Exclusive | Sridevi’s sarees from English Vinglish to be auctioned to mark film’s 10th anniversary, says director Gauri Shinde

Sridevi’s Shashi Godbole from English Vinglish continues to triumph even ten years later, but with a difference. Filmmaker Gauri Shinde says the team of English Vinglish will host a special event on October 10 to celebrate the film’s 10th anniversary and auction sarees the iconic actor wore, the money from which will go to an NGO working for girls’ education.
In English Vinglish, Sridevi’s Shashi learns a language she is mocked for not knowing and in that process, learns a lot more about herself. The film marked Sridevi’s return to the big screen after a hiatus of 15 years.
English Vinglish released on October 5, 2012 to widespread acclaim and emerged a box office success. Gauri Shinde, who made her directorial debut with the comedy drama, told that she had kept sarees of Sridevi all these years, safely.
Sridevi and Gauri Shinde were reportedly in talks to reunite for another film after English Vinglish. (Photo: Sridevi/Twitter)
“We are doing a celebration of the ten years of English Vinglish, so we are doing a screening in Andheri on October 10. We will do a screening, get people in, have a conversation about the film, that’s tentatively the plan. We are also going to auction her sarees, which I had very safely kept till now.”
Fifteen years after her hit Judaai, Sridevi returned to films as a small entrepreneur who makes snacks but is mocked for her lack of English-speaking skills her husband and daughter. English Vinglish, which Gauri wrote inspired her mother, chronicled Shashi’s inspiring transformation as she finds her footing, personally and professionally.

“We are auctioning the sarees Sridevi wore as Shashi in the film. I would like to use it for girls’ education NGO. I always wanted to do this, but it never happened. I thought now, this would be the most befitting,” Gauri adds.
After her smashing comeback with English Vinglish, Sridevi starred in films like the Tamil fantasy action-adventure Puli and Hindi crime thriller Mom. She passed away in February 2018. English Vinglish also featured actors Adil Hussain, French actor Mehdi Nebbou and Priya Anand.
The film had cameos megastar Amitabh Bachchan and Ajith Kumar in its Hindi and Tamil-dubbed version respectively. After English Vinglish, Gauri Shinde went on to direct another acclaimed hit, Dear Zindagi, starring Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan.