Women of Bangalore Honor Sreedevi through Cosplay Event Organized by ‘Ladies Finger’

Journalist Nisha Susan, the editor of women website- Ladies Finger organized the ‘Leddies Night’ event in honor of the legendary actress. "Sridevi was a comedic genius. She represented a certain type of humor - a woman who took her work very seriously, but didn't take herself very seriously. So we wanted to do something that incorporated wit and laughter, especially given that women's laughter seems to 'super terrify' men," she said. The editor made these remarks in connection with the recent incident when MP Renuka Chowdhury laughed aloud during Prime Minister- Narendra Modi’s speech. Her laughter drew flak and it was compared to a demon in the Hindu epic- Mahabharata. Many female activists were angered by these remarks.

The ‘Leddies Night’ event

"We wanted to commemorate someone who meant a lot to women, not just through op-eds and obituaries but also through participating in her madness. Sridevi has a beautiful lunatic streak and we felt that this cosplay element for ladies night would allow us to participate in that lunacy," Ms. Susan said. At the glitzy ‘Leddies night’ two sisters came dressed as Anju and Manju- the characters played by Sreedevi in the movie Chaalbaaz in which she sported a double act.

Another Sreedevi female fan wore an electric blue outfit that was an ode to her iconic ‘Nagina look’ in movie Nagina that turned out to be a major box office hit. Some even combined various looks portrayed by the actress in different movies and finally gave it a fusion look. Women from all walks of life with “serious lives and serious jobs” just came to thoroughly enjoy themselves and honor the actress regardless of whether they knew about the website or not. Women grooved to the medley of Sreedevi’s songs that turned out to be the highlight of the event.

Remembering an icon

The influential actress had a natural flair for acting coupled with her magnetic charm. The actress portrayed each of her characters with utmost perfectionism. Her comic timing was so good that at times it left the performance of male actors in the doldrums. The recipient of a national film award was the highest paid woman in the industry and came to be known as one of the most influential actresses of Indian cinema. Despite acting alongside powerful male superstars like Amitabh Bachchan, her performance was never subdued. What was the most striking aspect of her magnetic persona was that she was grounded and humble despite reaching heights of fame and success. Her passing away unexpectedly in Dubai in February has undoubtedly left a void in the hearts of millions of Indian fans that probably would never be filled again.

We can never witness the talented actress perform again but as Nisha Susan rightly puts it, we can at least be a part of the lunacy and madness that she was once a part of.