Aachi manorama biography of donald

Indian actress

Not to be confused with Manorama (Hindi actress).

Gopishantha (26 May – 10 October ), better known by her stage name Manorama, also called Aachi, was an Indian actress, comedian and playback singer who had appeared in more than films and stage performances predomninantely in the Tamil and also in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Sinhala.^[1][2] She was honoured with Kalaimamani award in In , Government of India awarded Manorama the Padma Shri for her contribution to the arts.

She is a recipient of one National Film Award, one Filmfare Award South and seven Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.^[3][4]

Early life

Manorama was born to Kasiyappan Kilakudaiyar and Ramamirtham in Mannargudi Thirukannamangai, a town in the erstwhile Thiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu in a Kallar family.^[5][6] Her mother brought her up by taking up a job as a maid.^{[citation needed]} She mentioned her indebtedness to her mother for her success: Many of the mother roles that she has played in films resemble her own mother.

Her family moved to Pallathur near Karaikudi owing to poverty.^[7] While in Pallathur, her mother had started vomiting out blood, hence Manorama decided to start working as a maid and dropped out of school at the age of Once a drama troupe had come to Pallathur, but the actress who was to play a small part, suddenly dropped out due to her inability to sing and the troupe was looking for an artiste who could act and sing as well.

The drama troupe decided to give her this role in the drama titled Andhaman Kadhali. Hence her acting career began at the age of twelve, acting in plays. During this time, she was rechristened Manorama by one of her dramas' director Thiruvengadam and harmonist Thiayagarajan.

Manorama went and met S S Rajendran (SSR) when he camped at her native district with his drama troupe. She was selected for a role in his ManiMagudam drama written by Kalaignar M continued to act in plays and performed as a playback singer as well.

After watching her performance in plays, she was offered her first film, named Inbavazhvu, by Janakiraman, which remained 40% incomplete and later Kannadasan offered her guide role in a second motion picture, Unmayinkottai, which got shelved after shooting for about 40%.

She lost hope of becoming a film actor when both these films remained incomplete.

Manorama fell in love with her manager in the drama troupe; S. M. Ramanathan and married him in ; the couple possess a son named Bhoopathy born in However, they divorced in and started to live separately in Chennai.

She quoted in an interview in , "My mom wanted me to research medicine. But it was not easy to become a healer in those days, and I became an actress. So, if I hadn't taken up acting, I would have tried to become a doctor as my mom wished for it.

But now, fortunately, my grandson is a doctor, and I am proud of it."^[8]

Early career

She acted in small roles in scant Vairam Nataka Sabha dramas. Once she went to see a drama of S.

S. Rajendran, who was residing at Pudukkotai, in Tamil Nadu, and P.A. Kumar introduced her to Rajendran. She showed her skill in dialogue delivery and was offered a job in S.S.R. Nataka Mandram company and played in hundreds of stage productions all over the district: The dramas included Manimagudam, Thenpandiveeran and Pudhuvellam.

She credits her work in Manimagudam as where she was first recognized as an actress.^[9] She then took part in an unfinished film starring S. S. Rajendran and Devika.

Career

Main article: Manorama filmography

She migrated from dramas to the silver screen with the role of a heroine in the Tamil production Malayitta Mangai: Kannadasan gave her the lead role in this film.^[10] The first film in which she played the heroine was the Konjum Kumari.^[11] Then, she concentrated more on comedy from She was given equally challenging roles alongside the successfully known comedian Nagesh in 50 films.

When asked in an interview as to how she got into films, she quoted, "It's all because of Kannadasan. It was he who changed my life by casting me in the film Maalayitta Mangai in It was a comical role, and he trusted me so much and said that I will be able to pull it off.

I was very doubtful about it, but he told me, "If you are going to act in films only as a heroine, people here will throw you out of the industry after three or four years, but doing such roles will grab you places. And you possess the talent, too, to get to higher peaks." That is when I got confidence and continued doing comedy roles."^[8]

The first age Manorama stood before the camera was for a Sinhalese production Sukumali in , in which she played the heroine's friend.^[12] Her dance master Suryakala recommended her to the director Masthaan to play the role.

She has acted predominantly in Tamil films since , but also acted in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada movies as adequately. Her on-screen pair with Tangavelu was appreciated in the production Vallvanakku Vallavan in Her on-screen pair with Nagesh was very popular in –69 and then with Cho in the s and 80s and later with Thengai Srinivasan, Vennira Aadai Moorthy, and Surali Rajan in the 70s and 80s.^[13] She had done playback singing for songs, mostly pictured on herself, in Tamil films.

