Silk Smitha

Died in September 23, 1996 Silk Smitha is the ever green glamour queen of South Indian Cinema.
Born as Vijayalakshimi into a poor family in Eluru (in Andhra Pradesh), she left school after the fourth standard, determined to become a film star. Moving in with her aunt in Madras (then the centre of the South Indian film industry), she soon found a sponsor who renamed her Smitha.^[2] After garnering much notice and acclaim with her first major role, in the Tamil movie Vandi Chakkaram (The Wheel), in 1979, Smitha assumed the name "Silk," after her character's name in the movie. Silk Smitha went on to star in over 200 Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and a few Hindi films. Her dance numbers and her bold performances in films like Moondru Mugam have made her the ultimate symbol of sensuality in Tamil, Kannada. Malayalam and Telugu cinema. Her item numbers in films like Amaran were also celebrated at the box office. Some film critics, historians and journalists have referred to her as a "soft porn" actress.^[4] One of her films, Layanam, has earned a cult status in the Indian adult film industry, and was remade as Reshma ki Jawani. Her most respected film is Moondram Pirai, remade as Sadma. In 1996, Smitha was found dead in her Chennai apartment. In the previous year she had tried to shift career in order to become a film producer. Financial problems and the loss of su

Urvashi Shobha

Urvashi Sobha's death anniversary falls on 16th of September 2008. She ended her life on same day in the year 1980. The story of Shobha is a saga of astounding professional success overshadowed by overwhelming personal insecurity and anguish. Shobha, whose real name was Mahalakshmi, was the daughter of actress Prema. Prema had acted in few Malayalam movies in the 60s, but could never make it to the top league. Her own failures had made Prema determined to make her daughter Mahalakshmi succeed where she had failed. Mahalakshmi went to work early; she acted as a child artiste in a few Malayalam and Tamil movies. Noteworthy among her Tamil movies as a child artiste was Chandrababu’s ‘thattungaL thirakkappadum’ (1966/Vishwabharathi) wherein Baby Mahalakshmi’s performance as the child Lakshmi won widespread praise, perhaps an initial indication of the greater laurels to come. And in Malayalam, Mahalakshmi, renamed as Baby Shobha stole the show in ‘udyOgasta’ (1967/Geetanjali) amidst the presence of veterans like Satyan, Prem Nazeer, Madhu, Sharada and Sukumari. She went on to act in few more Malayalam movies as a child artiste, before making her debut in an adult role in Balachandra Menon’s ‘utradaraatri’ (1978/Nangaserry Films). In a brief period (1978-1980), Shobha made a fetching mark in all the four southern languages, covering herself with glory by winning the coveted ‘urvashi’ award when she was just 19 years old. Shobha was a natural performer and essayed her roles with realistic simplicity. She exploded the myth that only arrestingly beautiful faces could make it big in films. She had an inexplicable charm, and a personality that exuded distinct elegance and charismatic innocence. A miraculous coalescence of endearing vulnerability and immense inner strength, Shobha graced the portals of South Indian cinema like none other. And in that incredible short span of time, she managed to walk away with the honours in exciting projects of exacting filmmakers; both venerable veterans of the craft and young torchbearers of experimental cinema found to their delight that this dusky petite woman’s shy smile was a facade that secreted an intense, smouldering persona, a powerhouse of unbridled talent blessed with an individualistic stamp of expression… Shobha’s Malayalam movies include Ekakini (1978), ulkatal (1978), Ormakal marikkiumO (1978), bandhanam (1978), entE neelaakaasam (1979), ‘daliya pookaL’ (1980) and ‘shalini entE koottukkaari’ (1980). Shobha won the Kerala Government’s Best Supporting Actress Award for her performance in K.S.Sethumadhavan’s ‘Ormakal marikkumO’ and the Best Actress Award the next year for her essay in Thoppil Bhasi’s ‘entE neelaakaasam’. In her short tryst with Malayalam cinema, Shobha earned the approbation of great masters like M.T.Vasudevan Nair, K.G.George and Sethumadhavan.

Actress Rani Chandra

Actress Rani Chandra left us on September 13th 1976. This year marks her 32nd death anniversary. Kerala Obituary.com remembers her during her death anniversary.She died in a plane crash in 1976. She was casted in the films Nellu(Malayalam, 1974), Batrakali(Tamil, 1976) and Swapnadanam (Malayalam, 1976).She played the major role on the very popular Tamil cinema song Kannan Oru Kaikolanthai in the film Batrakali.

Actor Vijayan

Renowned Actor turned Script Writer, Vijayan passed away on September 22, 2007. The veteran actor is remembered forever for his outstanding performances in critically acclaimed tamil films like Uthirippookkal, Pashi etc. A native of Kozhikode, Vijayan was introduced to cinema by acclaimed Director Bharathiraja in Kizhakae Pogum Rayil. He played prominent characters in several films like Niram Maraatha Pookal, Pasi, Oru Vidukathai Oru Thodarkathai and Palaivana Rojakal. Vijayan's performance in Director Mahendran's Uthiripookal was critically acclaimed. He had also acted in Mani Ratnam's Nayakan, Ramana and Run.