Shafeek Kuthanur

Sukumari 

 

 (October 6 1940– March 26 2013) was an Indian film actress who has primarily acted in Malayalam and Tamil films. She had been acting since she was 10 years oldand has acted in various roles. The total number of her films is presumed to be more than 3000. In 2003, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for her contributions towards the arts. And she won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Namma Gramam (2010). Sukumari died on 26th March 2013 following a heart attack while under treatment for burn injuries received while lighting the traditional lamp at a function in Chennai.

 

Career

She was born in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala State in 1940. Sukumari is a first cousin of the Travancore Sisters, Lalitha, Padmini and Ragini (their mothers are sisters). She learned dance with the sisters and mastered dance forms like Keralanadanam, Kathakali and Bharathanatyam. She went for an all-India tour with the sisters. Sukumari was noticed by a director when she went to the sets of a film with Padmini, and she debuted in the lead role in the Tamil film Orarivu. She was married to director A. Bhimsingh until he died when she was barely 30. She has acted in various Malayalam films of the black and white age, like Chettathi, Kusruthikkuttan, Kunjali Marakkar, Thacholi Othenan, Yakshi and Karinizhal. She later became popular acting in various films of Priyadarshan like Poochakkoru Mookkuthi, Oodarathuammava Aalariyam, Boeing Boeing and Vandanam. She was also noticed in various films directed by Balachandra Menon like Manicheppu Thurannappol and Karyam Nissaram.In later years she played a major role in Nizhalkkuthu (2002) directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. She had played many notable mother roles. She has acted in films in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi, and used her own voice in all languages without using dubbing artists.

Illness and Death

On 27th February, 2013, Sukumari sustained injuries while lighting the traditional lamp at a function in Chennai. She was subsequently admitted to a private hospital in Chennai an underwent plastic surgery. However on 26 March, she died of a heart attack she had suffered from while recovering. Following her death, notable South Indian personalities offered their condolences. among them Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and Kerala's Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy.