Queen bee Sridevi turns 49

A special gift awaits all Sridevi fans as the first trailer of the actress' comeback film, English Vinglish, will be launched today, her 49th birthday.

The actress is returning to the big screen with English Vinglish 12 long years since her last film, 1997's Judaai. She is also going to Toronto Film Festival where her movie is going to be screened.

Sridevi recently joined Twitter ahead of the release of her comeback film. “Hello everyone. Thanks to my daughter, I am finally on Twitter. I am still learning but I will try to be in regular touch with all of you,” read Sridevi's first tweet.

The actress, who plays a housewife trying to learn English to please her family in English Vinglish, is on the cover of this month's issue of Filmfare magazine. The Chalbaaz actress looks chic in a grey Shahab Durazi dress.

Sridevi was born on August 13, 1963 in Meenampatti village near Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu. Her father was a lawyer from Tamil Nadu and her mother was from Andhra Pradesh.

Sridevi first faced the cameras at the age of 4, acting in several Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films.

Still in her teens, Sridevi starred in the 1976 Tamil movie Moondru Mudichu opposite Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. The movie was a love triangle, with Rajinikanth playing the anti-hero.

Her first Hindi film was the 1975 blockbuster romance Julie, where she played lead actress Lakshmi's younger sister, Irene.

Sridevi's first Hindi movie as the main lead was Solva Saawan opposite Amol Palekar. The movie flopped.

Her first super-duper hit in Bollywood was Himmatwala, where she starred opposite Jeetendra. The pair became a favourite of the masses and Sri and Jeetendra acted in many other movies like Tohfa, Mawaali and Aulaad to name a few.

Sadma was her first critical success. She starred opposite Kamal Haasan and her outstanding performance in the movie won her a nomination in the Best Actress category of Filmfare Awards.

Sridevi acted in Jaag Utha Insaan, opposite Mithun Chakravarty and Rakesh Roshan. Sridevi and Mithun reportedly embarked on an affair, and even married secretly, according to filmy gossip. The union was shortlived, ending when Sridevi discovered her “husband” was still married to actress Yogeeta Bali.

Sridevi finally decided to get experimental and starred as a venomous snake in Nagina, opposite Rishi Kapoor. The movie became a superhit and the credit went to Sri and her snake dance. She followed it up with a sequel called Nigaahen.

Shekhar Kapur's blockbuster movie Mr. India made Anil Kapoor and Sridevi one of the most wanted on-screen couples of the late 80s. Who can forget Sridevi lighting up the screen in a blue chiffon sari in the song Kaate Nahin Kat Te?

Sridevi played a double role in Pankaj Parashar's Chaalbaaz, which was a remake of Sita Aur Gita. She was cast opposite Sunny Deol and Rajinikanth. She bagged the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her performance.

Yash Chopra was so mesmerised by Sridevi, that he decided to cast her as the main lead in Chandni. Yash Chopra made the already beautiful Sri look even more glamorous on the big screen.

Directed by Yash Chopra, Lamhe was one of Sridevi's career best movies. She was again cast opposite Anil Kapoor and won a lot of acclaim for her portrayal of a mother and a daughter. She also won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for the movie, which many said was ahead of its time. It flopped at the box office.

Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja produced by Boney Kapoor and starring Sridevi and Anil Kapoor was one of the most expensive movies of the 90s. But the lavish sets and the beautiful outfits couldn't save the movie from box office doom.

Judaai starring Sridevi, Anil Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar was Sridevi's last movie before she tied the knot, with the producer of Mr India, Boney Kapoor.

The romance which began reportedly during the filming of Mr India between Boney Kapoor and Sridevi was coming full circle. However, Boney Kapoor was much married at the time and many salacious reports did the rounds, including that of a showdown between a livid Mona Kapoor (the original Mrs Boney Kapoor) and the Mrs Kapoor to-be.

Boney and Sridevi finally tied the knot on June 2 1996 and they have two lovely daughters Jhanvi and Khushi.

Sridevi made her small screen debut in 2004 with the serial Malini Iyer

On her birthday, here's wishing the original diva all the best for her upcoming ventures.