Exclusive:The Sridevi interview

Sridevi's performance recently at the Filmfare awards was unlike anything she had ever done live on stage.

Still as shy as she used to be in the 1980s though far more confident and utterly cool, Sridevi says she thoroughly enjoyed getting back in front of the camera. "It felt good. I didn't have to go through the stress of dancing for a live audience since my performance was pre-recorded.

And though Shiamak Davar's movements for my dances were quite different from my original dance steps, I quite enjoyed the feeling of getting into the rhythm again. And I wouldn't mind doing stage shows again."

"I've danced many times on stage before, for awards functions and otherwise. But this time it was very different," the soft-spoken diva says with a hint of a laugh. "While earlier I'd be watched by my mother and sister, now for the first time I was dancing with my two daughters watching.

They were so excited about their mama dancing. So far they had only heard about my dancing. They sat and saw me dance for the the first time. That made it an entirely new experience for me also. This performance was for my children and my husband."

…..And an entirely new experience for her fans and for the industry which has stood up with a start to her unbelievable charisma. Apparently several topnotch banners including Yashraj films, are vying to re-launch the diva in author-backed roles.

Sri laughs in embarrassment at the profusion of comeback possibilities. "It's true there have been offers. In fact they never stopped. But I've been working so long it has to be something that really excites me. It has to be an offer that coaxes me out of my home.

So far I've just been happy looking after my husband and two daughters. Cinema has changed a lot since I was last seen in Judaai. I love the variety of films that are being made these days, And there're so many new directors I'd like to work with."

One of these directors, a huge Sridevi fan, has already zeroed in on the project that he wants to make with the screen goddess in the lead.

She laughs, "I'll do another film only if it gives me enough incentive to leave my home and family in the care of domestic help. In fact one reason why I agreed to dance at Filmfare was because the rehearsals were at home. So I could keep an eye on my kids, the kitchen and my other household responsibilities. Please understand, my home is now my first priority."

Would she like her daughters to be actresses like their legendary mom? Sridevi laughs off the suggestion. "Right now they're much too young to think about what they'd like to do. At the moment, all I want is they should get a good education grow up to be good humanbeings. The rest would follow naturally.'