The first lyric that she sang was in a film called Magale Un Samathu, composed by G. K. Venkatesh^[14] and this opportunity she got due to the film's producer P.A. Kumar. She has sung a classical-based song with TM Sounderajan in the motion picture Dharshinam (), where she was paired with Cho.

Manorama sang a song with L.R. Eswari named "Thaatha thaatha pidi kudu". Her career's biggest hit anthem sung by herself was Vaa Vaathiyaare Uttaande composed by tune director V. Kumar for the film ''Bommalattam", which was picturised on her and Cho.

She also sang for M. S. Viswanathan and A. R. Rahman.

Some of her best Tamil films include Anbe Vaa, Thenmazhi, Ethir Neechal, Galatta Kalyanam, Chittukuruvi, Durga Devi, Annalakshmi and Imayam.

In Telugu, she starred in films such as Rikshavodu, Krishnarjuna and Subhodayam.^[15] When asked in an interview as to which are her memorable roles, she said "It is Nadigan, which had Sathyaraj and Khushbu in the lead.

I cannot omit that role of Baby Amma in my life. Also my role in Chinna Gounder, for which I had to sport weird, artificial teeth, is something which I always think about.^[8]

Manorama was paired with Nagesh regularly in films with M.G.

Ramachandran in lead like En Kadamai, Kanni Thai, Thayin Madiyil, Kadhal Vaganam, Chandrodhyam, Anbee Vaa, Padagotti, Kadhal Vagahnam, Vivasaaye, Thaikku Thalaimagan, Vettikaran and Ther Thiruvizha. Other directors cast the Nagesh-Manorama pair in films like Anubhavi Raja Anubhavi, Kungumam, Saraswathi Sabadham, Panjavarnakilli, Navarathiri, Puthiya Paravai, Patthu Matha Bandham, Anbu Karangal, Micheal Madan Kamarajan, Annamitta Kai, Gowri Kalyanam, Anbe Aaruyire, Server Sundaram, Ner Vazhai, Ninaivin Nindraval, Poojaikku Vandamalar, Deiva Thirumagal, Rakta Thilagam, Aannavin Asai, Thiruvarutchelvar, Seetha and Karunthel Kannayiram.

Manorama, actress Sachu and Jayalalithaa have acted together in 2 films as a combination&#;— Galata Kalyanam and Bommalattam. Manorama and Jayalalithaa have acted in 25 films together.

Her operate was noticed even among stalwarts like Sivaji Ganesan and Natiya Peroli Padmini.

Manorama shared in an interview that initially she was nervous acting in front of veterans like T. S. Balaiah, but, the director A. P. Nagarajan made her get that the scenes in which Jil Jil Ramamani appears, she would be the center of attention.^[16] She acted alongside the well-known comedian Nagesh in 50 films and in 20 films with Cho Ramaswamy.

They made a notable pair and acted in many well-received comedies. In she shared the screen room with the legendary comedian Mehmood in the Hindi movie Kunwara Baap. Cho and Manorama were paired together in 20 films which included Malligai Poo, Annaiyum Pidhavum, Dharisanam, Anbai Thedi, Nanaivin Nindraval, Nirai Kudam, Ayiram Poi, Mohammed Bin Tughlaq, Bommalattam, Delhi Mappilai, Vilayattu Pillai, Kanavan, Rojavin Raja and Suryagandhi.

The nature she was given by K. Balachander in the film Unnal Mudiyum Thambi she personally considers a cornerstone as she was giving a new challenge as an actor. She related in an interview on Toronto TV that one of the most challenging characters she played was the role of the year-old unmarried woman in the motion picture Nadigan with Sathyaraj.^[17] She has acted with all of the lead comedians across five alternative generations, which includes M.

R. Radha, K. A. Thangavelu, J. P. Chandrababu, A. Karunanithi, Ennatha Kannaiya, V. K. Ramasamy, Nagesh, Cho Ramaswamy, Thengai Seenivasan, M. R. R. Vasu, Suruli Rajan, Vennira Aadai Moorthy, Janagaraj, Pandiarajan, Goundamani, Senthil, Vivek and Vadivelu.^[18]

She has been in films with five chief ministers.

