Saranya Ponvannan

Last updated

Saranya Ponvannan
Saranya Ponvannan at Saivam Audio Launch.jpg
Saranya at Saivam Audio Launch
Born
Sheela Christina

OccupationActress
Years active1987–1996 (films)
2000 (television)
2003–present (films)
Spouse Ponvannan (m. 1995)
Children2
Parent A. B. Raj (Father)

Saranya Ponvannan (born Sheela Christina [1] ) is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam and a few Kannada language films. She also acted in one Hindi movie Chup: Revenge of the Artist in 2022. Saranya made her acting debut in a lead role in Mani Ratnam's Nayakan (1987) and went on to play lead roles from 1987 to 1996. Following an eight-year sabbatical, she returned to films in 2003 as a character actor roles. In her career spanning around over 25 years she had won a number of accolades including one National Film Award, two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and five Filmfare Award South.

Contents

Career

Saranya made her Tamil debut in Mani Ratnam's production Nayakan, as the female lead opposite Kamal Haasan in 1987. [2] [3] She made her first Telugu appearance in 1989 film Neerajanam; her Malayalam debut was in the same year with the film Artham starring opposite Mammootty. [4]

In 1996, she made her Kannada debut with Appaji . After 1996, she quit from acting. In 2000 she appeared playing the lead role in the comedy television series, Veettukku Veedu Lootty, and subsequently accepted some supporting roles in other projects. [2] During 2006 she appeared in family-drama serial Mugangal, which aired on Sun TV.

After a break from films she made a comeback in 2003 Tamil film Alai opposite Raghuvaran as Silambarasan 's mother. Since then she has been noted for her "mother" roles in films most notably Raam , Thavamai Thavamirundhu and Em Magan in the mid-2000s. [3]

Her performance as Veerayi, a widowed mother torn between love and possessiveness, in the 2010 film Thenmerku Paruvakaatru – her 100th release – earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress. [5] Her major breakthrough was 2005 Tamil film Thavamai Thavamirundhu after which she established herself as a prominent and leading actress in South India. As of 2017, she was one of the highest paid character actresses in the south Indian film industry. [5]

In 2014, she launched Design & School of Fashion Technology (DSOFT), a fashion institute at Virugamakkam, Chennai. [6] [7]

She has also played the role of villain in Achamindri (2016). [8] [9]

In 2017, she had only three releases. She starred in the sequel of 2014 Tamil film Velaiyilla Pattathari, reprising the role of Bhuvana, in a cameo appearance. The character had died in the original film, but the filmmakers wanted her to appear in the sequel, because of her part in the former's success. Her second venture was with Vishnu Vishal in the film Katha Nayagan, playing the mother of Vishnu Vishal. [10] Later she starred in Magalir Mattum , a women-centric film, in which she played alongside Jyothika, Oorvasi and Bhanupriya. [11]

In 2018, she was first seen in comedy-family drama Mannar Vagaiyara as Vemal's mother; her comedy timing was well received, however Itly was released and opened to negative reviews. [12] Later she was seen in Vijay Sethupathi's Junga and Nayanthara's Kolamavu Kokila as the mother of Kokila [4] who although affected by lung cancer, assists her daughter in smuggling cocaine.

She took on the role of Vishalavva, mother to Kiccha Sudeepa's character in Kannada movie The Villain directed by Prem in 2018. Later she was seen in Madhupal's Malayalam thriller drama Oru Kuprasidha Payyan playing Chembammal.

She signed to reprise the role of Lakshmi in Kalavani 2 . Her first Telugu release of the year was Gang Leader where she played the lead role Varalakshmi alongside Nani, Lakshmi, Kartikeya Gummakonda, Priyanka Arul Mohan among others.

After a brief hiatus because of COVID-19 Pandemic, her first release was through OTT in 2021 was Bhoomi alongside Jayam Ravi. Critics cited that the talented actress was restricted to few insignificant scenes. Following Bhoomi, she had two other releases in 2021 - multistarer Telugu film Maha Samudharam and Sasikumar's MGR Magan.

