A Tribute Across Generations: Priyanka Chopra Jonas Reveals the First Look of Sridevi’s Definitive Biography, Empress by Westland Books
New Delhi : Marking the birth anniversary of Sridevi, one of India’s most celebrated actresses, global icon Priyanka Chopra unveiled the cover of Empress: The Definitive Biography of Sridevi, an upcoming account chronicling the extraordinary life, career and enduring legacy of the megastar. Priyanka Chopra’s unveiling of the cover creates a powerful cultural bridge, uniting two generations of trailblazing Indian icons on the global stage.
Built on nearly a decade of research, rare archival material and firsthand personal accounts, Empress chronicles the extraordinary rise of Sridevi, the child prodigy who became Indian cinema’s first true pan-Indian female megastar. Spanning a five-decade career, 300 films, and Sridevi’s unmatched box-office dominance in a hero-centric industry, this definitive biography offers a deeply human portrait of the woman behind the screen. It explores her evolution across languages, her ground-breaking performances, and her lasting influence on generations of actors and audiences alike.
A landmark in Indian biographical writing, the book features an unprecedented seven forewords by India’s top megastars, exclusive contributions from Amitabh Bachchan and Javed Akhtar, and over 150 rare photographs. With today’s cover unveiling, Empress officially begins its journey toward readers as the ultimate celebration of an icon who redefined Indian cinema.
Karthika V.K., Publisher, Westland Books, said ‘It’s an absolute privilege for us at Westland to be able to publish Dhiraj’s fantastic biography of Sridevi—it’s comprehensive, full of stories and uncommon details, and delivers on the promise of honesty.’
Dhiraj Kumar, Author of Empress said, ‘Having known Sridevi personally, it has been a rare privilege to document her extraordinary journey across five languages, five decades and more than 300 films. She remains one of world cinema’s finest actors and a South Asian icon who has touched over a billion lives with her art and movies.
‘I am thankful to Shri Boney Kapoor for his support and access to fascinating stories and rare photographs of the legendary actor. I am also grateful to the film personalities across Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam cinema for sharing heartwarming anecdotes about Sridevi, to Westland Books and my literary agent, Anish, for taking the remarkable story of India’s first female megastar to the world.’
The book is scheduled for a pan-India release in late 2026.
‘Epitome of unmitigated talent’
– Amitabh Bachchan, Actor
‘Sridevi had a very mobile face, and her comic timing was perfect. Danced like a dream and had tremendous star power. I used to love watching her on screen.’
– Shabana Azmi, Actor
‘Sridevi Garu established an era, rarest of rare actor, a boon to earth.’
– Brahmanandam, Telugu Comic Actor
‘Sridevi was the hero and leading force of her films.’
– Anees Bazmee, Writer & Director
