Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 1 (ANI): Janhvi Kapoor brought back one of Bollywood’s most unforgettable cinematic images this Halloween, transforming into her late mother Sridevi’s legendary ichchadhari naagin from the 1986 fantasy thriller 'Nagina.'
In a nostalgic tribute to her late mother’s enduring screen legacy, Janhvi recreated the iconic snake-woman look, complete with the film’s signature poses and an elaborate recreation of its original promotional poster.
Dressed in a custom-designed pink and ivory ensemble by designer Nidhi Halani, Janhvi completed the transformation with matching vintage jewellery, a maang-tika and a bindi.
However, it was her fierce expressions and distinctive palm movements, reminiscent of Sridevi’s iconic portrayal of Rajni, that brought the nostalgic recreation to life.
Taking the tribute beyond a costume transformation, Janhvi enlisted her close friends to recreate the film’s memorable characters.
Social media personality Orry stepped into the role originally played by late actor Rishi Kapoor, while photographer Vaishnav Praveen portrayed Amrish Puri’s menacing snake-charmer character, Bhairo Nath.
The trio also recreated the original Nagina poster, bringing together familiar visual elements from the 1986 blockbuster. Janhvi shared pictures and transformation diaries from the photoshoot on Instagram, giving fans a closer look at the elaborate Halloween tribute.
Captioning the photographs, the actor described the recreation as a homage to "one of the most iconic movie moments everrrr."
The post quickly drew affectionate reactions from her family and members of the film industry. Her sister Khushi Kapoor was particularly enthusiastic, commenting, "You have won Halloween."
Kareena Kapoor Khan and Karisma Kapoor also showered love on the nostalgic tribute.
Released in 1986, 'Nagina' was directed and produced by Harmesh Malhotra and featured Sridevi, Rishi Kapoor and Amrish Puri in pivotal roles.
The fantasy thriller became the second-highest-grossing Indian film of that year and went on to establish itself as a cult classic.
The film revolved around Rajiv, played by Rishi Kapoor, a wealthy man who falls in love with Rajni, an orphan portrayed by Sridevi. Although the couple marries despite his mother's initial disapproval, their lives take a dramatic turn when snake-charmer Bhairo Nath, played by Amrish Puri, reveals Rajni's extraordinary identity.
She is, in fact, an ichchadhari naagin who has assumed human form to avenge the death of her mate.
Sridevi's portrayal became one of the defining performances of her career. Her intense expressions, fluid hand movements and commanding screen presence established a lasting visual identity for the ichchadhari naagin in Indian popular culture.
Among the film's most celebrated moments is the iconic song "Main Teri Dushman, Dushman Tu Mera", sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
The sequence, featuring Sridevi dancing to the sound of Bhairo Nath's been, remains one of Hindi cinema's most memorable musical moments. (ANI)