Personal life

Saranya was born in a Hindu Nair family at Alappuzha , Kerala. [13] She is the daughter of Malayalam film director A. B. Raj [14] who had directed over 75 films. Her family is from Alappuzha, Kerala. She married actor-director Ponvannan in 1995, and the couple has two daughters. [15]

Awards

National Film Awards
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
Filmfare Awards

Winnings:

Nominations:

South Indian International Movie Awards
Ananda Vikatan Awards
Vijay Awards
Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards
Edison Awards
JFW Awards
JFW Movie Awards

Filmography

Films

YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes
1987 Nayakan Neela Tamil Debut film
1988 Manasukkul Mathappu Dr.GeethaTamil
En Jeevan Paduthu NarmadaTamil
Melam Kottu Thaali KattuMuthammaTamil
Sivapputhaali KeerthanaTamil
Dhaayam OnnuPreethaTamil
1989 Andru Peytha Mazhaiyil PreethiTamil
Sakalakala SammandhiUmaTamil
Karunguyil KundramTamil
Neerajanam Jaya Telugu
Artham Manasa Malayalam
1990 Anjali Dr. SheelaTamil
Ulagam Pirandhadhu Enakkaga MeenaTamil
1991 Vanakkam Vathiyare SundariTamil
Naan Pudicha Mappillai LakshmiTamil
Ashwini Telugu
GangaTelugu
Aakasha Kottayile Sultan MallikaMalayalam
Cheppukilukkana Changathi ManikuttyMalayalam
Aanaval Mothiram AnnieMalayalam
Ennum Nanmakal InduMalayalam
1992 Agni Paarvai SeethaTamil
Kottai Vaasal RekhaTamil
Sahasam RekhaTelugu
1993 Dasarathan VasanthiTamil
Magrib AarifaMalayalam
Journalist RanjiniMalayalam
Ente Sreekuttikku NandhiniMalayalam
Injakkadan Mathai & Sons BeenaMalayalam
1994DollarLusieMalayalam
Karuththamma PonnathaTamil
Seevalaperi Pandi VelammalTamil
1995 Pasumpon MalarTamil
1996 Appaji RekhaKannada
Meendum Savithri UmaTamil
Neti SavithriTelugu
BossKannada
Easwaramoorthy IN LathikaMalayalam
Samayakkondu SulluRukminiKannada
2003 Alai NirmalaTamilComeback film after marriage
Chantigadu SavthriyammaTelugu
2004 Varnajalam KarthigaTamil
Arul Arul 's sisterTamil
Adhu Meera's motherTamil
Chatrapathy Saravanan's sisterTamil
Ramakrishna Ramakrishna's motherTamil
Meesai Madhavan DeviTamil
Gomathi Nayagam Tamil
2005 Ayodhya JameelaTamil
Raam SaradhaTamil
Sivakasi KayalvizhiTamil
Thavamai Thavamirundhu Saradha MuthiahTamil Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Tamil
2006 Emtan Magan SelviTamil Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Tamil
Tamil Nadu State Film Best Supporting Actress Award
Thiruvilaiyaadal Aarambam Thiru's motherTamil
Rakhi Gowri's MotherTelugu
Adaikalam KasthuriTamil
2007 Thirumagan JayakodiTamil
Jagadam Seenu's motherTelugu
Kireedam RajeshwariTamil
Pirappu KaliammanTamil
Vel Saradha (Velu's & Vasu's Mother)Tamil
Puli Varudhu Ramesh's MotherTamil
2008 Pidichirukku StellaTamil
Nenjadhai Killadhe Vasanth's false motherTamil
Singakutty Kathir's motherTamil
VilaiyattuTamil
Kuruvi Devi's sister-in-law /Koccha's WifeTamil
Pandi SivagamiTamil
Ready Pooja's motherTelugu
Thenavattu VazhuvanthalTamil
Dindigul Sarathy SaradhaTamil
Ini Varum Kaalam Aravind's motherTamil
2009 Yavarum Nalam Shanti, Manohar's MotherTamil
Colours Dr. RajalakshmiMalayalam
Vanam Partha SeemayileTamil
2010 Police Quarters Jayamma Kannada
Bayam Ariyaan SaraswathiTamil
Pulliman Yashoda PanickerMalayalam
Kalavani Lakshmi RamasamyTamilAnanda Vikatan Awards for Best Supporting Actress
Tamil Nadu State Film Best Supporting Actress Award
Guru Sishyan MahalakshmiTamil
Magane En Marumagane Ponnarasi's MotherTamil
Thambikku Indha Ooru Mrs.KumaraswamyTamil
Vedam PadmaTelugu
Puli Puli's motherTeluguNominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Telugu
Naane Ennul Illai JanakiTamil
Yaksha Yaksha's motherKannada
Thenmerku Paruvakaatru VeerayiTamil National Film Award for Best Actress
Vijay Award for Best Supporting Actress
Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Tamil
Norway Tamil Film Festival Award for Best Supporting Actress
Edison Award for Best Supporting Actress
2011 Muthukku Muthaaga PechiTamil
Vaanam LakshmiTamil
Sadhurangam Analaar's wifeTamil
Maharaja SeethaTamil
2012 Oru Kal Oru Kannadi ShenbagamTamil Norway Tamil Film Festival Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Tamil
Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Supporting Actress
Chaarulatha Chaaru & Latha's MotherTamil
Kannada
Thaandavam Sivakumar's MotherTamil
Neerparavai MaryTamil Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Tamil
SIIMA for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
2013 Vatthikuchi Sakthi's motherTamil
Kutti Puli DeivanaiTamilNominated, SIIMA for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
All in All Azhagu Raja MeenakshiTamil
SuvadugalTamil
2014 Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal YasothammalTamil
Naan Sigappu Manithan SumathiTamil
Ennamo Nadakkudhu Vijay's motherTamil Ananda Vikatan Awards for Best Supporting Actress
Manam Seetharamudu's motherTelugu
Pappali Tamil
Velaiyilla Pattathari BhuvanaTamil SIIMA for Best Supporting Actress Tamil
Ananda Vikatan Awards for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Tamil
Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated, Norway Tamil Film Festival Award for Best Supporting Actress
Amma AmmammaLakshmiTamil
2016 Bangalore Naatkal Kannan's motherTamil
24 SathyabhamaTamil
Brahmotsavam Babu's AuntTelugu
Remo Siva's & Remo's motherTamil
Kodi Kodi's & Anbu's motherTamilNominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Tamil
Achamindri RajalakhsmiTamil
2017 Velaiyilla Pattathari 2 BhuvanaTamil
Katha Nayagan Thambidurai's motherTamil
Magalir Mattum SubbulakshmiTamil
2018 Mannar Vagaiyara KalaiyarasiTamil
Itly InbaTamilLead role
Junga Junga's mother/ Don ammaTamil
Marainthirunthu Paarkum Marmam Enna Japan's motherTamil
Kolamavu Kokila Kokila's motherTamil Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Tamil

