Shobana Chandrakumar Pillai | |
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![]() Shobana in 2021 | |
Born | Shobana Chandrakumar Pillai 21 March 1970 [1] [2] Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1980–present |
Children | 1 |
Family | Travancore family |
Awards | Padma Shri (2006) Kalaimamani (2011) |
Website | actressshobana |
Shobana Chandrakumar Pillai (born 21 March 1970) is an Indian actress and Bharatanatyam dancer. She acts predominantly in Malayalam films along with Telugu and Tamil films with a few Hindi, Kannada and English films. She has won two National Film Awards, one Kerala State Film Awards, two Filmfare Awards South, with 14 Nominations for Best Actress Category in three different south Indian languages, Tamil Nadu State's Kalaimamani Award in 2011 and numerous other awards. [3] [4]
She won the National Film Award for Best Actress twice, for her performances in the Malayalam film Manichitrathazhu (1993) and the English film Mitr, My Friend (2001). Subsequent to the year 1999, Shobana turned extremely selective about her films. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]
Shobana was trained under the Bharatanatyam dancers Chitra Visweswaran and Padma Subrahmanyam. She emerged as an independent performer and choreographer in her twenties and currently runs a dance school, Kalarpana, in Chennai. [5] In 2006, the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri for her contributions towards the arts. [10] [11]
In 2014, the Kerala State Government honoured her with the Kala Ratna Award. In 2019, she was bestowed an honorary doctorate from Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute. [12] In 2022, she was bestowed a Doctor of Letters degree from Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit. [13]
She is the niece of the Travancore sisters – Lalitha, Padmini and Ragini, all of whom were Indian classical dancers and actresses. [14]
Shobhana is single. In 2011, she became a single-parent mother to a girl child named Anantha Narayani Chandrakumar through adoption. [15] [16] [17] [18]
Shobana made her debut as a child artist. She had a major role in the Tamil movie Mangala Nayagi in 1980 directed by Krishnan–Panju, starring Srikanth and K. R. Vijaya, which was the remake of the Hindi film Saajan Bina Suhagan, for which she won the Best Child Artiste Award.[ citation needed ]
She also starred in the Telugu film Bhakta Dhruva Markendaya in 1982, an acclaimed all children film made in both Tamil and Telugu. [19] [20] As an adult, she was introduced to the film industry through the Malayalam film April 18 , by director Balachandra Menon. Her realistic portrayal of a simple girl-next-door appealed to audiences and she went on to work in numerous films. In the same year, she entered the Tamil film industry and acted in Enakkul Oruvan , directed by SP Muthuraman. [6] Enakkul Oruvan didn't perform well at the box office and Shobana's commercial landing was stalled as she went back into Malayalam films. She did come back to act in occasional Tamil films opposite Satyaraj ( Mallu Vetti Minor, Vaathiyar Veetu Pillai), Bhagyaraj ( Ithu Namma Aalu ) and Vijayakanth ( Ponmana Selvan , En Kitta Mothathey ) in the early 90s – these roles were generally glamorous in which Shobana generally acted as the beautiful, posh and haughty city girl who is eventually charmed by the village boy. [21]
Her other major films include Rudraveena (1988), Meleparambil Aanveedu , Kanamarayathu , Ithiri Poove Chuvanna Poove , Yathra (1985), Anantaram , Nadodikkattu (1987), Vellanakalude Nadu (1988), Idhu Namma Aalu (1988), Siva (1989), Innale (1990), Kalikkalam (1990), Thalapathi (1991), Pappayude Swantham Appoos (1992), Manichitrathazhu (1993), Thenmavin Kombath (1994), Minnaram (1994), Mazhayethum Munpe (1995), Hitler (1996), Agni Sakshi (1999), Dance like a Man (2003), Makalkku (2005), Thira (2013) and Varane Avashyamund (2020). From Aviduthe Pole Ivideyum to Upaharam , Shobana did sixteen movies in a single year, 1985. [22] Shobana also acted in the Tamil period film Kochadaiiyaan . [4]
Shobana won her first National Film Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in AM Fazil's Manichitrathazhu . Her portrayal of Ganga Nakulan and alter-ego Nagavalli in the film was described by critics as "spell binding". [23] She received her second National Film Award for Best Actress in 2001 for her role in the Indian English language film Mitr, My Friend , directed by Revathi. Consequent to the 1993 National Award, Shobana turned extremely selective about her films. [24]
Shobana is a Bharata Natyam dancer. [25] She did her dance training at the Chidambaram academy in Chennai, Tamil Nadu under Chitra Visweswaran. Shobana danced Abhinaya , a pivotal element in Bharata Natyam. She was one among the judges in Jodi No. 1, a reality show for dance aired on Vijay TV.
