When it comes to milestone films in Indian cinema SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali is often the first name that comes to mind. Released in two parts the film not only became one of the biggest blockbusters but also showcased the power of Indian storytelling to a global audience. Every frame character and dialogue from the film still resonates with fans. Interestingly before Ramya Krishnan was finalised for the iconic role of Sivagami the makers had initially approached legendary actress Sridevi. But she turned down the project sparking years of speculation about why she said no to such a historic role. Why did Sridevi refuse Baahubali? For years the story went around that Sridevi had demanded an exorbitant fee a whole hotel floor and air tickets for her entourage. These claims made headlines and many believed this was why the actress had declined the offer. However her husband and producer Boney Kapoor has now spoken out setting the record straight. Boney Kapoor’s side of the story Speaking on the Game Changers YouTube channel Boney Kapoor revealed that it was not Sridevi’s demands but the producer’s approach that created confusion. “Rajamouli himself had said he was a big fan of Sridevi and after their discussion his respect for her only grew. The producers created the confusion. Sridevi did not do the film because the fee she was offered was even less than what she got for English Vinglish” Boney Kapoor said. He further clarified “Why should my wife who was respected in both Hindi and Tamil industries accept a role that didn’t match her values? Sridevi was not a struggling actress.” Allegations against producer Shobu Yarlagadda Boney Kapoor also accused producer Shobu Yarlagadda of spreading false claims. He alleged that Shobu had misled Rajamouli by saying Sridevi demanded a hotel floor and extra tickets. “The truth was simple we only wanted the shooting schedule to align with our children’s school holidays. To save money they spread wrong information” Boney claimed. Was Sridevi ever ‘unprofessional’? Boney Kapoor strongly rejected the notion that Sridevi was ever unprofessional. He said “To call Sridevi unprofessional is a lie. If that was the case why would directors like Rakesh Roshan Yash Chopra and K. Raghavendra Rao repeatedly work with her?” Even during that period Sridevi herself had spoken to a Telugu channel saying “I have been in the industry for 50 years. If I were unprofessional I wouldn’t have achieved such success.” Later SS Rajamouli too admitted that he should not have commented about Sridevi and expressed regret for the remarks he made. The debate around Sridevi and Baahubali had long been clouded by speculation. Now with Boney Kapoor’s clarification the truth seems clearer. Far from the rumours of lavish demands the decision was rooted in professional respect and fair compensation something Sridevi had always stood for in her remarkable career. Highlights: Boney Kapoor denies rumours that Sridevi demanded high fees and luxury perks for Baahubali. Claims producers misled Rajamouli with false information about her demands. Sridevi herself insisted she was always professional with directors backing her credibility.