Soundarya was an Indian actress who worked predominantly in Telugu films in addition to Kannada and Tamil films. [1] She made her film debut through the Kannada film Gandharva (1992). [2] The following year, she debuted in Telugu and Tamil with the films Manavarali Pelli and Ponnumani respectively. [1] [2] She received critical acclaim for her role in the latter. [3] Between 1993 and 1994, she appeared in several commercially successful Telugu films, notably Rajendrudu Gajendrudu , Mayalodu , Number One and Hello Brother . [1] However, she had her career breakthrough with Ammoru (1995), a film which garnered her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu. [4] In 1996, she featured in the successful film Pavitra Bandham and won the Nandi Award for Best Actress. [4] The success of these films established her as the leading actress of Telugu cinema. [5] She achieved further success with films like Pelli Chesukundam , Choodalani Vundi , Dongaata and Arunachalam , the latter being her first venture with Rajinikanth. [5] [6]
Her portrayal of an NRI woman falling prey to the extreme abuse by her father-in-law in the film Anthahpuram (1998) was highly applauded by critics. [4] She won several accolades, including her second Filmfare Best Actress award and the Nandi Special Jury Award. [4] [7] In 1999, she featured in the romantic drama Raja , which earned her the third Filmfare Best Actress award as well as the Industry Hit film Padayappa . [8] [9] The same year, she appeared opposite Amitabh Bachchan in the film Sooryavansham , her first and only venture in Bollywood. [7] Her career saw a further rise with films like Annayya , Ninne Premistha , Azad , 9 Nelalu and Eduruleni Manishi, which garnered her positive reviews. [10] In 2002, she acted as the protagonist and co-produced the film Dweepa , which won numerous accolades including two National Film Awards. [11] Swetha Naagu became her last release while being alive; it was her 100th film. [12] Post her death, Siva Shankar and Apthamitra marked her posthumous releases. [13] [14] She was also awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada for Apthamitra posthumously. [15]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Manavarali Pelli | Soundarya | Telugu Debut | [2] |
| Rajendrudu Gajendrudu | Alaka | [2] | ||
| Mayalodu | Siri | [2] | ||
| Inspector Jhansi | Jhansi | |||
| Mayadari Mosagadu | Latha | |||
| Asalae Pellaina Vanni | Manga | |||
| Donga Alludu | Latha | |||
| Anna Chellelu | Seetha | |||
| Urmila | Sunitha | |||
| 1994 | Number One | Chitra | [2] | |
| Hello Brother | Ooha | [16] | ||
| Allari Premikudu | Jhansi | |||
| Super Police | Bharati | |||
| Maa Voori Maaraju | Sathyavathi | [17] | ||
| Madam | Soundarya | |||
| Top Hero | Chitra | [2] | ||
| Raithu Bharatam | Radha | [2] | ||
| 1995 | Amma Donga | Kumari Padmapriya | [17] | |
| Chilakapachcha Kaapuram | Sathyavathi | [17] | ||
| Raja Simham | Sundari | [17] | ||
| Pedarayudu | Bharathi | [18] | ||
| Bhale Bullodu | Radha | [17] | ||
| Amma Naa Kodala | Neelima | [17] | ||
| Vetagadu | Priya | [17] | ||
| Balaraju Bangaru Pellam | Videhi | [17] | ||
| Mayadari Kutumbam | — | [17] | ||
| Maya Bazaar | Herself | [17] | ||
| Ammoru | Bhavani | Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu | [4] [19] | |
| Rikshavodu | Narasakka | [20] | ||
| 1996 | Puttinti Gowravam | Jyothi | [17] | |
| Ramudochadu | Sundaralakshmi | [2] | ||
| Intlo Illalu Vantintlo Priyuralu | Seetha | [21] | ||
| Jagadekaveerudu | Soundaya | [17] | ||
| Prema Pranayam | Sudha | [17] | ||
| Pavitra Bandham | Radha | Nominated — Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu | [22] [4] | |
| Maa Inti Adapaduchu | Janaki | [17] | ||
| 1997 | Dongaata | Subbalakshmi | Nominated — Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu | [5] |
| Pelli Chesukundam | Shanti | [23] | ||
| Priyaragalu | Priya | [2] | ||
| Aaro Pranam | Aakanksha | [5] | ||
| Taraka Ramudu | Taraka | [17] | ||
| Ma Ayana Bangaram | Vennela/Shruthi [a] | [5] | ||
| Oosi Naa Maradala | Kanchana Mala | [5] | ||
