Shobana

Shobana

Shobana performing in Pune, February 2009
Born Shobana Chandrakumar
21 March 1966 (1966-03-21) (age 45)
Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Occupation actress, dancer
Years active 1984–present

Shobana Chandrakumar (born 21 March 1966), mononymously known as Shobana (Malayalam: ശോഭന), is an Indian film actress and Bharatanatyam dancer. She was among the popular lead actress in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada films during the 1980s and 1990s. She won the National Film Award for Best Actress twice, for her performances in the films Manichitrathazhu (1993) and Mitr, My Friend (2002).

In 2006, the Government of India honored Shobana with the Padma Shri for her contributions towards the arts.[1]

Contents

Career

Shobana made her début in the Malayalam motion picture April 18 (1984) at the age of eighteen.[2] The movie was directed by Balachandra Menon. She acted alongside Mammootty in Kanamarayathu (1984). The same year she entered the Tamil film industry and acted in Enakkul Oruvan directed by S. P. Muthuraman alongside Kamal Haasan. In the subsequent years, she acted in many Tamil films. She acted with Rajinikanth in films like Siva and Thalapathi, the latter being directed by Mani Ratnam became a landmark film in her career. Shobhana became a leading heroine in Telugu film industry too. She has to her credit of being the lead opposite Nagarjuna Akkineni, when he made his début in film "Vikram". Shobana won her first National Film Award for Best Actress from the government of India in 1994 for her brilliant performance in Fazil's Manichitrathazhu. She received her second National award for best actress in 2001 for her role in the English language film Mitr, My Friend, directed by Revathi. Shobhana is an accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer. She did her dance training at the Chidambaram academy in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Her guru is the legendary Bharatanatyam dancer Chitra Visweswaran. Shobhana is famed for her Abhinaya, a pivotal element in Bharatanatyam.[3] She performed in Kuala Lumpur before the King and Queen of Malaysia.[4] Shobhana's skilled execution of dance movements and her extraordinary beauty has led many to consider her as the most beautiful South Indian actress from the 1980s through the 1990s. She is often equalled to the curvaceous beauty of Indian sculptures.[5] Shobana is well recognized for her performance in the movie Rudra Veena with Chiranjeevi. She was also a part of Mani Ratnam's stage show, Netru, Indru, Naalai.

In 1994, Shobana founded a school for classical Bharatanatyam dance in Chennai - Kalarpana. The aim of Kalarpana is to organize annual festivals throughout India. This includes performances of nationally and globally known artistes to help raise funds that will be ploughed back into training talented artistes who are financially insecure. Under its umbrella, Kalarpana extends its support to the handicapped and the environmental movement.[6]

Personal life

Shobana was born to Anandam and Chandrakumar, in Kerala. She is the niece of the Travancore sisters Lalitha, Padmini and Ragini, all of whom were renowned for their skill in classical Indian dance. The veteran actress Sukumari is her paternal aunt. She is single and is involved in her dance school as well as her creative pursuits full time. Her very close friends from the industry are Revathi, Suhasini & Rohini. Famous actor and renowned dancer Vineeth is related to her. She has a penchant for make up and hairdressing and often tries her hand at hairstyling with Kushboo, her co-artist whenever they acted together. Recently, she adopted a six month old girl and named her Anantha Narayani.

