Soundarya
{{Short description|Indian actress, producer}}
{{About|an Indian actress}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Soundarya
| birthname = Sowmya Sathyanarayana
| image = Actress Soundarya.jpeg
| image_caption = Soundarya in 2002
| birth_date = 18 July 1972
| birth_place = Mulabagilu, Kolar district, Karnataka, India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2004|04|17|1972|07|18|df=yes}}
| death_place = Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| death_cause = Airplane crash
| occupation = Actress, producer
| years_active = 1992–2004
| works = Full list
| spouse = G. S. Raghu (m.2003)
}}
Sowmya Sathyanarayana (18 July 1972 – 17 April 2004), better known by her stage name Soundarya, was an Indian actress known for her works primarily in Telugu cinema.{{cite web |url=https://keralakaumudi.com/en/news/mobile/news.php?id=148056&u=actress-soundarya-had-said-that-it-would-be-her-last-film-udaykumar%E2%80%99s-revelation-148056 |title=Actress Soundarya had said that it would be her last film: Udaykumar's revelation}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/may/10/guardianobituaries.film |title=Soundarya |last=Pandya |first=Haresh |date=10 May 2004 |work=The Guardian |access-date=20 June 2009 |archive-date=8 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170108094615/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/may/10/guardianobituaries.film |url-status=live}} She was regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Telugu cinema. She also acted in a few Kannada, Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam films. She has received three Nandi Awards, two Karnataka State Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards South. In 2002, she received the National Film Award for Best Feature Film as a producer for the Kannada film Dweepa.
Soundarya established herself as the most popular Telugu actress of the 1990s and is best known for her performances in films such as Ammoru (1995), Pavitra Bandham (1996), Anthahpuram (1998), Raja (1999), Doni Saagali (1998), Dweepa (2002) and Apthamitra (2004). She won three Nandi Awards for Pavitra Bandham and Special Jury Prize for Ammoru and Anthahpuram.
Personal life
Soundarya was born in Mulabagilu, Kolar district and brought up in Bengaluru.{{cite AV media |title=Soundarya Last Interview in the Telugu |publisher=V Channel |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1qPkolEQpI&t=42s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/H1qPkolEQpI |archive-date=17 November 2021 |url-status=live |time=42s}}{{cbignore}} Her parents are K. S. Sathyanarayana and Manjula.{{Cite web |last=Manjula |date=13 October 2020 |title=Pelli Choopulu Producer To Bankroll Soundarya Biopic? |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/cinema/tollywood/pelli-choopulu-producer-to-bankroll-soundarya-biopic-651130 |access-date=15 July 2021 |website=The Hans India |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Pandya |first1=Haresh |title=Obituary: Soundarya |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/may/10/guardianobituaries.film |website=The Guardian |access-date=6 May 2016 |date=10 May 2003}} Her father was a Kannada film writer and producer. She discontinued her Intermediate after her first year in Bangalore.{{cite web |date=18 July 2020 |title=Soundarya's 44th Birth Anniversary: Remembering the evergreen actress of Telugu cinema |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/soundaryas-44th-birth-anniversary-remembering-the-evergreen-actress-of-telugu-cinema/photostory/77037141.cms |url-status=live |access-date=5 June 2021 |work=The Times of India |archive-date=20 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520145930/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/soundaryas-48th-birth-anniversary-remembering-the-evergreen-actress-of-telugu-cinema/photostory/77037141.cms}}.Her birthdate is 18 July 1972,{{Cite news |title=Soundarya's death leaves a void |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/soundaryas-death-leaves-a-void/articleshow/623408.cms |access-date=1 August 2021}}{{Cite news |last=IANS |date=4 December 2013 |title=Many an actor has died in an accident |work=Business Standard India |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/many-an-actor-has-died-in-an-accident-113120400319_1.html |access-date=1 August 2021}} On 27 April 2003, she married G. S. Raghu, a software engineer by profession.{{Cite web |last=B. R. |first=Srikanth |date=17 April 2004 |title=Star-crossed on campaign trail |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/star-crossed-on-campaign-trail/cid/753714 |access-date=31 July 2021 |website=The Telegraph}}{{Cite web |date=30 September 2012 |title=8 years after star's death, family fight over will gets ugly |url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/cover-story/8-years-after-stars-death-family-fight-over-will-gets-ugly/articleshow/21302797.cms |url-status=live |access-date=11 July 2021 |website=Bangalore Mirror |language=en |archive-date=30 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430204121/http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/cover-story/8-years-after-stars-death-family-fight-over-will-gets-ugly/articleshow/21302797.cms}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.tollywoodcelebrities.com/2017/03/Soundarya-Profile-Biogarphy-Biodata-Family-Photos.html|title=Soundarya Profile Biography Biodata Family Photos.html |access-date=19 July 2021}} Sources says that besides Kannada, she was fluent in Telugu and Tamil languages.