She played the female lead in the plays written, directed and acted by C. N. Annadurai, former chief minister of Tamil Nadu. She has also appeared in plays with another chief minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi. She has acted in films with M.

G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa, who both later became chief ministers of Tamil Nadu later. She has also acted in Telugu films with Dr. N. T. Rama Rao, who became the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.^[19] When asked which character of hers she found most hilarious to perform, she specified the role of a talkative female, who is forced to act dumb in a film called Unakkum Vazhvu Varum.

She had played this role along with Thengai Srinivasan.^[20] She was bitten by a Bungarus fasciatus/ Kattuviriyan snake during the shooting of Manjal Kungumam and was admitted to hospital. Coincidentally, after recovery, the next scene, she had to behave was in ''Aadi Viradham,'' where she had to bathe a snake statue and sing a lullaby for it, and the director asked her whether she would like to perform and she replied "Yes very much!" and she did the clip.

Manorama, being a close confidant of Jayalalithaa and of the firm belief that Jayalalithaa would never be corrupt, campaigned against actor Rajinikanth in support of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the elections.^[18]

In one of her last interviews, in , she was asked if she had any regrets about her life.

To this, she answered: "I've no regrets at all. I'm blessed in this life. Even in my next birth, I desire to be born as Manorama again. I want this similar life, and same people around me. Most of all, I want my mom with me again."^[8] In an interview to BBC in , "If I had chosen to act only as a heroine then I would have disappeared from the scene long ago.

So, I decided to take up comedienne roles, so I survived in the industry for nearly six decades".^[21]

When asked as to how she was able to undertake more than films, she said in her interview in September , "I believe I am a blessed person.

Without God's will, I couldn't have acted in so many films. It all just happened in my life, and you won't trust it, but I still include the urge to act. The one person who is the reason for all my achievement is my mom. She did everything for me in existence, and I miss her the most now (she breaks into tears).

Whatever I achieve or have achieved in life is only because of her."^[8]

She supported young talents and budding directors in her old age. In she acted in a Tamil short film named Thaaye Nee Kannurangu, directed by LGR Saravanan.

She acted as a cancer patient and a mother of Mr. Srikanth.

Manorama, often affectionately referred to as “Aachi” (meaning ‘mother’ in Tamil), was an iconic Indian actress who left an indelible mark on the Tamil film industry. She had a prolific career spanning over six decades, making her one of the most beloved and versatile actresses in Indian cinema.

Death

Between and , Manorama had suffered ill-health resulting in hospital stays.^[22][23] She died in Chennai at pm on 10 October ^[24] as a result of multiple organ failure at the age of ^[25]

Reactions

Tamil Nadu reacted to Manorama's death with an outpouring of grief; numerous tributes were paid to the deceased actor across the state and on social media.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa laid a wreath on the body at the actor's home in T. Nagar, Ms. Jayalalithaa said, "There had been no accomplished achiever like Manorama in the Tamil film planet and there would be none in the future as well."^[26] Jayalalitha was quoted as saying, "I was shocked to catch about her death.

She was an elder sister to me. I used to call her Manorama while she called me Ammu. We used to call on each other's houses whenever we didn't have shootings."^[27] The head minister also said, "If Sivaji Ganesan was Nadigar Thilagam, Manorama was Nadigai Thilagam." Others who paid homage to the actress include Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Vijay, Vikram, Sivakumar, Dhanush, Ajith Kumar, M.

Karunanidhi, K. Veeramani, G. K. Vasan, Delhi Ganesh, R. Sarathkumar, Ilayaraja, Vairamuthu, Karthik, S. Ve. Shekhar, Vijayakumar, Goundamani, K. Bhagyaraj, R. Parthiban, Radhika, Vimal, Silambarasan, Suriya, Karthi, Vikraman, S. Thanu, T.

Rajender and Pandiarajan.^[28]

Awards and honors

Discography

Manorama also holds a record of singing for all the notable music directors. She has rendered her voice for M. S. Viswanathan, Ilayaraja, A.

