Santha Devi


Damayanthi, better known by her stage name Kozhikode Santha Devi, was an Indian Malayalam film and stage actress. In a career spanning about sixty years, she acted in more than 1000 plays and about 480 films.

Biography

Santha Devi was born in Kozhikode in a then well known tharavadu called Thottathil in 1927 as the daughter of Thottathil Kannakkuruppu and Karthiyayani Amma as the seventh daughter of their 10 children. She did her studies from Sabha school and then B.E.M school.
She made her debut as an actress through a 1954 drama Smarakam written by Vasu Pradeep and directed by Kundanari Appu Nair. She made her cinema debut in Minnaminungu directed by Ramu Karyat. She acted in over 480 movies including Moodupadam, Kuttikkuppayam, Kunjalimaraykkar, Iruttinte Athmavu, Sthalathe pradhana payyans and Adwaitham. Kerala Cafe, produced by director Ranjith, was her last movie where she enacted the role of a forlorn grandmother with no one to look after her. Besides movies, she was also active in television serials. Her most memorable roles are from Manasi and Minnukettu.
Santha Devi died on 20 November 2010 evening in a private hospital in Kozhikode.

Family

She had five brothers and four sisters. All of her brothers were in Air Force and Military services. At the age of 18 she married her uncle's son, Balakrishnan, a railway guard, but the relationship did not last long. He left Santha Devi after the couple had a son. Later, she married Kozhikode Abdul Kader, a popular Malayalam playback singer. She has two sons, Suresh Babu and the late Sathyajith.

Awards

She won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Yamanam directed by Bharath Gopi. She has received the Kerala State award for best Stage actress in 1968 for her role in Kudukkukal. In 1968, she received award from Thrissur Fine Arts Society and in 1973 she received best actress award again. In 1978, her acting in Ithu bhoomiyanu and Inquilabinte makkal fetched her Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Acamedy's award for best actress. She won the Kerala Film Critics Association Award in 1979 and Kerala State Award for Best Actress in State plays in 1983 for Deepasthambham Mahashcharyam.
In 1992 she got Film critics award again. Santha Devi was awarded Premji award and later in 2005 the lifetime achievement award from Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. She won the attimabbe prize also from Karnataka

Filmography (partial)

  1. Annarakkannanum Thannalayathu ... Valiyathan's mother
  2. Nalla Pattukare
  3. Nandhuni
  4. Kerala Cafe
  5. Malayali
  6. Koodaram
  7. Mayabazar
  8. Thalappavu
  9. Crazy Gopalan ... Janakiyamma
  10. Vilapagalkkappuram
  11. Uthrada Ravu
  12. Prajapathi
  13. Nottam ... Jankiyamma
  14. Anandabadram
  15. Ullam
  16. Maratha Nadu
  17. Akale ... Typewriting teacher
  18. Freedom
  19. Kilichundan Mambhazham .... Maimuna's mother
  20. Janakeeyam....Lakshmiyamma
  21. Anyar
  22. Mizhirandilum
  23. Ammakkilikkoodu
  24. Ee Bhargavi Nilayam
  25. Neythukaran
  26. Kattu Vannu Vilichappol
  27. Ninneyum Thedi
  28. Rapid Action Force... Vasanthakumari's muthassi
  29. Priyankari...
  30. Chenaparambile Anakaryam
  31. Magician Mahendralal From Delhi
  32. Oro Viliyum Kathorthu
  33. Irattakuttikalude Achan ... Valsan's mother
  34. Suvarna Simhaasanam
  35. Mahathma
  36. Harbour
  37. Aakaashathekkoru Kilivaathil
  38. Madamma
  39. Sundarimare Sookshikkuka
  40. No 1 Snehatheeram Bangalore North
  41. Chandha
  42. Sasinas
  43. Oru Abhibashakante Case Diary
  44. Sundari Neeyum Sundaran Njanum
  45. Mazhayethum Munbe
  46. Avan Ananthapadmanabhan
  47. Deyvathinte Vikrithikal
  48. Tharavadu
  49. Pingami
  50. Ghazal
  51. Bharanakoodam .... Manju's maid
  52. Chukkan..... Gayathri's Mother
  53. Naaraayam
  54. Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans
  55. Ghoshayathra.....Itheyiumma
  56. Agneyam
  57. Magrib
  58. Yamanam
  59. Kamaladalam
  60. Dhanam
  61. Daivasahayam Lucky Centre
  62. Adwaitham
  63. Parallel College
  64. Aakoshakkottayile Sulthan
  65. No 20 Madras Mail
  66. Kakkathollayiram
  67. Brahmarakshassu
  68. Sasneham
  69. Aye Auto
  70. Carnivel
  71. Naduvazhikal
  72. V. I. P.....Karthyayani
  73. Chanakyan
  74. Padippura
  75. Asthikal Pookkunnu .... Itti
  76. Kanakambarangal ... Sreedevi's mother
  77. Dhinarathrangal
  78. Oohakachavadam
  79. Rithubetham
  80. Idanazhiyil Ou Kalocha
  81. Nadodikkaattu ... Ramdas's Mother
  82. PC 369 ... Mandara
  83. Doore Doore Oru Koodu Koottam
  84. Abhayam Thedi
  85. Vellam
  86. Dheivatheyorthu
  87. Anubandham
  88. Srikrishna Parundu
  89. Maniyara
  90. Mylanji
  91. Adhikaram
  92. Angadi
  93. Chakara....Subhadra
  94. Vilkkanundu Swapnangal
  95. Neelathamara
  96. Thakara
  97. Thenthulli
  98. Avar Jeevikkunnu
  99. Chuvanna Vithukal
  100. Padasaram .... Kochukaali
  101. Aparadhi.... Madhaviyamma
  102. Yatheem
  103. Njavalppazhangal
  104. Athithi
  105. Utharayanam
  106. Nirmala
  107. Udayam Kizhakku Thanne
  108. Shasthram Jayichu Manushyan Thottu
  109. Darshanam
  110. Iniyoru Janmam Tharoo
  111. Kuttyedathi.... Meenakshi
  112. Ummachu
  113. Velutha Kathreena
  114. Thokkukal Kathaparayunnu
  115. Anaachadanam
  116. Aval
  117. Kottayam Kolacase
  118. Mulkireedam
  119. Iruttinte Athmavu ... Parukkuttiamma
  120. Ashwamedam.... Lakshmi
  121. Aneshichu Kandethiyilla
  122. Nagarame Nandi
  123. Kunjali Marakkar
  124. Mayor Nair
  125. Murappennu....Madhaviyamma
  126. Devalayam
  127. Kuttikuppayam
  128. Moodupadam
  129. Ninamaninja Kalpadukal
  130. Minnaminigu
  131. Sandehi

    Television serials (partial)