Nominated - SIIMA for Best Supporting Actress Tamil

The Villain VishalavvaKannada
Oru Kuprasidha Payyan ChembakaamalMalayalam
2019 Kalavani 2 LakshmiTamil
Gang Leader VaralakshmiTelugu
2021 Bhoomi Bhoominathan's motherTamil
Maha Samudhram Arjun's motherTelugu
MGR Magan RasathiTamil
2022 Etharkkum Thunindhavan KosalaiTamil
Viruman MuthulakshmiTamil
Chup: Revenge of the Artist Nila's Mother Hindi Hindi film debut
Varalaru Mukkiyam Karthik's motherTamil
Aruvaa Sanda ValliTamil
2023 Kushi RajalakshmiTelugu
Conjuring Kannapan LakshmiTamil
2024 Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan Rathnam, Burma’s motherTamil
Brother HemamaliniTamil
Idi MuzhakkamTBATamilFilming
Gangster GrannyTBATamilFilming
Kallapart TamilDelayed
Bha. Bha. Ba. TBAMalayalamFilming

As playback singer

YearFilmSongLanguageComposerNote
2014 Ennamo Nadakkudhu "Meesa Kokku"Tamil Premgi Amaren Debut as Singer [17]
2017 Magalir Mattum "Time Passukkosaram"Tamil Ghibran Also lead actor [18]

Television

YearTelevision seriesChannelNotes
1991 Penn DD Podhigai Episode 7 (Lead)
1992Ninaivu KurippugalHost
2000-2003Veetuku Veedu Looty Jaya TV Meena (Lead role) 183 Episodes
2006-2007Mugangal Sun TV Lead role 177 Episodes
2022 Amudhavum Annalakshmiyum Zee Tamil Herself (for promotion in promo)
Along with Sneha, Sangeetha
Maari
Meenakshi Ponnunga

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