R. Rahman and many other notable music composers.

Year	Movie	Song	Composer	Co-singers
	Ratha Thilagam	Pogathey Pogathey En Kanava (parody)	Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy
	Magale Un Samathu	Thaatha Thaatha	G. K. Venkatesh	L. R. Eswari
	Kanni Thai	Vazhai Vidhu Ilai	K. V. Mahadevan	Tharapuram Sundararajan
	Anubavam Pudhumai	Enna Ninaithu	M. S. Viswanathan
	Magaraasi	Aalai Parthal	Shankar–Ganesh	T. M. Soundararajan, Tharapuram Sundararajan & P. Susheela
	Bommalattam	Vaa Vathiyare Oottanda (Jambajaar Jakku)	V. Kumar
	Aayiram Poi	Kaveri Thanniyil Kulichavadi	V. Kumar	L. R. Eswari
		Thamizh Vidu Thoodhu		Tharapuram Sundararajan
	Dharisanam	Pogadhe Aiyyaa Pogadhe	Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi	S. Rangarajan
	Poova Thalaiya	Poda Chonnaal Pottukkiren	M. S. Viswanathan	T. M. Soundararajan & A. L. Raghavan
	Singapore Seeman	Mollamaari Kepmaari	Shankar–Ganesh
	Thirumalai Thenkumari	Azhage Thamizhe Nee	Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan	Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Sarala, M. R. Vijaya, A. L. Raghavan, Tharapuram Sundararajan & L. R. Anjali
	Arunodhayam	Yeamandi Neenga	K.V. All All. Subscribe In. Female Shivaji Achi Manorama. Manorama is a veteran Tamil actress who has acted in more than films, stage performances, and a few television serials. Mahadevan
	Justice Viswanathan	Ada Epdithaan	Vedha	T. M. Soundararajan
	Kankatchi	Kaadai Pidippom	Kunnakkudi Vaidyanathan	S. V. Ponnusamy
	Thanga Gopuram	Dhimkita Dhimkita	S. M. Subbaiah Naidu	S. V. Ponnusamy
	Vidyarthikale Ithile Ithile	Chinchilam Chiluchilam	M. B. Sreenivasan	Adoor Bhasi
	Kadhalikka Vanga	Kadhal Endral Athu Then	J. V. Raghavulu	P. Susheela
	Karundhel Kannayiram	Poontha Malliyile	Shyam-Philips	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam & Pattom Sadan
	Mr. Sampath	Alangaaram Podhumadi	M. S. Viswanathan	T. M. Soundararajan
	Needhi	Engaladhu Boomi	M. S. Viswanathan	T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela & J. P. Chandrababu
	Ganga Gowri	Thimikitta Thimikkitta	M. S. Viswanathan
	Kasi Yathirai	Amaravathi Nenjame	Shankar–Ganesh	S. V. Ponnusamy
	Manjal Kungumam	Raa Raa Naa Bhavaa	Shankar–Ganesh	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
	Petha Manam Pithu	Ammaadi Uzhaikkum Kaigal	V. Kumar	T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela & S. V. Ponnusamy
	Suryagandhi	Theriyatho Nokku Theriyatho	M. S. Viswanathan
	Ippadiyum Oru Penn	Agapatta Varayil	P. Bhanumathi	P. Bhanumathi
	Pandhattam	Un Raadhaiyai	Shankar–Ganesh
	Hennu Samsarada Kannu	Hosadenu Kaane Idaralli	Vijaya Bhaskar
	Vaazhnthu Kaattugiren	Yemmi Mynaa Summa Summa	M. S. Viswanathan
	Unakkaga Naan	Kaadu Vetta	M. S. Viswanathan	L. R. Eswari & S. C. Krishnan
	Chakravarthy	Thatthalangudhu Thalathalakkudhu	V. aachi manorama biography of donald4: Gopishantha (– 10 October ), superior known by her stage entitle Manorama, also called Aachi, was an Indian actress, comedian and playback singer who had appeared in more than films and stage performances predomninantely in the Tamil and also in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Sinhala. Kumar
		Aarathi Yedungadi		P. Susheela
	Sonnathai Seiven	Adiye Kaali	V. Kumar