Filmography

Malayalam

Year Title Director Cast Character
1984 April 18 Balachandra Menon Balachandra Menon, Venu Nagavally, Jagathi Sreekumar Shobhana
1984 Kanamarayathu I. V. Sasi Mammootty, Rahman, Lalu Alex
1984 Ithiri Poove Chuvanna Poove Bharathan Mammootty, Rahman, Madhu Subhadra
1985 Aviduthe Pole Ivideyum K. S Sethumadhavan Mammootty, Mohanlal, Lalu Alex, M. G. Soman Sujatha
1985 Vasanthasena K.Vijayan Shankar, Mohanlal, M. G. Soman, Seema Merlin
1985 Meenamasathile Sooryan Lenin Rajendran Vijay Menon, Venu Nagavally, Murali Revathi
1985 Azhiyatha Bandhangal Sasikumar Mohanlal, Nedumudi Venu, Jagathi Sreekumar, Srividya Geetha
1985 Eeran Sandhya Jeassey Mammotty, Rahman, Adoor Bhasi, Sankaradi Prabha
1985 Thammil Thammil Sajan Mammotty, Rahman, Lizy
1985 Anubandham I. V. Sasi Mammootty, Mohanlal, Seema, Thilakan Vijayalakshmi
1985 Ee Shabdam Innathe Shabdam P. G Vishwambharan Mammootty, Rohini, Captain Raju, Vijayaraghavan Sharada
1985 Ayanam Harikumar Madhu, Mammootty, Shobhana, Sreenath, Thilakan Alice
1985 Yaathra Balu Mahendra Mammootty, Thilakan, Adoor Bhasi Thulasi
1985 Upahaaram Sajan Mammootty, Rahman Magi Fernandez
1986 T. P. Balagopalan M.A. Sathyan Anthikkad| Mohanlal, Sreenivasan|, Balan K. Nair, Maniyan Pillai Raju Anitha
1986 Kunjattakilikal Sasikumar Mohanlal, M. G. Soman, Thilakan, Sukumari Usha
1986 Iniyum Kurukshethram Sasikumar Mohanlal, M. G. Soman, Adoor Bhasi, Lizy Lekha
1986 Ente Enteth Mathram Sasikumar Mohanlal, Karthika, Lalu Alex Ambili
1986 Abhayam Thedi I. V. Sasi Mohanlal, Rohini, Thilakan, Sukumari Meera
1986 Kshamichu Ennoru Vakku Joshiy Mammootty, Geetha, Mukesh, Urvashi Indu
1986 Nyayavidhi Joshiy Mammootty, Lalu Alex, Sukumaran, Innocent, Mala Aravindan Geetha
1986 Ee Kaikalil K. Madhu Mammootty, Ratheesh, Janardhanan, Thilakan, Seema, Sukumari Viji Balakrishnan
1986 Rareeram Sibi Malayil Mammootty, Nedumudi Venu, Geetha, Rohini, Innocent, Thilakan Meera
1987 Vrutham I. V. Sasi Kamal Hassan, Suresh Gopi, Geetha, M. G. Soman, Sreenath, Thilakan, Janardhanan Nancy
1987 Nadodikattu Sathyan Anthikkad Mohanlal, Sreenivasan, Thilakan, Innocent, Mamukkoya, Captain Raju Radha
1987 Ithrayum Kaalam I. V. Sasi Mammootty, Ratheesh, Rahman, Madhu, Seema Savithri
1987 Anantaram Adoor Gopalakrishnan Mammootty, Ashokan, Kaviyoor Ponnamma Suma, Nalini
1988 Vicharana Sibi Malayil Mammootty, Lalu Alex, Mukesh, Nedumudi Venu, Jagathi Sreekumar, Seema Anitha
1988 Vellanakalude Nadu Priyadarshan Mohanlal, Sreenivasan, Maniyanpilla Raju, M. G. Soman, Jagadish Radha
1988 Janmandaram Thambi Kannanthanam Balachandra Menon, Ashokan, Siddique, M. G. Soman, Ramya Krishnan Sridevi
1988 Aparan Padmarajan Jayaram, M. G. Soman, Madhu, Mukesh, Parvathy Ambili
1988 Dhwani A. T Abu Jayaram, Prem Nazir, Nedumudi Venu, Thilakan, Jagathi Sreekumar Devi
1988 Mukthi I. V. Sasi Mammootty, Urvashi, Rahman, Janardanan, Seema
1989 Charithram G. S Vijayan Mammootty, Rahman, Janardanan, Lizy
1989 Innale Padmarajan Jayaram, Suresh Gopi, Captain Raju, Innocent, Srividya Maya/ Gowri
1990 Iyer the Great Bhadran Mammootty, Geetha, Sukumari
1990 Sasneham Sathyan Anthikkad Balachandra Menon, Innocent, Karamana Janardanan Nair, Sukumari Saraswathi
1990 Kalikkalam Sathyan Anthikkad Mammootty, Murali, Sreenivasan, Innocent, Lalu Alex, Philomina Annie
1991 Ulladakkam Kamal Mohanlal, Murali, Amala, Innocent, Ashokan Annie
1991 Kankettu Rajan Balakrishnan Jayaram, Sreenivasan, Captain Raju, Lalu Alex, Mamukkoya Sujatha
