Radha (actress)


Udaya Chandrika, better known by her screen name Radha, is an Indian film actress known mostly for her work in Tamil and Telugu films. She has also acted in few Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi. She was one of the top south Indian heroine for a decade from 1981 to 1991. Her elder sister Ambika, was also an actress. Radha is arguably the most successful among the "Kallara Sisters", the three sisters in the art scene hailing from Kallara in Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala. Ambika was also a highly successful actress in Tamil and Malayalam. Ambika and Radha acted together in a number of films, during the peak of their careers. They also co-owned a movie studio called "ARS Studios" in 1986. Later they converted the studio into the Jolly Jimkana hotel complex in 2013. She currently appears on television as one of the judges in the STAR Vijay Jodi Number One Season 6 Reality Dance program.
She is one of the most successful and highest paid actresses alongside her contemporaries like Vijayshanti. She is considered one of the greatest dancers in South Indian film industry alongside star actors like Chiranjeevi and Kamal Haasan. She received a Filmfare award for best actress Tamil for her exceptional performance as a low caste, fearless, compassionate boat woman who starts a platonic relationship with the middle aged village head in Muthal mariyathai. For the same role she was nominated for National award for best actress.

Personal life

Radha hails from Kallara Village near Kilimanoor in Thiruvananthapuram District in Kerala. Her mother Kallara Sarasamma was Mahila Congress leader during 2014. She has two elder sisters, Ambika and Mallika, and two younger brothers, Arjun and Suresh.
Radha married Rajasekaran Nair on 10 September 1991. The couple has two daughters and one son: Karthika Nair and Vignesh Nair, Thulasi Nair; both daughters have started their career as actors. For the past 25, years the family has owned a chain of restaurants in Mumbai and Kovalam at Kerala, which have won the best coastal beach resort award. Radha's sister Ambika is also a famous actress. Karthika Nair started her career as an actress with the Telugu film Josh. Her other daughter Thulasi Nair started her career as an actress with the 2012 Maniratnam film Kadal.

Career

Radha was spotted by director Bharathiraja and was cast as a teenager in Alaigal Oivathillai in 1981 opposite newcomer Karthik.

Tamil cinema

Radha started her career in 1981 starring as the protagonist in director Bharathiraja's Alaigal Oivathillai alongside debutant Karthik. The movie was a runaway hit and is regarded as a cult classic. The on-screen chemistry that she shared with Karthik was highly successful and led to many movies such as Pakkathu Veetu Roja, Valibamey Vaa Vaa and Ilanjodigal. In the same year, Radha played a small role in the movie Tik Tik Tik, which also starred Kamal Haasan. Tik Tik Tik played a significant role in her career. Later, she starred alongside Kamal Haasan in movies such as Oru Kaidhiyin Diary, Thoongadhey Thambi Thoongadhey, Kadhal Parisu and Jappanil Kalyanaraman.
Ambika and Radha shared screen space in films such as Enkeyo Ketta Kural, Kadhal Parisu, Anna Nagar Mudhal Theru, Idhaya Kovil Manakanakku and Vellai Roja. The two sisters were at the zenith of their fame when they acted in Kadhal Parisu, in which they played the roles of very glamorous, highly desirable women. Ambika and Radha managed their careers very carefully, and after attaining success, they were very selective about taking up roles in Tamil movies and only performed with top actors and directors. It was very rare to see both the sisters in the same movie after their early years in the Tamil film industry.

Telugu cinema

She acted in her first Telugu film with Shoban Babu in Mr. Vijay. Her notable films in Telugu include Simhasanam, Shakti, Iddaru Dongalu, Yamudiki Mogudu, State Rowdy, Palnati Simham, Raamudu Bheemudu and Agni Parvatam. She has acted in highest number of movies with Super Star Krishna, 16 films with Chiranjeevi, 6 films with Balakrishna and worked with all major heroes such as NTR, ANR, Shoban Babu and many more. Her glamour roles were brought out by K. Raghavendra Rao and A. Kodandarami Reddy.

