When Boney Kapoor persuaded Sridevi with his one-sided love: 'She realised I was sincere, not looking for a fling'

Producer Boney Kapoor fell in love with his late wife, Sridevi, when he met her for his 1987 film Mr. India. For the 69-year-old, signing Sridevi for the movie, which also featured Anil Kapoor and Amrish Puri, was like a dream come true.
At the 2013 India Today Woman Summit, Boney Kapoor recalled being mesmerized by Sridevi’s screen presence after watching one of her Tamil films. He also opened up about marrying her despite public scrutiny, as he was already married to Mona Shourie and had two children, Arjun and Anshula.
Boney Kapoor described meeting Sridevi as a dream come true. He was deeply moved by her limited Hindi and English and wanted to know her better. At that time, Sridevi was a top star, earning Rs 8-8.5 lakh per film. To convince her mother for Mr. India, Kapoor offered Rs 11 lakh.

After Sridevi agreed to Mr. India, Boney Kapoor ensured she had everything she needed. He made sure she was comfortable on set, had the best makeup room, top-quality costumes, and received anything she wanted. He was always prepared to fulfill her needs, going beyond expectations to make her feel special.
Kapoor was so deeply influenced by Sridevi that he even shared his feelings with his then-wife, Mona. His main goal was to make Sridevi trust him and understand his emotions. He wanted her to know that he genuinely cared for her and was always there to fulfill her wishes and needs.

Even after Mr. India was completed, Boney Kapoor traveled to Switzerland, where Sridevi was shooting for Yash Chopra's Chandni. It was during this time that she understood his feelings were sincere and not just a passing attraction.
Sridevi noticed Boney Kapoor’s persistence and eventually realized his sincerity. What truly made a difference was the care and concern he showed for her family, which strengthened their bond and brought them closer.
Finally, Boney and Sridevi got married in June 1996, though their marriage became public only in January 1997. They were blessed with two daughters, Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor, both of whom followed in the footsteps of their mother and are currently working as actors in Hindi cinema.