	Achchani	Athu Maathiram	Ilaiyaraja	Malaysia Vasudevan
	Paavathin Sambalam	Raave Raave	Shankar–Ganesh	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
	Unakkum Vaazhvu Varum	Manjakayiru Thali Manja Kayiru	V. Kumar
	Vaazha Ninaiththaal Vaazhalaam	Kaanaan Kuruvikku Kalyanamam (Two versions)	Ilayaraja
	Kuppathu Raja	Kodikatti Parakkuthada	M. S. Viswanathan	T. M. Soundararajan, Malaysia Vasudevan & L. R. Eswari
	Pancha Boodham	Azudha Pulla Sirikkanum	Shankar–Ganesh
	Veettukku Veedu Vasappadi	Patta Kashtam	Rajan–Nagendra	Suruli Rajan & S. Janaki
	Avan Aval Adhu	Andha Naal Mudharkkondu	M. S. Viswanathan	L. R. Eswari
	Oru Marathu Paravaigal	Mottu Malli	Shankar–Ganesh	T. K. Kala
	Savaal	Kai Nalla Kaiyappa	M. S. Viswanathan	Malaysia Vasudevan & Kovai Soundarajan
	Amma	Bodhaiyil Pongum	Shankar–Ganesh	Malaysia Vasudevan & L. R. Anjali
	Boom Boom Maadu	Ungal Oottu Engaluke	Ilaiyaraja
	Manal Kayiru	Mappillai Sir	M. S. Viswanathan	Malaysia Vasudevan & Visu
	Thalaimagan	Ada Naan Pettha Mavane	Shankar–Ganesh	Malaysia Vasudevan & S. P. Sailaja
	Simla Special	Kuthura Kuthulla	M. S. Viswanathan	Malaysia Vasudevan
	Kai Varisai	Vaadi Pulle	Shankar–Ganesh	Malaysia Vasudevan
	Madras Vathiyar	Madras Vathiyar	Shankar–Ganesh	Sundararajan & Udhayamaran
	Rajathi Rojakili	Athukkulle Yelelo	Chandrabose	Chandrabose
	Kutravaaligal	Nalla Thambi Kottaiyelea	Shankar–Ganesh
	Sri Raghavendrar	Paarthale Theriyaatho	Ilayaraja	Vani Jairam
	Maragatha Veenai	Chee Chee Ponga	Ilaiyaraja	Malaysia Vasudevan
	Paatti Sollai Thattathe	Dillikku Rajanaalum	Chandrabose
	Paadatha Thenikkal	Aathi Antham	Ilaiyaraaja	Ilaiyaraaja, Krishnamoorthy, S. S. Chandran & P. Susheela
	Thaaya Thaarama	Aai Aatthi Pudhu	Shankar–Ganesh	Vani Jairam
	Thangamana Purushan	Thaaikulame Thaaikulame	Shankar–Ganesh
	Aadi Viratham	Vadakkile Irukkuddu Thiruppathi	Shankar–Ganesh	Ranjini
	Kaviya Thalaivan	Sandhana Malargalai	Aravind Siddhartha	K. J. Yesudas & Swarnalatha
	Magudam	Karpulla Kaalaiye	Ilaiyaraja	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
	May Madham	Madrasa Sutthi	A. R. Rahman	Shahul Hameed, Swarnalatha & G. V. Prakash Kumar
	Deva	Kothagiri Kuppamma	Deva	Vijay & Swarnalatha
	Marumagan	Maamaa Maamaa Enakku Masakkai	Deva	Mano & Malgudi Subha
	Murai Maman	Anandham Anandham	Vidyasagar	P. Unni Krishnan & Sujatha
	Muthu Kaalai	Vaazha Ilai Eredutthu Eredutthu	Ilaiyaraaja	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
	Nattupura Pattu	Nattupura Pattu	Ilayaraja	K. S. Chithra
	Parambarai	Thanjaavooru Kaalaiyile	Deva	K. S. Chithra, Krishnaraj & Sundararajan
	Arunachalam	Mathadu Mathadu	Deva	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Sujatha & Meera Krishnan
	Vallal	Puliyampatti Kosavampatti	Deva
	Pooveli	Kathai Solla Poren	Bharadwaj	Karthik & Sujatha
	Chinna Ramasamy Periya Ramasamy	Vacha Payiru Unnai Naan	Ilaiyaraja	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam & K. S. Chithra
	Thirunelveli	Ini Naalum Thirunaal	Ilaiyaraaja	Arunmozhi, Swarnalatha, Ilaiyaraaja & S. N. Surendar
	Anbe Anbe	Rettai Jadai Rakkamma	Bharadwaj	T. L. Maharajan, Manikka Vinayagam, Swarnalatha & Srinivas
	Pasa Kiligal	Thangeiyenum	Vidhyasagar	Tippu, Karthik & Sujatha
	Perandi

References

External links