Srividya

Srividya (24 July 1953 – 19 October 2006), was an Indian actress best known for her work predominantly in Malayalam and Tamil films, along with a few Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films. In a career spanning for 40 years, she had acted in more than 800 films. In the latter part of her career, she concentrated on Malayalam films. In addition to acting, Srividya occasionally worked as a playback singer as well as carnatic singer. She was also a well-trained Bharathanatyam dancer. She was best known for restraint and subtlety in portrayal of varied emotions. She used her own voice for dubbing in almost all movies in all languages. She died in 2006 after battling metastatic breast cancer.

Early life Srividya was born on 24 July 1953 in Madras (now Chennai) into a Tamil family. Tamil film comedian Krishnamurthy and Carnatic classical singer M. L. Vasanthakumari were her parents. She had a brother, Sankararaman. Her father had to stop acting in the year she was born because of a disease which affected his facial muscles. Her family fell into financial crisis. Her mother worked long hours to meet the family's financial needs. Srividya debuted in films at a very early age.

Acting career Srividya started her career as a child artist in the 1967 Tamil film Thiruvarutchelvar alongside legendary actor Sivaji Ganesan.

She started acting in Malayalam in 1969. Her first movie was Chattambikkavala directed by N. Sankaran Nair, in which she acted as the heroine opposite to Sathyan. She gained public attention in Chenda (1973), directed by A. Vincent. Among the south Indian language movies she acted in, the maximum number of movies was in Malayalam (1969 to 2003).

She portrayed Chottanikkara Devi in the Movies Chottanikkara Amma and Amme Narayana. Her role as Amba mythological character from the mythological story (adapted film) from the Mahabharata, Amba Ambika Ambalika (1976), has been appreciated.

Playback singing Srividya was a playback singer as well. She first sang for films in the Tamil film Amaran and then for Malayalam film Ayalathe Sundari, along with Kishore Kumar. She later sang in several films, such as Oru Painkilikkadha, Njangalude Kochu Doctor, Rathilayam and Nakshathratharattu.

She was an expert classical vocalist as well. She used to sing in functions such as the Soorya Festival. She was mainly trained by her mother, who was one among the female trinity in Carnatic music, along with M. S. Subbulakshmi and D. K. Pattammal.

Personal life

Srividya has acted in many films including Annai Velankanni, Unarchigal and Apoorva Raagangal with Kamal Haasan. Srividya and Kamal Haasan fell in love and Kamal Haasan proposed to her. Srividya's mother stopped them from getting married. A few years later Kamal began courting Vani Ganapathy and they got married which was a great disappointment for Srividya. During this period she fell in love with film director Bharathan who made many films with her as the female lead. But they couldn't continue the relationship and eventually Bharathan married K.P.A.C. Lalitha.

Later she fell in love with George Thomas, an assistant director in her Malayalam film Teekkanal. She married him on 19 January 1978 despite opposition from her family. As George wished, she was baptised before the marriage. She wanted to stay as a housewife, but had to return to acting, when George forced her to, citing financial issues. She soon realised that she made a wrong decision in marrying him. Her life became miserable and the marriage ended in divorce in 1980. After her divorce she continued acting in movies (mainly Malayalam). She had to fight and seek legal action against George Thomas as he had snatched all her properties, even her awards, from her. Hence, the divorce with George Thomas was followed by a prolonged legal battle to settle financial issues between the two. The case went up to the Supreme Court of India, where she won in the final verdict. After the case was closed, she left Chennai and settled in Thiruvananthapuram, where she lived for the rest of her life. She was cremated with full state honours at the Brahmana Samooham crematorium in Karamana.6

Awards Kerala State Film Awards 1979 – Best Actress – Edavazhiyile Poocha Minda Poocha, Jeevitham Oru Gaanam 1983 – Best Actress – Rachana 1985 - Second Best Actress - Irakal 1986 – Second Best Actress – Ennennum Kannettante 1992 – Best Actress – Daivathinte vikrithikal

Kerala State Television Awards 2004 – Best Actress : Avicharithum

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards 1977 – Special Prize – Madhurageetham 1992 – MGR Award

Film Fans Association Awards - Tamil 1991 - Best character actress - Thalapathi

Kerala Film Critics Association Awards 1979 – Best Actress – Idavazhiyile Poocha Minda Poocha 2005 – Chalachitra Prathibha Award

Filmfare Awards South 1975: Special Award – South – Apoorva Raagangal (Tamil) 1979: Best Actress – Malayalam – Edavazhiyile Poocha Mindapoocha 1980: Best Actress – Malayalam – Puzha

Cinema Express Awards 1991 – Best Character Actress – Thalapathi (Tamil)

Government Honours 1977 – Kalaimamani – from the government of Tamil Nadu for the contribution to the Tamil cinema

Filmography

TV serials