Career
{{Main| Soundarya filmography}}
Soundarya's first film was the Kannada film Baa Nanna Preethisu, directed by S. Siddalingaiah, released in April 1992, immediately followed by Gandharva in July 1992 which was a hit. She did lead roles in Kannada and went on to become a popular actress. Her first film in Telugu was Manavarali Pelli (1993).{{Cite web |last=Rakesh |date=17 April 2022 |title=Remembering The Modern 'SAVITRI' of Telugu Cinema. |url=https://cinechitchat.com/news/movie-news/remembering-soundarya-death-anniversary-2022-26219.html |access-date=17 November 2022 |website=Cine Chit Chat |language=en}}
In Tamil, she got major acclaim for her debut film Ponnumani (1993), opposite Karthik and Sivakumar for playing the role of a mentally disabled person.
Real commercial recognition came to her with Hello Brother (1994), directed by E. V. V. Satyanarayana, in which she starred alongside Nagarjuna and Ramya Krishna.{{Cite web |url=https://www.iqlikmovies.com/movies/legendmovie/2014/04/09/Hello-Brother/774 |title=Soundarya's Hello Brother film |access-date=20 July 2021}} She has also collaborated with actor Karthik for Muthu Kaalai (1995). She played an award-winning role in Ammoru (1995), directed by Kodi Ramakrishna, starring alongside Ramya Krishna and Suresh and played the role of Bhavani, a devotee of Goddess Ammoru. She had eleven releases in 1995.{{cite news |last=Kumar |first=Ch Sushil |date=28 March 1998 |title=Child, woman, star |work=Rediff.com |url=http://www.rediff.com/entertai/1998/mar/28sou.htm |url-status=live |access-date=20 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514164722/http://www.rediff.com/entertai/1998/mar/28sou.htm |archive-date=14 May 2008}}
She continued her successful run with Amma Donga (1995), Sipayi (1996), Pavitra Bandham (1996), Maa Aayana Bangaram (1997), Dongaata (1997), Aaro Pranam (1997) and Osi Na Maradala (1997). She also starred alongside Superstar Rajinikanth in Arunachalam (1997), which became the highest-grossing film of 1997 in Tamil cinema. The industry regarded her to be the golden hand, as a former director's daughter, she always regarded the success not as a one-man show, but teamwork across 36 departments.
In 1998, Doni Saagali in Kannada were commercially successful. In Tamil, she also starred alongside Kamal Haasan and Prabhudeva in Kaathala Kaathala directed by Singeetam Srinivas Rao. Choodalani Vundi opposite Chiranjeevi took her to the pinnacle. Anthahpuram, directed by Krishna Vamsi, stood as one of the finest performances of Soundarya in her career, winning her a State Nandi Award for Best Actress and also her second consecutive Filmfare Award for Best Actress.
The romantic drama Raja (1999), opposite Venkatesh, was another blockbuster and won her a third Filmfare Award. Her other releases, Padayappa (1999) opposite Rajinikanth. She starred opposite Amitabh Bachchan in the Hindi movie Sooryavansham. Premaku Velayera (1999), Premaku Swagatam (2002) with J. D. Chakravarthy further solidified her position.
She starred in Annayya (2000), opposite Chiranjeevi, Ninne Premistha (2000) and Azad (2000), opposite Nagarjuna, Jayam Manadera (2000) and Devi Putrudu (2001) opposite Venkatesh, and several others that displayed her acting abilities and Sri Manjunatha (2001) opposite Arjun Sarja. She shared screen space with actor Vijayakanth for Thavasi (2001) and Chokka Thangam (2003).
In 2002, she received the National Film Award for Best Feature Film (producer) for Dweepa. She has acted in the Malayalam comedy film Yathrakarude Sradhakku (2002) with Jayaram and Kilichundan Mampazham (2003), with Mohanlal and Sreenivasan.