1992 Oru Kochu Bhoomikukukkam P. Chandrashekharan Sreenivasan, Siddique, Monisha, Jagadish, Saikumar
1992 Pappayude Swantham Appoos Fazil Mammootty, Suresh Gopi, Sankaradi, Zeena Dadi Bhama
1993 Maya Mayuram Sibi Malayil Mohanlal, Revathi, Nedumudi Venu, Thilakan, Janardhanan, Sukumari
1993 Meleparambil Aanveedu Rajasenan Jayaram, Jagathi Sreekumar, Narendra Prasad, Janardhanan Pavizham
1993 Manichitrathazhu Fazil Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Nedumudi Venu, Thilakan, Innocent, Vinaya Prasad Ganga/Nagavalli
1994 Pavithram T. K. Rajeev Kumar Mohanlal, Thilakan, Innocent, Nedumudi Venu, Vinduja Menon, Srividya Meera
1994 Commissioner Shaji Kailas Suresh Gopi, Ratheesh, Rajan P. Dev, K. B. Ganesh Kumar, M. G. Soman, N. F. Varghese Indu Kurup
1994 Thenmavin Kombathu Priyadarshan Mohanlal, Nedumudi Venu, Sreenivasan, Sukumari, Sankaradi, Kaviyoor Ponnamma Karthumbi
1994 Pakshe Mohan Mohanlal, Innocent, Shanthi Krishna, Thilakan, M. G. Soman Indu Kurup
1994 Minnaram Priyadarshan Mohanlal, Thilakan, Maniyan Pillai Raju, Jagathi Sreekumar, Sankaradi, Venu Nagavally Neena
1994 Vishnu P. Sreekumar Mammootty, Saikumar, Janardhanan, Jagathi Sreekumar, Lalu Alex, Ranjitha Susanna Mathews
1994 Manathe Vellitheru Fazil Vineeth, Sreenivasan, Mukesh Merlin
1994 Sindoora Rekha Sibi Malayil Suresh Gopi, Ranjitha, Janardhanan, Narendra Prasad Arundhathi
1994 Mazhayethum Munpe Kamal Mammootty, Annie, Sreenivasan, N. F. Varghese Uma Maheshwari
1994 Minnaminunginum Minnukettu Thulasidas Jayaram, Heera Rajagopal, Jagadeesh, Thilakan
1996 Kumkumcheppu Thulasidas Manoj K. Jayan, Nedumudi Venu, Narendra Prasad, K.P.A.C. Lalitha
1996 Aramanaveedum Anjoorekkarum Anil Babu Jayaram, Harisree Ashokan, Jagathi Sreekumar, Baiju, K.P.A.C. Lalitha, Kalpana, Sukumari
1996 Hitler Siddique Mammootty, Saikumar, Mukesh, Jagadeesh, M. G. Soman, Innocent, Vani Viswanath Gauri
1996 Superman Rafi Mecartin Jayaram, Jagadeesh, Nedumudi Venu, Innocent, Cochin Haneefa, Siddique Nithya
1997 Kalyana Kacheri Anil Chandra Mukesh, Jagathi Sreekumar
1997 Kaliyoonjal Anil Babu Mammootty, Dileep, Shalini, Karamana Janardanan Nair, Oduvil Unnikrishnan Gauri
1999 Agni Sakshi Shyamaprasad Rajat Kapoor, Sreenath, Madambu Kunjikuttan, Praveena, Madhupal, Srividya Devaki Manampalli
2000 Shradha I. V. Sasi Mohanlal, Indraja, Devan, Abhirami, Seema
2000 Valliettan Shaji Kailas Mammootty, Siddique, Saikumar, Manoj K. Jayan, N. F. Varghese Devi
2004 Mambazhakkalam Joshiy Mohanlal, Kalabhavan Mani, Innocent, Harisree Ashokan Indira
2005 Makalkku Jayaraj Suresh Gopi Killeri
2008 Mere Baap Pehle Aap Priyadarshan Akshaye Khanna, Genelia D'Souza, Paresh Rawal, Om Puri Anuradha Teacher
2009 Sagar alias Jacky Reloaded Amal Neerad Mohanlal, Nedumudi Venu, Manoj K. Jayan, Jagathi Sreekumar, Bhavana Indu

Other Languages

  • Ajeyudu

See also

References

  1. ^ "Padma Awards". Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. http://india.gov.in/myindia/advsearch_awards.php?start=0&award_year=&state=&field=3&p_name=Chandrakumar&award=All. Retrieved 2009-07-23. 
  2. ^ http://video.webindia123.com/new/interviews/actors/shobana/index.htm
  3. ^ http://kalarpana.tripod.com/homepage/id1.html
  4. ^ http://www.artindia.net/shobana/
  5. ^ http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/all-the-right-moves/288060/
  6. ^ BizHat.com - Malayalam Film Actress Shobana

External links

1968–1980
1981–2000
2001–present