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Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Sujatha

Sujatha (1952 鈥� 2011) was born in a Malayali-speaking family in Galle, Sri Lanka where she spent most of her early days of childhood over there. She participated in school plays and later moved to Tamil Nadu when she was about 15 she acted in Ernakulam Junction, a Malayalam movie and voila star was born.

Sujatha performed a number of unique and varied characters in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films and a few in Kannada and Hindi languages as well. The actress was best known for restraint and subtlety in the portrayal of different emotions.

After starring in numerous Malayalam films in her mother tongue, Sujatha later got introduced to the Tamil film industry by veteran director K. Balachander and producer P.R. Here are the top 10 remarkable facts about Sujatha.

1.  Sujatha was among the Best in the Film Industry

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She is counted as one of the finest actors in the South Indian cinema industry. Under her belt are classics like Suthradarulu, Pandanti Jeevitham, Prema Tharangalu, Vamshagouravam, Bebbuli, Sandhya, Aasha Jyothi, Guru Sishyulu, Sarkas Ramudu, Guppedu and Mayadari Krishnudu. The films were among those in which she delivered best her performances. Like Smita Patil in Hindi, Sujatha was known to act in films that portrayed women in powerful roles.

She was variously said to be a director鈥檚 delight. She would understand what exactly the director wanted, internalize the character and perform accordingly.

2.  A Remarkable Fact about Sujatha: She acted in over 240 Films

Sujatha acted in over 240 films in five languages namely Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi movies. She appeared in films like Aval Oru Thodar Kadhai, Annakkili, Avargal as a tortured wife, Vidhi, Mayangugiraal Oru Maadhu, Sentamizh Paattu and Aval Varuvaala, and in Telugu such as her debut in Guppedu Manasu.

Furthermore, Sujatha went on to act in more than 50 films in the Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi languages. She acted with most of the popular South Indian stars of the 鈥�70s and 鈥�80s including Kamal Hassan, Rajnikanth, Sivaji Ganesan and Akkineni Nageswara Rao.

Toward the end of her career, she switched to playing character roles, including mother to her former romantic lead Rajnikanth in 鈥淏aba.鈥�

3.  Sujatha鈥檚 Breakthrough came through  her Pairing with Director K. Balachander

Famous Indian director K. Balachander. Image by Planemad from

After starring in numerous Malayalam films in her mother tongue, Sujatha later got introduced to the Tamil film industry by veteran director K. Balachander and producer P.R. Govindarajan as a protagonist in her first Tamil film, Aval Oru Thodar Kathai (1974).

The film was a departure from the song-and-dance melodrama that dominated Tamil films in the past. It was a critically acclaimed film and launched the actress’s first commercial breakthrough in her acting career. She again collaborated with K. Balachander in Avargal (1977)- starring leading stars Thalaiva Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan.

4.  Sujatha was well Feted for her Talent

Nandi Awards. Image by Muralikrishna Musunuri from

She received the Filmfare Award for Best Telugu Actress for her performance in ‘Guppedu Manasu’ (1979). She won Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Thunaivi (1981) and ‘Paritchaikku Neramaachu’ (1982) under the category of Special Best Actress.

In 1998, she garnered Nandi Award for 鈥淧elli鈥� under the category of Best Supporting Actress. She was honoured by the government of Tamil Nadu with the ‘Kalaimamani Award. The Nandi Awards are the awards that recognise excellence in Telugu cinema, Telugu theatre and Telugu television, and Lifetime achievements in Indian cinema. Presented annually by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the award is named after the big granite bull at Lepakshi 鈥� a cultural and historical symbol of the Telugu people.

Nandi Awards are presented in four categories: Gold (Swarnam), Silver (Rajatam), Bronze (Kamsyam), and Copper (Raagi). A variant, the Nandi Natakotsavam Awards for Theatre, is also given every year by the government for social, mythological and poetic dramas. Acting started in school

5.  Public Life perfect; Private Life Turmoil

Sujatha achieved a lot of success on her professional front. Little did everyone know that she was faced with enormous turmoil in her personal life.

