and that is false. This Shobu guy [producer Shobu Yarlagadda of Arka Media Works] was the one who did this, and maybe he didn’t want to part with that kind of money. To say things like ‘She was being unprofessional’ is wrong. So many directors like Rakesh Roshan, Yash Chopra, and Raghvendra Rao have all repeatedly worked with her. Why would they do that if she were unprofessional? But the way it didn’t turn out was wrong. They could have said we could not pay this money,” he added.

Sridevi died on February 24, 2018, in Dubai, where she had travelled to attend a family wedding. At just 54, her life was tragically cut short due to accidental drowning, leaving her family, the film industry and millions of fans in deep shock.

The two-part Baahubali saga was set in the fictitious kingdom of Mahishmati with Prabhas playing crown prince Amarendra Baahubali and his son Mahendra. The film received widespread acclaim upon release and grossed over ₹600 crore at the box office.