Sennalkudi Narayanan Lakshmi (1927 – 20 February 2012) was an Indian actress, who appeared in supporting roles, often playing roles of a mother or grandmother in films. A recipient of the state government's Kalaimamani and Kalaiselvam awards, Lakshmi acted in more than 1,500 films and 6,000 dramas.

Early life Lakshmi was born to Narayana Thevar as the thirteenth child and left home aged 11 because her six older brothers did not give her the attention she wanted. Her family had to move from their village town of Sennalkudi to Virudhunagar after their father had died and her mother worked at a small hotel and also at the temple to keep the family afloat. Her neighbour, a dancer, helped Lakshmi join a drama troupe and she quickly picked up the steps she was taught and travelled with them from place to place. When the actors reached Raja Mannargudi they left her with a family which put her on a train to Madras and bade farewell. When she was wandering alone, help came in the form of a lorry driver's wife who noticed her and showed her the way to Gemini Studios, which opened its doors to the destitute. It took eight years for her family to find her.

She soon joined the studio staff at a salary of Rs. 150 and then rented a house with four other young girls and hired a cook. Before her film career began, Lakshmi had years of theatre experience, with more than 2,000 plays to her credit. From Ganandesikar's and N. S. Krishnan's theatre troupes to S. V. Sahasranamam's Seva Stage and K. Balachander's Ragini Recreations, Lakshmi trained under stalwarts. Lakshmi acted as a man in many all-woman plays, doing stunts and acrobatics and even fought a leopard as an extra in the MGR film, Baghdad Thirudan. In 1959, she bought her first home in Royapettah on Pachaiappan Nayakkan Road. Three years later, she bought her first car, a Morris Eight.

Career She started as a group dancer in Chandralekha. Plays and one-scene appearances in films continued until N. S. Krishnan gave her a pivotal role in Nalla Thangai and then her real breakthrough came through Muktha Srinivasan's maiden venture Thamarai Kulam followed by Engal Kula Devi and Naalu Veli Nilam. Nagesh then recommended her to K. Balachander to star in Server Sundaram, after he had been impressed with her performance in the theatre show of the same name, and the film's success prompted more offers for the actress.

Kamal Haasan called her to feature in Thevar Magan while she was taking a break in Puttaparthi and from then until Virumaandi, Lakshmi has been a part of nearly all of Kamal Haasan productions and such was his confidence in her ability that he would ask the assistants to give her the dialogue and move away, confident that she would handle it on her own.

Before her death she was doing a role as Meenakshi's grandmother in the serial "Saravanan Meenakshi" in Vijay TV and also as Thulasi's grand mother in the serial "Thendral" in SunTV .

Personal life Lakshmi has mentioned that "marriage didn't appeal to her", and that her brothers' grandchildren and their kids are now regulars at her house.

Until the early 2000s, Lakshmi would move around town by driving but was forced to give it up after she broke her leg. On Sunday mornings she would visit Sai Kripa, a free medical centre in Chennai and help the staff.

Death S. N. Lakshmi died in Chennai on 20 February 2012, aged 85. She had a cardiac arrest in the early hours of 20 February. She was taken to a hospital, where the doctors declared her dead. Her body was kept at her Saligramam residence where film personalities paid tributes. Her cremation took place in her native town of Virudhunagar.

