Saritha Mohan

Saritha is an Indian actress who has acted in more than 500 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 award.

Career

Saritha made her acting debut through ''Manchiki Sthanam Ledu'' a movie produced by producer based in Warangal in 1978 with a different screen name followed by '' 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 and Tamil Audience accepted herself as her own,she mostly acted films 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 but won Critical acclaim. 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 four times the Nandi Award for Best Female Dubbing Artist for her voice to Soundarya in '' Ammoru'', ''Maa Ayana Bangaram'' (1997) and '' Anthapuram'' (1999).

Personal life

Saritha was born and brought up as Abhilasha in Munipalle, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India.

She married Malayalam actor Mukesh on 2 September 1988 and they have two sons, Shravan and Tejas. The couple separated in 2011. Saritha now resides with Shravan (made his acting debut in the 2018 film '' Kalyanam) in Al Ain, UAE.

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''
* 1983 -Nominated- Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu-''Kokilamma''
* 1978-Nominated- Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu-'' Maro Charitra''
; 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''

Filmography

Tamil films

Malayalam films

* '' Oru Kochu Kadha Aarum Parayatha Kadha'' (1984) as Janu
* ''Sandarbham'' (1984) as Dr.Indhu
* ''Minimol Vathikkaanil'' (1984) as Susie
* ''Kaathodu Kaathoram'' (1985) as Marykutty
* '' Muhoortham 11:30'' (1985) as Indu
* ''Kaattuthee'' (1985)
* ''Oru Kochu Kaaryam'' (1985)
* '' Kanikaanumneram'' (1987) as Savithri
* ''Yaagaagni'' (1987) as Bhairavi
* '' P.C. 369'' (1987) as Elsa Mathew
* ''Manasa Maine Varu'' (1987) as Lakshmi
* ''Thaniyavarthanam'' (1987) as Indu Balan
* '' Vilambaram'' (1987) as Sunanda
* '' Sangham'' (1988) ... Ammini
* ''Onnum Onnum Pathinonnu '' (1988) as Sumi
* ''Anuragi'' (1989) as Rosamma
* ''Lal Americayil'' (1989) as Sindhu
* '' Kuttettan'' (1990) as Seetha Lakshmi
* '' Souhrudam'' (1991) as Annie
* '' Life Is Beautiful'' (2000) as Vice Principal
* ''Ammakilikkoodu'' (2003) as Janaki
* ''Chakravaalam''

Kannada films

Telugu films

* '' Maro Charitra'' (1978) as Swapna
* ''Manchiki Sthanam Ledu'' (1979)
* ''Idi Katha Kaadu'' (1979) as Gayathri
* ''Guppedu Manasu'' (1979) as Baby
* ''Vijaya'' (1979) as Vijaya
* ''Tholi Kodi Koosindi'' (1980)
* ''Gutilo Ramachilaka'' (1980)
* ''Srirasthu Shubamasthu'' (1981)
* ''Athagari Pethanam'' (1981)
* ''47 Rojulu'' (1981)
* ''Rama Dandu'' (1981)
* ''Aadavallu Meeku Joharulu'' (1981) as Papayamma
* ''Chandamama'' (1982)
* ''Kalahala Kapuram'' (1982)
* ''Kokilamma'' (1983) as Kokilamma
* ''Prema Sagaram'' (1983)
* ''Thodu Needa'' (1983) as Sharada
* '' Kanchana Ganga'' (1984) as Kanchana
* ''Bhagyalakshmi''(1984)
* ''Kala Rudrudu'' (1985)
* ''Anuraga Bandham'' (1985)
* ''Kaliyuga Pandavulu'' (1986) as Krishnaveni
* ''Satyagraham'' (1987)
* ''Shivude Shankarudu'' (1988) as Dr. Kavitha
* '' Arjun '' (2004) as Andal

Television

As dubbing artist

;Films

;Television

References

External links

*

{{authority control

Living people
Indian film actresses
Indian voice actresses
Indian television actresses
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards winners
Filmfare Awards South winners
Actresses in Tamil cinema
Actresses in Malayalam cinema
Actresses in Kannada cinema
Actresses in Telugu cinema
20th-century Indian actresses
21st-century Indian actresses
Actresses from Andhra Pradesh
People from Guntur district
Actresses in Tamil television
Year of birth missing (living people)