Suryakantham (actress)


Suryakantham was an Indian actress in Tollywood. She was regarded as one of the finest actors of Indian Cinema and was popular for playing the role of a cruel mother-in-law in most of her movies.

Early life

Suryakantham was born and brought up in a Telugu Brahmin family residing at Venkata Krishnaraya Puram near Kakinada of East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh. She was the 14th child to her parents, ten of whose children had died. She learnt dance and singing at the age of six.
She married Peddibhotla Chalapati Rao, a High Court Judge, in 1950.

Career

Suryakantham started as a dancer in Chandralekha, produced by the Gemini Studios, for which she had been paid Rs 75 in remuneration. She got her first role as character artiste in Narada Naradi, but eventually quit her job at Gemini Studios.
Later, she got a character artist role in the movie Gruhapravesam. She was offered the heroine's role in Soudamini, but did not accept it. She later was in a car accident, in which she received injuries to her face. She later played the role of a cruel mother-in-law in Samsaram.
Another "heroine" role was offered to her from a Bollywood film producer. Knowing that the producer had dropped a heroine from his movie on personal grounds, and that the same was given to her, Suryakantham rejected the offer, saying "I can't live on the unhappiness of other artists." She subsequently appeared in the Telugu film Kodarikam, which brought her a new level of success. The directors B. Nagi Reddy and Chakrapani would not do a movie without Suryakantham. They produced the movie Gundamma Katha, starring N. T. Rama Rao, Akkineni Nageswara Rao and S.V. Ranga Rao, with Suryakantham playing the lead role of Gundamma. The film was commercially successful.

Awards and titles

Awards

YearFilmLanguageCharacter-
1946Narada NaradiTelugu-
1949DharmangadaTelugu-
1950SamsaramTeluguVenkamma-
1952DaasiTelugu-
1952Kalyanam Panni PaarTamil-
1952Pelli Chesi ChooduTelugu-
1952PremaTelugu-
1953AmmalakkaluTelugu-
1953Bratuku TeruvuTeluguKotamma-
1954ChakrapaniTeluguManorama-
1954ChandraharamTelugu-
1955Donga RamuduTelugu-
1955KanyasulkamTeluguMeenakshi-
1956ChiranjeevuluTelugu-
1956Charana DaasiTeluguSeshamma-
1956IlavelpuTelugu-
1956Penki PellamTelugu-
1957Bhagya RekhaTelugu-
1957Dongallo DoraTelugu-
1957MayabazarTeluguHidimbi-
1957Todi KodalluTeluguAnasuya-
1958Appu Chesi Pappu KooduTeluguRajaratnam-
1958Manchi Manasuku Manchi RojuluTelugu-
1958Mangalya BalamTelugu-
1959JayabheriTeluguRatnalu-
1959Krishna LeelaluTelugu-
1960SantinivasamTelugu-
1961Bharya BhartaluTelugu-
1961Pelli Kani PillaluTelugu-
1961Iddaru MitruluTelugu-
1961Kalasivunte Kaladu SukhamTelugu-
1961Sabash RajaTelugu-
1961VagdanamTeluguBaalamani-
1962Atma BandhuvuTeluguWidowed daughter-
1962BhishmaTelugu-
1962Gundamma KathaTeluguGundamma-
1962Kula GotraluTelugu-
1962Manchi ManasuluTelugu-
1962Mohini RugmangadaTelugu-
1962Rakhta SambandhamTelugu-
1962Siri SampadaluTelugu-
1963Chaduvukunna AmmayiluTeluguVardhanam-
1963Lava KusaTelugu-
1963Mooga ManasuluTelugu-
1963NartanasalaTelugu-
1963Paruvu PratishtaTelugu-
1963Eedu JoduTeluguRangamma-
1963PunarjanmaTelugu-
1963Tirupatamma KathaTelugu-
1964Doctor ChakravarthyTelugu-
1964Murali KrishnaTelugu-
1964Ramudu BhimuduTelugu-
1964Velugu NeedaluTeluguKanaka Durgamma-
1965Aatma GowravamTeluguSanthana Lakshmi-
1966Kanne ManasuluTelugu-
1966NavaratriTelugu-
1966ZamindarTelugu-
1966AastiparuluTeluguKaasulamma
1967GruhalakshmiTelugu-
1967Poola RangaduTelugu-
1968Ninne PelladitaTelugu-
1968Tikka SankarayyaTeluguKanthamma-
1969AatmiyuluTeluguMahankali-
1969BuddhimantuduTelugu-
1970Balaraju KathaTelugu-
1971Dasara BulloduTeluguANR's Adopted Mother-
1971SrimantuduTelugu-
1972Illu IllaluTeluguRaja Babu's Mother in law – Surammatta-
1972Iddaru AmmayiluTeluguSundaramma-
1972Kalam MarindiTelugu-
1972Koduku KodaluTelugu-
1972Vichitra BandhamTeluguKantam-
1973Andala RamuduTeluguSamalamma-
1973Ganga MangaTelugu-
1975Mutyala MugguTeluguContractor's wife-
1975PoojaTelugu-
1976SecretaryTelugu-
1976Sri Rajeswari Vilas Coffee ClubTelugu-
1977ArdhangiTelugu-
1977Andame AnandamTelugu-
1977YamagolaTeluguSeetamma-
1978Goranta DeepamTelugu-
1979Karthika DeepamTelugu-
1980Buchchi Babu-
1980Gayyali GangammaTelugu-
1981Prema MandiramTelugu-
1982Pelleedu PillaluTelugu-
1982Kalavari SamsaramTelugu-
1983Pelli ChoopuluTelugu-
1983Konte KodalluTeluguVaralamma-
1983Sri RanganeetuluTelugu-
1985America AlluduTelugu-
1987Gundammagari KrishnuluTelugu-
1988Yamudiki MoguduTeluguKali's grandmother-
1989Bandhuvulostunnaru JagrataTelugu-
1989Hai Hai NayakaTeluguSuryakanthamma-
1993Ratha SarathiTeluguGunadamma-
1993One by TwoTeluguSrikanth's grandmother-
1993Govinda GovindaTelugu-
1994AnnaTelugu-
1994S. P. ParasuramTeluguLakshmikantham-