Karan Johar always wanted to direct Sridevi

Mumbai: Filmmaker Karan Johar, who is known for working with several renowned celebrities and making career of aspiring actors, said it was his dream to direct late female superstar Sridevi, which remained unfulfilled.

"I'm her huge fan. When she (Sridevi) passed away this year, I was like this is not fair. I used to say she is the one actor I really want to direct and I would have done something with her in my writing and directorial existence. I just love her. She is one actor who updated her craft," Johar said.

Johar did not get a chance to direct the 'hawa hawai' girl of Bollywood, but he launched her daughter Janhvi Kapoor in film Dhadak.

Talking about Sridevi's acting, Karan said he was blown away by her performance in English Vinglish.

"...She was from the 80s and 90s but when she acted in English Vinglish and even in many parts of Mom, I feel like she has watched other actors, she has imbibed a certain tonality."

"And a lot of actors from that generation don't do that. You know they get stuck in that 90s acting... Even though she was detached from cinema since Judai which was in 1997, she came back many moons later in English Vinglish' in 2012 and I was blown away by her," he added.

"And I really feel like we lost a special actor. I really wish I could have directed her," Karan sighed.

Sridevi who has given some amazing performances in the Hindi film industry, died aged 54 in February by accidentally drowning in a bath tub in a Dubai hotel, leaving the film industry, her family and legions of fans in a state of shock.