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 & 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 highly 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, Shiva Shankar and Apthamitra marked her posthumous releases.[13][14] She was also awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada for Apthamitra posthumously.[citation needed]
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | Manavarali Pelli | Soundarya | [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 | [15] | ||
Allari Premikudu | Jhansi | |||
Super Police | Bharati | |||
Maa Voori Maaraju | Sathyavathi | [16] | ||
Madam | Soundarya | |||
Top Hero | Chitra | [2] | ||
Raithu Bharatam | Radha | [2] | ||
1995 | Amma Donga | Kumari Padmapriya | [16] | |
Chilakapachcha Kaapuram | Sathyavathi | [16] | ||
Raja Simham | Sundari | [16] | ||
Pedarayudu | Bharathi | [17] | ||
Bhale Bullodu | Radha | [16] | ||
Amma Naa Kodala | Neelima | [16] | ||
Vetagadu | Priya | [16] | ||
Balaraju Bangaru Pellam | Videhi | [16] | ||
Mayadari Kutumbam | — | [16] | ||
Maya Bazaar | Herself | [16] | ||
Ammoru | Bhavani | Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu | [4] [18] | |
Rikshavodu | Narasakka | [19] | ||
1996 | Puttinti Gowravam | Jyothi | [16] | |
Ramudochadu | Sundaralakshmi | [2] | ||
Intlo Illalu Vantintlo Priyuralu | Seetha | [20] | ||
Jagadekaveerudu | Soundaya | [16] | ||
Prema Pranayam | Sudha | [16] | ||
Pavitra Bandham | Radha | Nominated — Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu | [21] [4] | |
Maa Inti Adapaduchu | Janaki | [16] | ||
1997 | Dongaata | Subbalakshmi | Nominated — Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu | [5] |
Pelli Chesukundam | Shanti | [22] | ||
Priyaragalu | Priya | [2] | ||
Aaro Pranam | Aakanksha | [5] | ||
Taraka Ramudu | Taraka | [16] | ||
Ma Ayana Bangaram | Vennela/Shruthi[a] | [5] | ||
Oosi Naa Maradala | Kanchana Mala | [5] | ||
1998 | Pelli Peetalu | Anjali | [16] | |
Raayudu | Madhavi | [16] | ||
Choodalani Vundi | Padmavati | [23] | ||
Sri Ramulayya | Seethamma | [16] | ||
Suryudu | Prameela | [16] | ||
Subhavartha | Meghana | [24] | ||
Anthahpuram | Bhanumati | Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu | [25] [4] | |
Eshwar Allah | — | [16] | ||
Thambulalu | Seetha | [16] | ||
1999 | Raja | Anjali | Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu | [8] |
Premaku Velayera | Madhavi/Malati[a] | [26] | ||
Arundhati | Arundhati | [16] | ||
Anaganaga Oka Ammai | Sandhya | [27] | ||
Manavudu Danavudu | Ratna | [16] | ||
2000 | Annayya | Mahalakshmi | Nominated — Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu | [28] |
Ravanna | Sirisha | [29] | ||
Postman | Archana | [30] | ||
9 Nelalu | Savitri | [31] | ||
Moodu Mukkalaata | Shravani | [32] | ||
Sardukupodaam Randi | Radha Rani | [33] | ||
Ninne Premistha | Meghamala | [34] | ||
Azad | Anjali | [35] | ||
Jayam Manadera | Uma | [36] | ||
2001 | Devi Putrudu | Karuna | [37] | |
Eduruleni Manishi | Vasundhara | [38] | ||
Kalisi Naduddam | Vijaya | [39] | ||
Sri Manjunatha | ||||
Naa Manasistha Raa | Nandini | [40] | ||
Adhipathi | Jagan's fiancée | [41] | ||
2002 | Kondaveeti Simhasanam | Chitti | [42] | |
Premaku Swagatham | Lahari | [43] | ||
Gelupu | — | [44] | ||
2003 | Seetayya | Seetha | [45] | |
Prema Donga | — | |||
2004 | Swetha Naagu | Madhumati | [46] [12] | |
Shiva Shankar | Padma | [13] | ||
2020 | Narthanasala | Draupadi | Posthumous release (shelved by actor-director, Nandamuri Balakrishna) | [47] [48] |
Year | Title | Role | Language | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | Gandharva | Sudha | Kannada | Debut film | [2] |
Nanna Thangi | Madhuri | Kannada | [49] | ||
Baa Nanna Preethisu | Asha | Kannada | [49] | ||
Rajadhi Raja | Shakuntala | Kannada | [49] | ||
1993 | Ponnumani | Chintamani | Tamil | Tamil Debut | [3] [50] |
Vijaya Kranthi | Lucky | Kannada | [51] [49] | ||
1994 | Thooguve Krishnana | Meena | Kannada | [52] [49] | |
1995 | Muthu Kaalai | Poonjolai | Tamil | [53] | |
Dear Son Maruthu | Rani | Tamil | [54] | ||
1996 | Sipayi | Shanthi | Kannada | [55] [49] | |
Senathipathi | Aishwarya | Tamil | [56] | ||
1997 | Arunachalam | Vedhavalli | Tamil | [57] [58] | |
1998 | Kaathala Kaathala | Sundari | Tamil | [59] [60] | |
Doni Sagali | Kshama | Kannada | [61] | ||
1999 | Mannavaru Chinnavaru | Meghana | Tamil | partially reshot version of Subhavartha | [62] |
Aryabhata | Bharati | Kannada | [63] | ||
Padayappa | Vasundhara | Tamil | [64] [9] | ||
Naanu Nanna Hendthiru | Seetha | Kannada | [49] | ||
Sooryavansham | Radha | Hindi | Hindi debut | [65] [66] | |
2000 | Naga Devathe | Goddess Nagamma | Kannada | [67] | |
2001 | Sri Manjunatha | Katyayani | Kannada | [68] | |
Thavasi | Priyadharshini | Tamil | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil | [69] [70] | |
2002 | Ivan | Dheetchanya | Tamil | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil | [71] [72] |
Dweepa | Nagi | Kannada | Also producer; Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada | [11] [73] | |
Yathrakarude Sradhakku | Jyothi | Malayalam | Malayalam debut | [74] | |
2003 | Chokka Thangam | Pavalam | Tamil | [75] | |
Kilichundan Mampazham | Aamina | Malayalam | [76] [77] | ||
Vijayadashami | Goddess Bhuvaneshwari | Kannada | [78] | ||
Sri Renukadevi | Renuka Devi | Kannada | [79] [2] | ||
2004 | Swetha Nagara | Madhumati | Kannada | [12] | |
Apthamitra | Ganga / Nagavalli[b] | Kannada | Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada | [80] [81] | |
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] |