Indian-Bangladeshi screen favorite Idhika Pal says Sridevi is the reason she chose acting—and she’s marking the legend’s legacy with a striking homage. The actor, who broke out in Bangladesh with Priyotoma and followed up with Khaadan in Kolkata and Borbad at home, recreated Sridevi’s iconic “Kaate Nahi Katte” look from Mr. India and shared the photos as a birthday tribute. The posts drew strong reactions online and renewed conversation about Sridevi’s enduring influence on South Asian cinema.

From childhood, Idhika studied Sridevi’s screen presence, copying her get-ups in the mirror and dreaming of acting. She calls Sridevi her “greatest inspiration” and says no one can be her equal—but holding that standard keeps her focused and grounded.

Idhika made her Bangladeshi film debut in Priyotoma (producer Arshad Adnan, director Himel Ashraf) opposite superstar Shakib Khan, won Kolkata audiences with Khaadan opposite Dev, and returned to Dhaka screens with the hit Borbad. Industry watchers now label her a “lucky lead” after three commercial successes.

Idhika’s Sridevi-inspired photos—styled after the Mr. India performance with Anil Kapoor—were posted as a respectful homage, not a stunt. She says it was a personal act of gratitude to the icon who shaped her artistic journey.

“Sridevi lives in my mind and craft,” Idhika notes. “Becoming her is impossible—she was unique. But carrying her influence helps me move forward.” She adds that acting even a single scene with Sridevi would have been the greatest gift of her career.