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes 1948 Chandralekha Group Dancer 1955 Doctor Savithri Nalla Thangai English Teacher 1959 Thamarai Kulam Engal Kuladevi Valli Naalu Veli Nilam 1960 Baghdad Thirudan Maharani 1961 Panam Panthiyile 1962 Avana Ivan Amudhavalli 1963 Thulasi Maadam 1964 Server Sundaram Sundaram's mother Dheiva Thaai Megala's grandmother Naanal Lakshmi Karuppu Panam Sattanathan's first wife 1965 Panchavarna Kili Meenakshi Vaazhkai Padagu Kaakum KarangalShankar's mother1966 Marakka Mudiyumaa? Kodimalar Maragatham Chandhrodhayam Maheshwari Ramu Kannamma1967 Anubavi Raja Anubavi Manikkam's mother Thaikku Thalaimagan Meenakshi Vivasayee Sivagami1968 Lakshmi Kalyanam Rajadurai's mother Thirumal Perumai Dancer's mother Thaer Thiruvizha Parvathi Ammal Ethir Neechal TeacherammaShankar's mother Thamarai Nenjam Narayanan's Mother Ragasiya Police 115 Kamatchi 1969 Iru Kodugal Janaki's aunt 1970 Raman Ethanai Ramanadi Raman's grandmother Maattukara Velan Raghu's mother En Annan Murali's mother Kaaviya Thalaivi Suresh's mother Nadu Iravil Vadivambal Enga Mama Muralikrishnan's mother 1971 Then Kinnam Meenakshi 1972 Dheivam Valliyammai's Neighbor Annamitta Kai Gandhimathi Naan Yen Pirandhen Chinnamma1973 Vandhaale Magaraasi Lakshmi's Mother Pattikaattu Ponnaiya Meenatchi Komatha En Kulamatha Arun's mother Thirumalai Deivam Blind boy’s mother 1975 Ninaithadhai Mudippavan Mohan's mother Pattikkaattu Raja Thangam1977 Indru Pol Endrum Vaazhga Maya's mother Navarathinam Pangajethamma 1978Tripurasundari Chittu Kuruvi Raja's grandmother 1985 Kanni Rasi Lakshmipathi's mother Deivapiravi 1988 Ennai Vittu Pogaathe Agni Natchathiram Rajamma Therkathi Kallan Kallan's mother 1990 Michael Madana Kama Rajan Tripurasundari's grandmother Salem Vishnu Vishnu's mother 1991 Thoothu Po Chellakkiliye 1992 Thevar Magan Periyaatha Chinnavar Muthu's mother Thanga Manasukkaran Chellakili's grandmother Villu Pattukaran Kalimuthu's mother 1993 Amma Ponnu 1993 Ejamaan Midwife 1994 Mahanadhi Saraswathi Ammal 1995 Muthu Kulikka Vaarieyala Chinna Vathiyar 1996 Aruva Velu Velu's grandmother Minor Mappillai Ramu's grandmotherPriyam 1997 Iruvar Tamizhselvan's mother 1998 Ninaithen Vandhai Savithri's grandmother Kaathala Kaathala Noorjahan Jeans Meiyaththa's mother 1999 Suriya Paarvai Lakshmi's mother Kallazhagar Aandal's grandmother Chinna Raja Paatti Sangamam Meenu Ponvizha Ponni's grandmother Manaivikku Mariyadhai Pandian's grandmother 2000 Vaanathaippola Appatha Thai Poranthachu Parvathiammal Kandukondain Kandukondain Chinnatha Ennavalle Lakshmi's mother2001 Friends Gautham's grandmother Ninaikkatha Naalillai Arun's grandmother Kutty Viruthamba Poovellam Un Vasam 2004 Virumaandi Virumaandi's grandma 2006 Kalvanin Kadhali Haritha's grandmother Mercury Pookkal Perarasu Vathiyar 2008 Pirivom Santhippom Kuruvi Vetrivel's grandmother Silambattam Thamizh & Muthuvel's grandmother 2010 Drohi Vaada 2011 Mahaan Kanakku Orphanage Caretaker

TV serials

Year Title Role Channel2000 Balachandarin Chinnathirai Raj TV2001-2003 Alaigal Chandrasekhar, Rajasekhar and Savithri's mother Sun TV2003-2007 Sorgam2004-2006 Nimmathi2005-2006 Alli Rajjiyam Mangamma 2007 Paasam2007-2009Vaira NejamSakthi's Grandmother Kalaignar TV2007-2008Namma Kudumbam Raja's grandmother Kalaignar TV2008-2009KalasamNeelambari and Ranjini's grandmother Sun TV2009-2012ThendralThulasi's Grandmother Sun TV2010-2012Mundhanai MudichuKandhaswamy's mother Sun TV2011-2012Saravanan MeenatchiMeenakshi's Grandmother STAR Vijay

References

External links