Bollywood has always had its share of glamour, drama and even rivalries between actors. Some got sorted out over time, while others never did. Some friendships turned into legendary bonds, while some actors never got along despite working together. In the 90s, competition between stars was common, and clashes between leading actresses were often in the news. One such famous rivalry was between Sridevi and Jaya Prada. They played sisters on screen but never spoke to each other in real life. Their silent rivalry was so well-known that even superstars Jeetendra and Rajesh Khanna tried to make peace between them.
Both actresses were hugely successful and worked together in many hit films. But despite sharing the screen in eight films, they never spoke to each other off-camera. Sridevi and Jaya Prada both started their careers in South Indian films before making a mark in Bollywood.
Back in 2021, on the show Indian Idol, Jaya Prada spoke about their equation. She shared how their on-screen bond was very different from reality. “We never had eye contact with each other even after being perfect sisters on screen. We both competed with each other, be it in dresses or dances,” she said.
Even though they worked together, they would only greet each other formally and then move on. Their chemistry never matched off-screen. During the shooting of the film ‘Maqsad’, Jeetendra and Rajesh Khanna decided to help the two actresses break the ice. They thought if the two were left alone in a room, they might start talking and sort out their differences. So, they locked Sridevi and Jaya Prada in a makeup room for an hour, hoping they would have no choice but to talk.
But their plan didn’t work. Jaya Prada recalled, “I still remember during the shoot of the ‘Maqsad’ film, Jeetu Ji and Rajesh Khanna Ji locked both of us in one makeup room for an hour… but we both did not even say a word and then the superstars of Bollywood gave up on us.”
Even after this, the actresses continued to work together in films like ‘Aulad’, ‘Tohfa’, ‘Aakhree Raasta’, and ‘Mawaali’, keeping their distance off-screen.
Though they never became friends, Jaya Prada admitted she missed Sridevi after her sudden passing in 2018. She wished they had spoken more. “When I got the news how she has left us in between, it still upsets me and I miss her a lot because I feel alone and through this platform, I would also like to say that if somewhere she is listening to me I would just say that I wish we could talk to each other” she shared.
