On Sridevi's 56th birth anniversary, here are some of the lesser known facts about the late actress

Today (13 August) marks the 56th birth anniversary of former Indian film superstar, Sridevi. Starting her journey in filmdom at the age of four in Thunaivan (1969), Sridevi went on to become the most sought-after artist in the film industry, and still remains one of those few actors who achieved fame both in Bollywood and regional cinema. The news of her demise last year had left the entire nation with a shock. Here are a couple of lesser known facts about the star whose incredible work ethic and love for the craft inspired millions. When Sridevi said no to Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park

Noted Hollywood filmmaker Steven Spielberg, who was making Jurassic Park in 1993, wanted to cast the actress in a small role in the film. However, she was at the peak of her career in India, and felt the role did not meet her stature. Hence, she refused the offer owing to her reluctance to make a shift from Bollywood. Linguistic woes

Sridevi was born to a Tamil father and a Telugu mother so she never really faced any problems speaking the two languages. However, she struggled to speak in Hindi. At the start of her career in Hindi films, her parts used to get dubbed by prominent actresses. Noted child actress of the past, Naaz, dubbed for her, Rekha dubbed for her in Akhiri Rasta, and Revathy dubbed some of her Malayalam films. It was in Yash Chopra’s Chandni that she actually got her original voice in Hindi films for the first time, reports The Hindu. The Films that did not happen

Filmmaker Abbas-Mustan had decided to cast Sridevi in dual roles for thriller Baazigar. However, they ruled out the decision since they thought it might overwhelm the audience to see their favorite star being killed by Shah Rukh Khan’s character. She was also offered roles in Rangeela, Baaghbaan, and Mohabbatein, but refused them. Highest paid actress of her era

Sridevi was one of the highest paid Bollywood actors of her time. According to India TV, she was the first actress to earn upto Rs 1 crore in 1990. Regard for her professionalism

Sridevi was down with fever, and had 103 degrees temperature, when she was shooting for the popular song ‘Na Jaane Kaha Se Aayi Hai’ in Chalbaaz (1989). However, it did not stop the actress to prove her competence, and she went onto deliver one of the best performances of her career. In another instance, while shooting for Yash Chopra’s Lamhe in London, Sridevi received the news of her father’s demise. She took a break of 16 days for performing all the rituals, and was back in London on the 17th day. The entire unit waited for her in London during the period. (Also read: On Sridevi's 56th birth anniversary, Boney Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, daughter Janhvi pen heartfelt post for actress)