In Bollywood, the magic between a hero and heroine can make or break a film. Audiences love strong on-screen chemistry and often that connection becomes the biggest reason a movie succeeds. But sometimes, things aren’t as simple behind the scenes. Even when stars appear together in multiple films, they may not share much off-screen warmth. That was the case with Sunny Deol and Sridevi who worked together in several films, including three that released in the same year, 1989.
Interestingly, out of those three films, two failed at the box office, while the third went on to become a superhit.
Sunny Deol, known for his powerful action roles, and Sridevi, often called Bollywood’s first female superstar, appeared together in four films overall. But 1989 was particularly special as it saw the release of Joshilaay, Nigahen, and Chaalbaaz, each with its own story and fate.
The first release of the year was Joshilaay, which hit theatres on February 10, 1989. The film had a strong cast including Sunny Deol, Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Meenakshi Seshadri, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rajesh Vivek and Satish Kaushik. The story, screenplay, dialogues and lyrics were written by Javed Akhtar, while the music was composed by RD Burman.
The film had a troubled journey. Director Shekhar Kapur shot most of it but left midway due to creative differences with the producer. The remaining portions were completed by Sibtay Hasan Rizvi. Parts of the movie were filmed in the scenic locations of Leh and Ladakh. Interestingly, the songs of Joshilaay were released as early as 1985 but the film itself was delayed by four years. Reports suggest this delay did not sit well with Sunny Deol.
Joshilaay also became notable for being the only film where Sridevi and Meenakshi Seshadri appeared together in full roles. Earlier, in Mahaguru, Meenakshi had the lead role while Sridevi appeared only in a song. Despite all the expectations and a talented team, Joshilaay failed at the box office. It reportedly took inspiration from Do Waqt Ki Roti and clashed with Suryaa: An Awakening, starring Vinod Khanna, which released the same day.
A few months later, on August 11, 1989, Nigahen: Nagina Part II arrived in cinemas. Directed by Harmesh Malhotra, it was the sequel to the 1986 blockbuster Nagina, which had starred Sridevi and Rishi Kapoor. This time, Sunny Deol joined Sridevi in the lead, alongside Anupam Kher, Pran and Gulshan Grover.
The story was written by Jagmohan Kapoor, screenplay by Harmesh Malhotra and dialogues by Achala Nagar. Music was composed by the popular duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal, with lyrics by Anand Bakshi. Songs like “Sawan Ke Jhoolon Ne Mujhko Bulaya” and “Sara Sara Din” gained popularity among listeners.
Despite being a sequel to a huge hit, Nigahen did not perform as expected at the box office. It faced tough competition from Toofan, a big-budget film starring Amitabh Bachchan which released on the same day. There were talks of a third film in the series titled Nagmein, again based on a snake-themed storyline, but the project was eventually shelved.
Then came December 8, 1989, the day Chaalbaaz was released. Directed by Pankaj Parashar, the film also featured Rajinikanth in an important role. Produced by A. Poornachandra Rao, the film was inspired by Seeta Aur Geeta.
The story was written by Rajesh Mazumdar, with screenplay by Pankaj Parashar and Kamlesh Pandey, and dialogues by Kamlesh Pandey. Once again, Laxmikant-Pyarelal composed the music and Anand Bakshi wrote the lyrics. Songs like “Tera Beemar Mera Dil” and “Kisi Ke Haath Na Aayegi Yeh Ladki” became chartbusters.
Unlike the previous two films, Chaalbaaz turned out to be a massive success. Made on a budget of around Rs 1.2 crore, it earned nearly Rs 8 crore worldwide, becoming a superhit and the sixth highest-grossing film of 1989. The film was clearly heroine-centric and Sridevi stole the show with her double role, overshadowing both Sunny Deol and Rajinikanth with her powerful performance.
Interestingly, Sunny Deol was initially hesitant to sign the film. However, he agreed after learning it was inspired by Seeta Aur Geeta, a film closely associated with his father’s era.
In later interviews, Sunny Deol admitted that working with Sridevi was not easy. He described her as someone who spoke very little on set and mostly kept to herself. At the same time, he praised her as an exceptional actress who would often improvise scenes spontaneously, keeping her co-stars alert.
Director Pankaj Parashar once shared that during the shoot of Chaalbaaz, Sunny Deol became extremely upset over an issue, left the set and Sridevi had to wait for a long time. Around the same period, Sunny also reportedly had fallout with Anil Kapoor during the making of Joshilaay, after which the two never worked together again.
Years later, Sridevi married Anil Kapoor’s elder brother, producer Boney Kapoor. In an interview, Anil Kapoor once revealed that he respected Sridevi so much that he would touch her feet.
Three films in one year, mixed equations off-screen and a single blockbuster that stood tall — 1989 remains a fascinating chapter in the shared journey of Sunny Deol and Sridevi.
