This week in entertainment history

On August 13, 1963, the actress Sridevi was born in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu. That it is a town famous for fireworks is interesting, given that she would one day create sparks of her own on screen years later.
Sridevi went on to star in everything from Hindi to Tamil, Telugu to Malayalam language cinema. She carved a niche for herself in each of these industries, which is testament to her massive talent. Although she began acting when she was just four -- yes, four! -- she got her big break as an adult in the early 1980s with the landmark Tamil film Moondru Mudichu, opposite Kamal Haasan and Rajnikanth.
Her first Hindi film was Solva Saawan (1978), which didn't make an impact. Her second, Himmatwala, was a big success though, and made Jeetendra and Sridevi a popular pair with audiences. Her performance in 1983's Sadma, again opposite Kamal Haasan, remains one of her most acclaimed.
Over the next 10 years, Sridevi continued to dazzle, be it with Nagina or Mr India, Chaalbaaz, Chandni or Lamhe. After 1997's Judaai, she left the industry to marry filmmaker Boney Kapoor and raise her daughters.
She is currently retired from acting. Then again, with famous actors used to the limelight, one never knows...