Sujatha鈥檚 finances and projects were being handled by her brother. At one point, she realised that her family was interested in her hard-earned money. Sujatha was heartbroken but didn鈥檛 lose courage. She married Jayakar, a businessman in search of peaceful family life.

However, she met with similar treatment at the hands of her husband. She was forced to do more films just for the sake of money. The actor was even banned by her husband from giving interviews and attending public gatherings without his permission.

6. Later in Life she specialized in Typecast Roles

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Some of the pictures in which she portrayed a senior actor role are ‘Kodi Parakkuthu’, ‘Baba’ and ‘Uzhaippali’. In the film ‘Baba’, she played the mother of Superstar Rajinikanth. ‘Pushpa Kandasamy’ described her as a “directors鈥� delight鈥� as Sujatha would internalize the role and grasp how the director wants her to perform.

She shot to fame instantly with her portrayal of a haughty, free-thinking urban working woman shouldering the family鈥檚 responsibilities. Despite displaying her acting prowess through fiery characters in films like Aval Oru Thodarkadhai and Vidhi, Sujatha was equally known for her performances in family dramas like Mayangugiraal Oru Maadhu, Sentamizh Paattu and Aval Varuvaala.

7.  Sujatha Delivered Powerful Performances in her Debut

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Sujatha’s entry into the industry was through a powerful role, at a time when hero-centric films were the norm, made many take notice. She made her debut in the Malayalam film Thapasvini. She had a dream debut in Tamil with Aval Oru Thodar Kathai directed by K. Balachander. She again collaborated with K. Balachander in the highly acclaimed Avargal (1977) along with Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan.

In the film, she played the wife of the former and the lover of the latter. Her portrayal of a married woman Anu, who is caught between the torture she is subjected to by her sadistic husband and the unforgettable memories of her past romance, is till date, considered one of the best performances by a female lead.

8.   Sujatha, the Famed Star of Tamil Films

Poster for the 1952 South Indian Tamil film Chinna Durai. Image by Kundoosi from

Sujatha  is a famed Tamil actress who mainly appears in supporting roles. She is one of the best actresses in the Tamil film industry. Actress Sujatha, made waves in the south Indian film industry in the Seventies and Eighties.

Tamil cinema, popularly known as Kollywood, is a part of Indian Cinema, engaged in the production of motion pictures in Tamil language. It is based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in the Kodambakkam neighbourhood, the word being a portmanteau of Kodambakkam and Hollywood.

9.  Sujatha鈥檚 Father did not approve her Career Choice

Sujatha was born on December 10, 1951 in Galle, Sri Lanka. Sujatha鈥檚 family migrated to Sri Lanka after her father got a job as a teacher. A major portion of her childhood was spent in Sri Lanka. After her father retired, the family moved to Kerala when she was about 14.

Sujatha started getting acting opportunities at a very early age but her father didn鈥檛 approve of her choice. Despite her father鈥檚 reluctance, Sujatha made her acting debut at the age of 14. She shot to fame with K. Balachander鈥檚 1974 directorial Aval Oru Thodar Kathai.

The film was a raging hit and narrated the story of women sacrificing their happiness for their families. After this film, there was no looking back for Sujatha. She went on to win Tamil Nadu State Film Award for films like Thunaivi and Paritchaikku Neramchu.

10. Her Death Sparked Outpouring of Grief

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Talented actress Sujatha who was introduced to tinsel town by director K Balachander in Aval Oru Thodarkadai breathed her last at her residence in Chennai. Sujatha was suffering from illness for quite some time and she was not seen in films or in television for the past few years.  While undergoing treatment for a heart ailment, Sujatha died of cardiac arrest in Chennai on 6 April 2011.

Known for her finesse in portraying a variety of roles, Sujatha had retired from the silver screen. She was on dialysis after a recent kidney failure. Sujatha is said to have also undergone a pacemaker-fitting surgery at a private hospital in the city last month, from which she did not completely recover. She is survived by husband Jayakar, a businessman, and children Sajith and Divya. The final rites are expected to be held on Thursday.

Sujatha has acted in all the south Indian languages and was known for her elegant and at the same time strong portrayal of her roles. Her voice which was uniquely pleasant was liked by many.