Sukumari

Sukumari wasn’t just an actress—she was basically a force of nature in South Indian cinema. Born in Nagercoil back when it was still called Travancore, she jumped into acting at just ten, kicking things off with the Tamil film "Or Iravu" back in 1951. And get this: she ended up starring in more than 2,500 films. Yeah, you read that right. Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi—you name it, she did it. Honestly, her range was wild. One minute she’s got you tearing up with some heavy emotional stuff, the next she’s cracking you up with her comic timing. She wasn’t picky about who she worked with, either. Directors, actors, legends—she was right there in the thick of it, pulling off all sorts of roles that’d leave you wondering if there’s anything she couldn’t do. Awards? Of course. Kerala State Film Award for "Samantha" (1973) is just one of the many trophies on her shelf. And it wasn’t just movies. Sukumari was all over TV too, popping up in shows and making every character feel real. Off-screen, she had serious brains—classical dance skills, academic chops, even wrote some books. Multi-talented doesn’t even start to cover it. She passed away in 2013 at 72, but honestly, her legacy’s not going anywhere. The South Indian film industry still feels her presence, and those old films of hers? People are still watching, still talking, still loving them. That’s Sukumari for you—one of a kind, always will be.