In 2004, Balakrishna announced the remake of Nartanasala, and a launch event was held in Hyderabad. Soundarya was signed to play Draupadi{{cite web |url=http://www.pressreader.com/india/deccan-chronicle/20121024/282518655747664 |title=PressReader - Deccan Chronicle: 2012-10-24 - Balakrishna hasn't found Draupadi |via=PressReader |access-date=12 March 2018 |archive-date=13 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313160516/http://www.pressreader.com/india/deccan-chronicle/20121024/282518655747664 |url-status=live}} but the film was shelved following her death. However the first 17 minutes are available to stream online.{{Cite web |last=Native |first=Digital |date=2020-10-20 |title=17 mins of Balakrishna and Soundarya's shelved 2004 film 'Narthanasala' to stream online |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/17-mins-balakrishna-and-soundaryas-shelved-2004-film-narthanasala-stream-online-135755 |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}
Her last film was Apthamitra, a runaway hit starring Vishnuvardhan and Ramesh Arvind. The film won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada posthumously in 2004.
She worked with almost all the top directors, like Dasari Narayana Rao, K. Raghavendra Rao, Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, A. Kodandarami Reddy, Priyadarshan, Girish Kasaravalli, S. V. Krishna Reddy, K. S. Ravikumar, Krishna Vamsi, Kodi Ramakrishna, E. V. V. Satyanarayana, Muthyala Subbaiah, Gunasekhar, P. Vasu, Muppalaneni Shiva, Bharathi Kannan, Sundar C.
Death
On 17 April 2004, Soundarya died in an aircraft crash along with her brother Amarnath in Bengaluru.{{cite news |last=Press Trust of India |author-link=Press Trust of India |date=17 April 2004 |title=Soundarya killed in plane crash. its a tragedy |work=The Indian Express |url=http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=30461 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123013859/http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=30461 |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 January 2013 |access-date=20 June 2009}}
The aircraft, a Cessna 180, took off at 11:05 a.m. and turned west before crashing on the campus of the Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra of the University of Agricultural Sciences. It had reached a height of {{Convert|150|ft}} and, before achieving required rate of climb speed, took a steep left turn leading to a stall. It crashed into the ground nose down and burst into flames. B. N. Ganapathi, one of the two persons working on the experimental fields of the university, who rushed to the aircraft to save the occupants, said the plane wobbled before the crash.{{cite news |title=Indian actress dies in air crash |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3634285.stm |access-date=28 December 2020 |work=BBC News |date=28 December 2020 |archive-date=8 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308122109/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3634285.stm |url-status=live}}
Legacy
Soundarya is regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Telugu cinema.{{cite news |title=South superstar Soundarya's birth anniversary: Here are her top movies |url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/entertainment/south-superstar-soundarya-birth-anniversary-here-are-her-top-movies-to-watch-14120132.htm/amp |access-date=28 September 2020 |work=CNBC TV 18}} She was known as a versatile actress, who played distinctive roles. Critics noted that she had a fine sense of characterisation. Due to this ability, Soundarya struck a chord with the Telugu audience despite being from Karnataka.{{cite news |title=Sooryavansham Lead Superstar Soundarya's Unknown Facts |url=https://www.news18.com/news/movies/sooryavansham-lead-soundarya-didnt-know-hindi-this-legendary-actress-dubbed-for-her-5634043.html |access-date=26 December 2022 |work=News18 India}} Ammoru, Pavithra Bandham, Doni Saagali, Raja, Sooryavansham, and Dweepa are her best known films that saw her playing strong female characters.{{cite news |title=Soundarya's 44th Birth Anniversary: Remembering The Evergreen Actress Of Telugu Cinema |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/soundaryas-44th-birth-anniversary-remembering-the-evergreen-actress-of-telugu-cinema/etphotostory/77037141.cms |access-date=25 January 2021 |work=Times of India}}
Awards and nominations
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=0815897|name=Soundarya}}
- [https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/20/world/soundarya-32-a-film-star-of-bollywood.html The New York Times article]
{{Nandi Award for Best Actress}}{{Karnataka State Award for Best Actress}}
{{FilmfareTeluguBestActress}}
{{FilmfareKannadaBestActress}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Actresses from Bengaluru
Category:People from Kolar district
Category:Actresses in Malayalam cinema
Category:Indian film actresses
Category:Actresses in Kannada cinema
Category:Actresses in Telugu cinema
Category:Actresses in Tamil cinema
Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in India
Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 2004
Category:Filmfare Awards South winners
Category:Indian women film producers
Category:Kannada film producers
Category:Film producers from Bengaluru
Category:20th-century Indian actresses
Category:21st-century Indian actresses
Category:Businesswomen from Karnataka
Category:Producers who won the Best Feature Film National Film Award