Snapshots: Six decades of Manorama in the movies

Legendary Tamil actress Manorama died of multiple organ failure in Chennai last Saturday. She was 78. Manorama is survived by her son and singer-actor Boopathy. Manorama was lovingly called Aachi by her admirers. The Tamil actress appeared in more than 1,000 films and holds the record of having acted with 5 chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. She has acted in Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu films. In of one of her last interviews, Manorama said she has no regrets at all and feels blessed to have done all she did in her life and career.  "Even in my next birth, I want to be born as Manorama again. I want this same life, and same people around me. Most of all, I want my mom with me again." Manorama played the female lead in the plays written, directed and acted in by former Tamil Nadu chief minister CN Annadurai besides appearing in plays with another chief minister M Karunanidhi. Manorama also acted in Telugu films with NT Rama Rao, who went on to become chief minister of the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh.Born Gopishantha to Kasi Kilakudaiyar and Ramamirtham at Mannargudi in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, she started her acting career on stage at age 12. She was rechristened Manorama by drama director Thiruvengadam and harmonist Thiyagarajan and migrated from dramas to the silver screen with the role of a heroine in the 1958 Tamil film ‘Maalayitta Mangai’. Click on this link for a special report from The Hindu on six decades of Manorama in the movies. Her performance in the 1968 Tamil movie ‘Thillana Mohanambal’ is considered a milestone in her career. She held her own against stalwarts Sivaji Ganesan and Padmini in the film. Her on-screen pairing with comedian Nagesh, ‘Cho’ Ramaswamy and later with Thengai Srinivasan in the late 70s and 80s was very popular with the masses. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2002 and also won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for ‘Pudhiya Pathai’ in 1989. (With PTI inputs)