| 1998 | Pelli Peetalu | Anjali | [17] | |
| Raayudu | Madhavi | [17] | ||
| Choodalani Vundi | Padmavati | [24] | ||
| Sri Ramulayya | Seethamma | [17] | ||
| Suryudu | Prameela | [17] | ||
| Subhavartha | Meghana | [25] | ||
| Anthahpuram | Bhanumati | Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu | [26] [4] | |
| Eshwar Allah | — | [17] | ||
| Thambulalu | Seetha | [17] | ||
| 1999 | Raja | Anjali | Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu | [8] |
| Premaku Velayera | Madhavi/Malati [a] | [27] | ||
| Arundhati | Arundhati | [17] | ||
| Anaganaga Oka Ammai | Sandhya | [28] | ||
| Manavudu Danavudu | Ratna | [17] | ||
| 2000 | Annayya | Mahalakshmi | Nominated — Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu | [29] |
| Ravanna | Sirisha | [30] | ||
| Postman | Archana | [31] | ||
| 9 Nelalu | Savitri | [32] | ||
| Moodu Mukkalaata | Shravani | [33] | ||
| Sardukupodaam Randi | Radha Rani | [34] | ||
| Ninne Premistha | Meghamala | [35] | ||
| Azad | Anjali | [36] | ||
| Jayam Manadera | Uma | [37] | ||
| 2001 | Devi Putrudu | Karuna | [38] | |
| Eduruleni Manishi | Vasundhara | [39] | ||
| Kalisi Naduddam | Vijaya | [40] | ||
| Sri Manjunatha | Katyayani | |||
| Naa Manasistha Raa | Nandini | [41] | ||
| Adhipathi | Jagan's fiancée | [42] | ||
| 2002 | Kondaveeti Simhasanam | Chitti | [43] | |
| Yathrakkarude Shradhakku | Jyothi | [44] | ||
| Gelupu | — | [45] | ||
| 2003 | Seetayya | Seeta | [46] | |
| Prema Donga | — | |||
| 2004 | Swetha Naagu | Madhumati | [47] [12] | |
| Shiva Shankar | Padma | Posthumous release | [13] | |
| 2020 | Narthanasala | Draupadi | Posthumous release (shelved by actor-director, Nandamuri Balakrishna) | [48] [49] |
| Year | Title | Role | Language | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Rajadhi Raja | Shakuntala | Kannada | Debut film | [50] |
| Nanna Thangi | Madhuri | Kannada | [50] | ||
| Baa Nanna Preethisu | Asha | Kannada | [50] | ||
| Gandharva | Sudha | Kannada | [2] | ||
| 1993 | Ponnumani | Chinthamani | Tamil | Tamil Debut | [3] [51] |
| Vijaya Kranthi | Lucky | Kannada | [52] [50] | ||
| 1994 | Thooguve Krishnana | Meena | Kannada | [53] [50] | |
| 1995 | Muthu Kaalai | Poonjolai | Tamil | [54] | |
| Dear Son Maruthu | Rani | Tamil | [55] | ||
| 1996 | Sipayi | Shanthi | Kannada | [56] [50] | |
| Senathipathi | Aishwarya | Tamil | [57] | ||
| 1997 | Arunachalam | Vedhavalli | Tamil | [58] [59] | |
| 1998 | Kaathala Kaathala | Stella Sundari | Tamil | [60] [61] | |
| Doni Sagali | Kshama | Kannada | [62] | ||
| 1999 | Mannavaru Chinnavaru | Meghana | Tamil | partially reshot version of Subhavartha | [63] |
| Aryabhata | Bharati | Kannada | [64] | ||
| Padayappa | Vasundhara | Tamil | [65] [9] | ||
| Naanu Nanna Hendthiru | Seetha | Kannada | [50] | ||
| Sooryavansham | Radha | Hindi | Hindi debut | [66] [67] | |
| 2000 | Naga Devathe | Goddess Nagamma | Kannada | [68] | |
| 2001 | Sri Manjunatha | Katyayani | Kannada | [69] | |
| Thavasi | Priyadharshini | Tamil | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil | [70] [71] | |
| 2002 | Ivan | Dheetchanya | Tamil | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil | [72] [73] |
| Dweepa | Nagi | Kannada | Also producer; Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada | [11] [74] | |
| Yathrakarude Sradhakku | Jyothi | Malayalam | Malayalam debut | [75] | |
| 2003 | Chokka Thangam | Pavalam | Tamil | [76] | |
| Kilichundan Mampazham | Aamina | Malayalam | [77] [78] | ||
| Vijayadashami | Goddess Bhuvaneshwari | Kannada | [79] | ||
| Sri Renukadevi | Renuka Devi | Kannada | [80] [2] | ||
| 2004 | Swetha Nagara | Madhumati | Kannada | [12] | |
| Apthamitra | Ganga / Nagavalli [b] | Kannada | Posthumous release Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada | [81] [82] | |
| 2008 | Navashakthi Vaibhava | Goddess Renukadevi | Kannada | Posthumous release (using archive footage) | |
| Year | Title | Language | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Gruhabhanga | Kannada | Producer; TV Series based on S. L. Bhyrappa's novel of the same name. | [2] |