Chandni

Chandni
(translation: "moonlight")
1989
4/5 stars

Rohit (Rishi Kapoor) meets Chandni (Sridevi) at a wedding and is instantly smitten.  He woos and wins her, but before they can be married he suffers an accident that leaves him paralyzed. Rohit pushes Chandni away, not wanting her to be tied to him.  Grief-stricken, she moves to Bombay, where she takes a job as secretary to Lalit (Vinod Khanna).  Lalit falls in love with her, and she agrees to marry him.  Before they are married, though, a recovered Rohit comes to find her, and Chandni must choose between him and Lalit.

This drama has a good plot that, while predictable, keeps the viewer's interest.  It not only spotlights Sridevi's stunning beauty, but her dancing as well.  In addition, she matures her character in a believable way.  Kapoor and Khanna both give good, often emotional, performances.  The music was quite good, as was the choreography.  Sridevi's costumes, especially the traditional ones, were gorgeous.  Overall, it's an engrossing film, and quite enjoyable.

Cast also includes Anupam Kher, Waheeda Rehman, and a cameo by Juhi Chawla.

This movie is available with Amazon Prime.

Judaai

Judaai
(translates as "separation")
1997
5/5 stars

Kajal (played by Sridevi) is obsessed with money, and as a result begins to disrespect her upstanding, honorable husband, Raj, (Anil Kapoor) for not giving her what she wants.  When rich Janhvi (Urmila Matondkar) falls in love with Raj, Kajal bullies him into marrying Janhvi in exchange for a large sum of money.  Kajal soon discovers that the wealth she has so desired will not bring the happiness she expected.

The incomparably beautiful Sridevi gives an outstanding performance as Kajal, easily working the audience for and against her as the scene required.  Matondkar is also excellent in her role.  Kapoor, though playing his part well, is overshadowed by the two strong performances by the actresses, but that is as it should be for this film.  The direction is superb, the music is good, the choreography average, the traditional costumes stunning, and the supporting cast some of the finest.  I was surprised at just how fantastic this movie was, and it is written well enough that I was uncertain as to how it would finally end.  I highly recommend this film, if for nothing else than Sridevi's performance.

The star-studded cast also includes Kader Khan, Farida Jalal, Johnny Lever, Paresh Rawal, Upasana Singh and Saeed Jaffrey

Sridevi, Kapoor, Matondkar

Nagina

Nagina
1986
5/5 stars

Rajiv (Rishi Kapoor) returns home from studying abroad and encounters and falls in love with a mysterious woman, Rajni (played by the incomparable beauty, Sridevi).  He finally persuades his mother (Sushma Seth) to agree to the marriage.  They don't know that Rajni is harboring a dreadful secret, until the sage Bhairon Nath (Amrish Puri) reveals it.

This horror-drama is surprisingly good.  The plot is riveting, with many unexpected twists.  The actors are polished and believable, with the snakes being impressively controlled. (Though I will confess to some concern over the welfare of said serpents.)  The costumes are good, with Sridevi's being extravagantly beautiful.  The makeup was convincing, as well, from death pallor to turquoise eyes.  The songs and choreography were, while not exceptional, solid.  Overall, this creepy movie is highly entertaining.

(Cast also includes Prem Chopra and Guddi Maruti.)

On a side note: If you have ophidiophobia, don't watch this movie! I am not terrified of them, just moderately afraid, and I had snakes dreams three nights in a row afterwards.

Chandra Mukhi

Chandra Mukhi
(translates as "moon-faced beauty")
1993
3/5 stars

The lovely Sridevi plays Chandramukhi, a princess from another planet. She has fallen to Earth, and during that fall lost her magical-power-granting leaf. She meets Raja, a boy of around 10, who is being abused by his step-uncle. To help Raja, she uses the remains of her powers to age him so that he can defend himself. After this, she and the adult Raja (Salman Khan), go on an adventure to find her leaf.

This is a truly silly fantasy flick, but mostly enjoyable nonetheless. While the songs are average, the choreography is good and Sridevi is truly a fine dancer. Khan's part is odd in that, at times Raja seems to have matured as he aged (particularly when wooing Chandramuhki), and at others seems to still have the mentality of a child. This made the romancing feel a bit awkward, but nonetheless, Khan and Sridevi had good chemistry. Khan was charming, but overacted at times. On the whole, it is an absurd plot, but one can't help but like it anyway.

(movie not currently available)

Chaand Kaa Tukdaa

Chaand Kaa Tukdaa
1994
3/5 stars

In this romantic comedy/drama, Shyam (Salman Khan) is a rich man working in London who travels to India to find a bride (played by the lovely Sridevi). While there, enemies form a plan to kill him and take his fortune.

To begin with, the plot is a good one and the story is interesting and engaging. However, in the last 45 minutes or so, the plot becomes convoluted, and the film becomes less enjoyable. The musical numbers are good, though, with beautiful costumes and some impressive choreography. Overall, it's a solidly good film throughout most of it, and is worth watching despite the mishmash toward the end.

Cast also includes Anupam Kher.