Sheela Rajkumar

{{Infobox person

| name = Sheela Rajkumar

| image =

| caption = Sheela in 2023

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| native_name =

| othername = Sheela

| birth_name =

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| birth_place = Jayankondam, Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu, India

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| education = MA Bharatanatyam

| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|choreographer}}

| yearsactive = 2016–present

| relatives =

}}

Sheela Rajkumar is an Indian actress and Bharatanatyam dancer who has worked predominantly in Tamil films.{{Cite news|url=http://www.vikatan.com/avalvikatan/2016-apr-05/entertainment/117267-artist-sheela-rajkumar.html|title=கலையும் காதலும் ஜெயிக்கும்!|publisher=www.vikatan.com|language=ta|access-date=27 September 2017|archive-date=27 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927155156/http://www.vikatan.com/avalvikatan/2016-apr-05/entertainment/117267-artist-sheela-rajkumar.html|url-status=live}}

Career

Sheela is a Bharatanatyam dancer and a trainer. She joined the Chennai-based theatre group Koothu-P-Pattarai where she was performing theatrical arts. Sheela also worked in short films for Kalaignar TV's reality show Naalaya Iyakunar.{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/sheela-rajkumar-kumbalangi-nights-to-let-acting-chezhian-heroine/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329202027/https://www.filmcompanion.in/sheela-rajkumar-kumbalangi-nights-to-let-acting-chezhian-heroine/|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 March 2019|title=Seeing Me, If Someone Is Encouraged To Enter Cinema After Marriage, I'll Be Happy: Sheela Rajkumar|last=Rao|first=Subha|date=2019-02-26|website=Film Companion|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-27}}

In 2016, she played a small role in Arivazhagan's Aarathu Sinam. Her next film To Let was screened at numerous film festivals in 2017 and 2018, and was theatrically released on 21 February 2019. It won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/to-let-film-review-a-beautiful-portrait-of-memories/article26328682.ece|title='To Let' film review: A beautiful portrait of memories|author=Srivatsan S|date=21 February 2019|access-date=12 April 2020|work=The Hindu|archive-date=12 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412173504/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/to-let-film-review-a-beautiful-portrait-of-memories/article26328682.ece|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/film-that-portrays-the-ordeal-of-house-hunting-bags-award/article20557321.ece|title=Film that portrays the ordeal of house-hunting bags award|author=B. Kolappan|date=20 November 2017|access-date=12 April 2020|work=The Hindu|archive-date=21 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221161933/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/film-that-portrays-the-ordeal-of-house-hunting-bags-award/article20557321.ece|url-status=live}} She was then roped in her first Tamil serial as a leading role in Azhagiya Tamil Magal telecasted in Zee Tamil.{{cite web|url=https://cinema.dinamalar.com/tamil-tv-serials/62204/Chinna-thirai-Television-News/Azhagiya-tamil-magal-new-serial-in-Zee-Tamil.htm|title=Azhagiya Tamil Magal new serial on Zee Tamil|date=24 August 2017|publisher=Dinamalar|access-date=27 September 2017|archive-date=10 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010102431/http://cinema.dinamalar.com/tamil-tv-serials/62204/Chinna-thirai-Television-News/Azhagiya-tamil-magal-new-serial-in-Zee-Tamil.htm|url-status=live}} In 2018, she appeared in the thriller film Asuravadham. The next year, she acted in Namma Veettu Pillai and in the Malayalam-language film Kumbalangi Nights. In 2020, she played the title role in Draupathi which was censured for its regressive take on caste politics. A year later, she was featured in the progressive political satire, Mandela, which mocks casteism. Later she said she was not aware of Draupathi's politics.{{Cite web|title=I was not aware of Draupathi's politics: Sheela Rajkumar - The New Indian Express|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/tamil/2021/apr/14/i-was-not-aware-ofdraupathis-politicssheela-rajkumar-2289704.html|access-date=2021-09-30|website=www.newindianexpress.com|date=April 2021 |archive-date=21 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621051252/https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2021/apr/14/i-was-not-aware-ofdraupathis-politicssheela-rajkumar-2289704.amp|url-status=live}}

Filmography

Year	Film	Role	class="unsortable" \|Notes
class="wikitable sortable"
2016	Aarathu Sinam	Malar
rowspan=2 \| 2017	To Let	Amudha	Lead debut
Manusangada	Revathy
2018	Asuravadham	Kasthuri
rowspan=2 \|2019	Kumbalangi Nights	Sathi	Malayalam film
Namma Veettu Pillai	Thulasi's mother
2020	Draupathi	Draupathi
2021	Mandela	Thenmozhi
rowspan="2"\| 2022	Jothi	Jothi
Mayathirai	Ghost	{{cite news \| url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-details/mayathirai/movieshow/93277052.cms \| title=Mayathirai Movie: Showtimes, Review, Trailer, Posters, News & Videos \| eTimes \| website=The Times of India \| access-date=5 August 2022 \| archive-date=5 August 2022 \| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805011108/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-details/mayathirai/movieshow/93277052.cms \| url-status=live }}
rowspan=3\|2023	'Pichaikkaran 2	Raani
Noodles	Sakthi
Jigarthanda DoubleX	Lourde	Cameo appearance
rowspan=1\|2025	Vembu''	Vembu

Television

Year	Title	Role !Network	class="unsortable" \|Notes
class="wikitable sortable"
2017–2019	Azhagiya Tamil Magal	Poong Kodi \|Zee Tamil
2017	Livin'	Thaen \|Put Chutney	YouTube Web Series
rowspan="2" \|2020 \|Shakshi \|Shakshi \|JFW- Just For Women \| rowspan="3" \|YouTube Short Films
Edhu Thevaiyo Adhuve Dharmam \|Viji \|Movie Buff Tamil
2022 \|Seethai \|Seethai \|Jolly Wood
2022 \|Vanakam Tamizha \|Herself \|Sun TV \|Guest
2022 \|Something Something \|Herself \|Adithya TV \|Guest
2022	\|Pettaikaali	Thenmozhi \|Aha Tamil

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable sortable"
Year !Artist/ Work	Honouring Body	Category !Outcome
rowspan="2" \| 2020 \| rowspan="2" \|To Let	Vikatan Awards	rowspan="2" \| Best Debut Female \|{{Nom}}
Zee Cine Awards \|{{Nom}}

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

!Artist/ Work

Honouring Body