She started her own dance school, "Kalipinya" in 1989 and got it registered in 1992. [3]
She has worked on collaborative ventures with the likes of tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, Vikku Vinayakram and Mandolin Srinivas. Her recitals abroad include those at the World Malayalee convention, in the United States in 1985 and 1995, in Kuala Lumpur before the King and Queen of Malaysia, numerous cities in the United States, Europe, South East Asia and Australia. [26] Shobana started performing in the Soorya Music & Dance festival organised by Soorya Krishnamoorthy from the year 1994. [27]
In 1994, Shobana founded a school for classical dance Bharata Natyam in Chennai named Kalarpana. [28]
Year | Title | Role | Sources |
---|---|---|---|
1982 | Bhakta Dhruva Markandeya | Sunithi Devi | Children's film |
1985 | Marana Sasanam | Lalitha | |
1986 | Srimathi Kanuka | Padma | |
Vijrumbhana | Shobha | ||
Vikram | Radha | ||
Marchandi Mana Chattalu | Uma | ||
Asthram | Padmini | ||
1987 | Dagudu Moothalu | Radha | |
Muddula Manavudu | Hemalatha | ||
Manavadostunnaadu | Roopa | ||
Ajeyudu | Rekha | ||
Trimurtulu | Latha | ||
1988 | Rudraveena | Lalita Shiva Jyoti | |
Abhinandana | Rani | ||
Praja Pratinidhi | Bharathi | ||
1990 | Paapa Kosam | Swapna | |
Nari Nari Naduma Murari | Shobha | ||
Kokila | Kokila | ||
Shourya chakra | Bharathi | ||
Neti Siddhartha | Jyoti | ||
Alludugaru | Kalyani | ||
1991 | April 1st Vidudhala | Bhuvaneshwari | |
Appula Appa Rao | Subba Laxmi | ||
Rowdy Gaari Pellam | Janaki | ||
Minor Raja | Santhana Lakshmi | ||
Manchi Roju | Padma | ||
Rowdy Alludu | Sita | ||
Hello Darling | Bharathi | ||
Alludu Diddina Kapuram | Sita | ||
Keechu Raallu | Monica | ||
Muvva Gopaladu | Krishna veni | ||
1992 | Ahankari | Shobana | |
Asadhyulu | Jyoti | ||
Champion | Sandhya | ||
Sivaratri | Gayatrhi | ||
Gangwar | Pavithra | ||
1993 | Rowdy Gaari Teacher | Malli | |
Naga Jyoti | Naga rani | ||
Kannayya Kittayya | Saroja | ||
Nippu Ravva | Guest appearance in a song | ||
Rendilla Poojari | Radha | ||
Rakshana | Padma | ||
1997 | Surya Putrulu | Ragini | |
2006 | Game | Uma | |
Year | Title | Role | Sources |
---|---|---|---|
1980 | Mangala Nayagi | Child artist | |
Manmatha Ragangal | Child artist | ||
1984 | Enakkul Oruvan | Kalpana | |
1985 | Marudhani | Marudhani | |
1988 | Oray Thaai Oray Kulam | Easwari | |
Kadhal Geetham | Rani | ||
Idhu Namma Aalu | Banu | ||
1989 | Sattathin Thirappu Vizhaa | Radha | |
Paattukku Oru Thalaivan | Shanthi | ||
Siva | Parvathy | ||
Ponmana Selvan | Parvathy | ||
Vaathiyaar Veettu Pillai | Geeta | ||
1990 | Enkitta Mothathe | Mallika | |
Mallu Vetti Minor | Santhana Lakshmi | ||
Sathya Vaakku | Meena | ||
1991 | Mahamayi | Mahamayi | |
Thalapathi | Subhalakshmi | ||
1993 | Sivarathiri | Gayathri | |
1996 | Thuraimugam | Rukkumani | |
2012 | Podaa Podi | Veena | |
2014 | Kochadaiiyaan | Yaaghavi |
Year | Title | Role | Sources |
---|---|---|---|
1985 | Giri Baale | Neelaveni | |
1990 | Shivashankar | Girija | |
Year | Title | Role | Sources |
---|---|---|---|
1998 | Swami Vivekananda | Dancer | |
2007 | Apna Asmaan | Padmini Kumar | |
2008 | Mere Baap Pehle Aap | Anuradha Joshi (Annu) | |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | Mitr, My Friend | Lakshmi | Actress Revathy's directional debut |
2003 | Dance Like a Man | Ratna Parekh | |
2008 | A Little Dream | Sundar's mother | Documentary film about the journey of former Indian President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam |
Year | Honour | Honouring body | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | Grade A Top | Doordarshan | [29] |
2006 | Padma Shri | Government of India | [30] [31] |
2011 | Kalaimamani | Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Manram, Government of Tamil Nadu | [32] |
2012 | Arch of Excellence | All India Achievers Conference | [33] |
2013 | Kalarathna | Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy | [34] |
2019 | Honorary doctorate (D.Litt) | Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute | [12] |
Year | Awards and nominations | Category | Film | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1984 | Filmfare Awards South | Best Actress - Malayalam | Kanamarayathu | Nominated |
1985 | Yathra | Nominated | ||
1986 | Chilambu | Nominated | ||
1988 | Best Actress - Telugu | Rudraveena | Nominated | |
Best Actress - Tamil | Idhu Namma Aalu | Nominated | ||
1990 | Best Actress - Malayalam | Innale | Won | |
Best Actress - Telugu | Alludugaru | Nominated | ||
1991 | Rowdy Gaari Pellam | Nominated | ||
1993 | National Film Awards | Best Actress | Manichitrathazhu | Won |
Kerala State Film Awards | Best Actress | Won | ||
Filmfare Awards South | Best Actress - Malayalam | Manichitrathazhu | Nominated | |
1994 | Thenmavin Kombath | Won | ||
1996 | Kumkumacheppu | Nominated | ||
1999 | Agnisakshi | Nominated | ||
2002 | National Film Awards | Best Actress | Mitr, My Friend | Won |
2005 | Filmfare Awards South | Best Actress - Malayalam | Makalkku | Nominated |
2013 | Vanitha Film Awards | Best Actress | Thira | Won [35] |
Filmfare Awards South | Best Actress - Malayalam | Nominated | ||
2021 | 10th South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Actress - Malayalam | Varane Avashyamund | Won |
Year | Title | Channel | Language | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1991 | Penn | DD Podhigai | Tamil | Serial |
1999 | Uravugal | Vijay TV | Tamil | Serial |
2010 | Jodi Number one season 5 | Vijay TV | Tamil | Reality show as Judge |
2010 | Super Jodi | Surya TV | Malayalam | Reality show as Judge |
2015 | D 3 (Grand finale) | Mazhavil Manorama | Malayalam | Reality show as Judge |
2017 | Midukki | Mazhavil Manorama | Malayalam | Reality show as Judge |
2021 | Margazhi Thingal | YouTube | Tamil | Music Video [36] |
2021 | Madhuram Shobhanam | Zee Keralam | Malayalam |
Manichitrathazhu is a 1993 Indian Malayalam-language epic psychological thriller film directed by Fazil, written by Madhu Muttam, and produced by Swargachitra Appachan. The film stars Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi and Shobana with Nedumudi Venu, Innocent, Vinaya Prasad, K.P.A.C.Lalitha, Sridhar, K.B. Ganesh Kumar, Sudheesh, and Thilakan in supporting roles. The story is inspired by a tragedy that happened in an Ezhava tharavad of Alummoottil meda' located at Muttom, a central Travancore Channar family, in the 19th century. The writer of the film,Madhu K Panicker or Madhu Muttam, is a member of Alummoottil Tharavad.
Padma Subrahmanyam, is an Indian classical Bharata Natyam dancer. She is also a research scholar, choreographer, teacher, Indologist and author. She is famous in India as well as abroad; several films and documentaries have been made in her honor by countries such as Japan, Australia and Russia. She is well known as the developer and founder of the dance form Bharata Nrithyam.
Kanaka Vijayalakshmi, known by her stage name Madhavi is an Indian actress known for her works in Malayalam,Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Kannada films. In a career spanning of almost 2 decades she has been featured in around 300 films and was hailed as one of the leading actresses of South Indian cinema in the 1980s.
Geetha is an Indian actress who appears in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi films. She debuted in the Tamil film Bairavi. Since then she has acted in over 200 films in all major South Indian languages, and in a few Hindi films. She also appears in South Indian television serials. Geetha has won two Filmfare Awards South and a Karnataka State Film Awards and Kerala State Film Awards each.
