Introduction
Saritha is a South Indian actress who has acted in more than 250 films in Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu languages. She was one of the popular and critically acclaimed lead actresses during the 1980s. She also appeared in a television serial, Selvi. She is also credited as a dubbing artist. She has dubbed her voice for Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu movies for actresses like Nagma, Vijayashanti, Tabu, Sushmita Sen, Ramya Krishnan and Soundarya in 1990s.
She is a recipient of several state awards from Tamil, Telugu and Kannada, six Filmfare Awards and six Nandi Awards including a Special Jury Award for the film Arjun. Saritha received Tamil Nadu State Film Awards four times, Karnataka State Film Awards once and many Film fans association awards.
Career
Saritha made her acting debut through Maro Charitra, a Telugu film directed by K. Balachander. The movie dealt with cross-cultural romance, where she acted opposite Kamal Haasan as a Telugu-speaking girl. She received more offers in Tamil films, mostly directed by Balachander. Some of her films are Thappu Thalangal, Idi Katha Kaadu, Vandichakkaram, Netrikan, Agni Sakshi, Puthukavithai, Kalyana Agathigal and Achamillai Achamillai. Her performance in Vandichakkaram (1980) and Achamillai Achamillai (1984) won her the Filmfare Best Tamil Actress awards. She also played guest roles as herself in 47 Natkal and its Telugu remake, directed by Balachander.
She acted in many popular Kannada movies with famous Kannada actor Dr.Rajkumar like Hosa Belaku, Keralida Simha, Bhakta Prahlada, Chalisuva Modagalu and Kaamana Billu. Her other popular Kannada movies include Eradu Rekhegalu, Sankranthi and Malaya Marutha.
She had her head tonsured for the cancer-affected role in Sujatha in 1980 and gained several pounds to play the psychotic role in the 2005 film Julie Ganapathi. Neither of these films were successful. She also won a Nandi Special Jury Award for her performance as "Aandaalu" in the movie Arjun in 2004.
Saritha also worked as a voice actor in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil films. She has lent her voice to other actresses, including Madhavi, Soundarya, Ramya Krishnan, Nagma, Vijayashanti, Simran, Tabu, Sushmita Sen, Roja, Suhasini, Radha, Radhika and Aarthi Agarwal. She won the Nandi Award for Best Female Dubbing Artist for her voice to Soundarya in Ammoru, Maa Ayana Bangaram (1997) andAnthapuram (1999).
Personal life
Saritha was born as Abhilasha in Munipalle, Guntur district, India on June 7 1960. She married twice. Her first marriage was with Telugu actor Venkata Subbaih in 1975 and they divorced in 1976. Her second marriage was with Malayalam actor Mukesh on 2 September 1988 and has two sons Shravan and Tejas.The couple divorced in 2011. Saritha now stays with her son Shravan in Dubai, UAE. Her sister Viji Chandrasekhar is also an actress.
Awards
- Filmfare Awards South
- 1980 – Best Actress – Tamil - Vandichakkaram
- 1982 – Best Actress – Kannada - Hosa Belaku
- 1984 – Best Actress – Tamil - Achamillai Achamillai
- 1985 – Best Actress – Kannada - Mugila Mallige
- 1986 – Best Actress – Kannada - Mouna Geethe
- 1989 – Best Actress – Kannada - Sankranthi
- Nandi Awards
- 1982 – Special Jury – Best Actress - Kokilamma
- 1995 – Best Female Dubbing Artist - Ammoru
- 1996 – Best Female Dubbing Artist - Maavichiguru
- 1997 – Best Female Dubbing Artist - Maa Ayana Bangaram
- 1998 – Best Female Dubbing Artist - Anthapuram
- 2004 – Special Jury - Arjun
- Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
- Kalaimamani Award from Tamil Nadu State
- 1979 – Best Actress - Oru Vellaadu Vengaiyagiradhu
- 1982 – Best Actress - Agni Sakshi
- 1988 – Best Actress - Poo Pootha Nandavanam
- 1995 – Best Female Dubbing Artist – Amman (1995)
- Karnataka State Film Awards
- 1989 – Best Actress - Sankranthi