When Kamal Haasan opened up about his sibling-like bond with Sridevi, ‘We were made to do these romantic things’

Kamal Haasan and Sridevi delivered some of Indian cinema’s most memorable performances together, becoming one of the industry’s most iconic on-screen pairs. However, off-screen, their relationship was far from romantic — it was deeply familial and sibling-like.In a 2018 conversation at the India Today Conclave in Mumbai, Kamal Haasan fondly spoke about his bond with Sridevi, recalling their early years together, filled with admiration, affection, and laughter.

Kamal Haasan and Sridevi’s early bond

Reflecting on their beginnings, Kamal revealed that he first met Sridevi when she was just 15 or 16 years old. The two were paired in a film at the time, and though audiences saw them as an on-screen couple, their real-life relationship was innocent and endearing.“Sridevi, I met when she was 15 or 16. We were cast together in the same movie. We were cast as a pair, but we grew up as a brother and a sister, together, in the same school,” Kamal said. “The least I could describe it as is that we were classmates. But the truth is that we were siblings.”

Laughing through romantic scenes

The actor also revealed how filming romantic sequences often felt awkward because of how close they were as friends.“We were made to do these romantic things, which we laughed at.

It was like we came from the same house,” Kamal recalled.He also shared the deep emotional impact of losing Sridevi in 2018, saying, “It is like losing a relative for me.”

Kamal’s role in Sridevi’s early acting journey

Kamal Haasan further reminisced about how he was often asked to help the young actress hone her acting skills during their early films.“I was selected to help her out since I had gone to a few acting classes,” he said, adding with affection, “But she would twist and turn whatever I taught her about acting.”He also noted how Sridevi, despite their closeness, always addressed him respectfully as “sir.”

A legendary on-screen partnership

Over the years, Kamal Haasan and Sridevi starred in around 27 films together, creating some of Indian cinema’s most iconic moments. Their celebrated collaborations include Sadma, Apoorva Raagangal, Kuttavum Sikshayum, and Meendum Kokila — timeless classics that continue to define their extraordinary cinematic legacy.