Kannada cinema

has done 4 Kannada films. She acted with veteran Vishnuvardhan and actress Lakshmi in Soubhagya Lakshmi, a remake of the Hindi film Maang Bharo Sajana. It in turn is a remake of a Telugu movie. She has done films with Ravichandran. In 1991, she did the movie Ranachandi, with co-actors Sharat Babu, Ramesh Bhat, Mukhyamantri Chandru and Sudhir. In the film, she played a cop with Sharat Babu as her husband and Mukhyamantri Chandru as the villain. She had many stunts and fight sequences. It was a big hit in Kannada and is still remembered by Kannada movie-goers.

Malayalam cinema

Though hailing from Kerala, Radha did not enjoy success in Malayalam, unlike Ambika, who had an equally successful career in both Tamil and Malayalam. Radha acted only in six Malayalam films. Her most notable role was in K. G. George's state award-winning film Irakal ; her portrayal of the character Nirmala is widely regarded as the best in her career. Her other significant roles was in Sathyan Anthikad's Revathikkoru Pavakkutty, where her costars were Gopi, Mohanlal and Menaka. She also produced a film Ayitham, in which she played one of the lead characters, along with Ambika, Sukumaran, and Mohanlal.
Her other hit Malayalam movie was Innathe Programme which was her last movie in malayalam.

Selected filmography

Tamil films

YearFilmRole
1991Shanti Enathu Shanti
1991Marupakkam
1991SigaramPriya
1990JagathalaprathapanGuest Appearance
1990Manaivi Oru Manickam
1990Manaivi Vantha Neram
1990Sathyam Sivam Sundaram
1989Meenakshi ThiruvilayadalDevi Meenakshi
1989Oru Ponnu Nenacha
1989Chinnappadass
1989Nyaya Tharasu
1989Pick Pocket
1989Rajadhi RajaSenkamalam
1988Ullathil Nalla Ullam
1988En Uyir Kannamma
1988Annanagar Mudhal Theru
1987Thambathyam
1987Uzhavan MaganNirmala
1987Sattam Oru VilayaattuVeni
1987Jallikattu
1987Vairakkiyam
1987Anand
1987Enga Chinna Rasa
1987Kadhal ParisuChitra
1986Manithanin Marupakkam
1986Amman Kovil KizhakaleKanmani
1986Ninaive Oru Sangeetham
1986Mella Thirandhathu KadhavuTulasi
1986Manakanakku
1985Idaya KovilSuriya
1985Muthal MariyathaiKuyili
1985Oru Kaidhiyin DiaryRosy
1985Nalla Thambi
1985Japanil KalyanaramanRadha
1985Needhiyin NizhalSwapna
1984Naan Mahaan Alla
1984Dhavani Kanavugal
1984Simma Soppanam
1984Sarithira Nayagan
1984Iru Medhaigal
1984Kairasikkaran
1984Ninaivugal
1984Vengaiyin Mainthan
1984Ambigai Neril Vanthaal
1983Paayum PuliRevathy
1983Vairagyam
1983Sivappu SooriyanChithra
1983Dhampathyam
1983Thudikkum Karangal
1983Thoongadhey Thambi ThoongadheyPadmini
1983Aboorva Sagodarigal
1983Sandhippu
1983Muthu Engal Sothu
1983Vellai Roja
1983Nenjamellam Neeye
1983Oru Kai Pappom
1982Enkeyo Ketta KuralKamatchi
1982Kaadhal Oviyam
1982Gopurangal SaivathillaiJulie
1982Ilanjodigal
1982Katrukenna Veli
1982Kanne Radha
1982Valibamey Vaa Vaa
1982Pakkathu Veetu Roja
1982Neram Vandhachu
1982ThunaiRadha
1982Anandha Ragam
1982Ayiram Muthangal
1982Kadhalithu Paar
1982Adhisayappiravigal
1981Tik Tik TikRadha
1981Alaigal OivathillaiMary

Telugu films

Malayalam films

Kannada films

YearFilmDirectionRole
1991Ranachandi
1986Soubhagya LakshmiBhargava
1986UshaG.K. MuddurajDurgadevi
1985Savira SulluG.K. Mudduraj
1984DigvijayaG.K. MuddurajCameo appearance

Television

;As Judge