Amala Akkineni is an Indian actress, Bharatanatyam dancer, and animal welfare activist. She has predominantly worked in Tamil films, in addition to Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada-language films. She was a leading actress in the Tamil film industry from 1986 to 1992 and has appeared in many blockbusters in Tamil and other languages. She has won two Filmfare Awards South, namely Best Actress – Malayalam for the 1991 film Ulladakkam and Best Supporting Actress – Telugu for the 2012 film Life Is Beautiful. Amala is the co-founder of Blue Cross of Hyderabad, a non-government organisation (NGO) in Hyderabad, India, which works towards the welfare of animals and preservation of animal rights in India.
Yathra is a 1985 Indian Malayalam-language romantic drama film written and directed by Balu Mahendra. The film stars Mammootty and Shobana, while Adoor Bhasi, Thilakan and Alummoodan play supporting roles. The film tells a fictional story but is built upon the human rights violations by the police and the prison authorities in India during the emergency of 1975–1977, when the fundamental rights of the citizens were suspended. It is an adaptation of the 1977 Japanese classic The Yellow Handkerchief. The film was remade into Telugu as Nireekshana (1986) and Tamil as Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam (2005).
Sankaramanchi Janaki, popularly known as Shavukaru Janaki (Telugu) or Sowcar Janaki (Tamil) or Sahukar Janaki (Kannada), is an Indian actress who has appeared in over 300, films, predominantly in Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada languages. She also performed on stage in over 300 shows and was a radio artist during her earlier years. She is the recipient of two Nandi Awards, Kalaimamani and India's fourth-highest civilian award Padma Shri. Her younger sister Krishna Kumari, is also a noted actress.
Swapnasundari is an Indian dancer, an exponent of Kuchipudi and Bharata Natyam, a choreographer and a vocalist.
Roja Ramani is an Indian actress who predominantly worked in Malayalam and Telugu films. She was a child actor and her debut movie was Bhakta Prahlada (1967) for which she received National Film Award for Best Child Artist. She was popular during the 1970s and early 1980s and haans acted in Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and Tamil and Odia movies. She worked in 400 films as a dubbing artiste. She is an active member of BlueCross and is involved in several social service activities.
Chitra Visweswaran is an Indian Bharata Natyam dancer who runs a dance school, the Chidambaram Academy of Performing Arts, in Chennai.
Padmini Ramachandran was an Indian actress and trained Bharatanatyam dancer, who acted in over 250 Indian films. She acted in Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu and Russian language films. Padmini, with her elder sister Lalitha and her younger sister Ragini, were called the "Travancore sisters".
Porayath Leela was an Indian playback singer, Carnatic vocalist and a music director. She has recorded more than 5,000 songs in various Indian languages including Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Bengali, Sanskrit, Odia, Gujarati, Marati. and also Sinhale. She is also known for her extensive history of collaboration in the songs with Music Composers V Dakshinamoorthy., MS Baburaj, G Devarajan, Ghantasala, MS Viswanathan, K. Raghavan, Br Lakshmanan, LPR Varma, BA Chithambara athletes, AT Ummer, MK Arjun,Johnson, Ouseppachan, Ilaiyaraja, and with the playback singers KJ Yesudas and Ghantalasa over the years. Leela is known for her sweet and melodious voice that she named Ganamani. She was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2006. She made her debut as a playback singer in the 1948 Tamil film Kangkanam.
Kumari Kamala is an Indian dancer and actress. Initially featured as a child dancer, Kamala appeared in almost 100 Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Kannada films throughout her career. In the 1970s, she became a teacher of the Vazhuvoor style of dance in which she specialises.
Bhagyalakshmi is an Indian dubbing artist, actress, and activist. She works primarily in Malayalam Film Industry and has dubbed for more than 800 actresses and more than 4,700 films in Malayalam cinema; most notably for actresses Shobana, Samyuktha Varma, and Urvashi. Bhagyalakshmi published her autobiography, Swarabhedangal, which received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Biography and Autobiography.
Raghuram was an Indian dance choreographer, who choreographed more than a thousand songs in Indian films across various languages. He was born into a Tamil Brahmin Iyer family and is the grandson of actor Krishnaswami Subrahmanyam.
Bindhya Ram , known by her stage name Rachita Ram, is an Indian actress who is primarily known for her work in Kannada films. Rachita made her film debut with the 2013 film Bulbul as the lead opposite Darshan S.
Madras Kadiravelu Saroja, is an Indian classical dancer, known for her expertise, as an exponent and as a teacher, in the classical dance form of Bharatanatyam. The Government of India honored her, in 2011, with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for her services to the field of art and culture.
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