South India’s most celebrated actress of 80s ruled 4 industries; husband’s abuse destroyed her: ‘He kicked me when I was pregnant’ | Malayalam News
The 1980s undoubtedly played a significant role in shaping Indian cinema as we know it today. Not only did filmmakers of the era create many pathbreaking and experimental movies, but several of the now-reigning superstars also commenced their cinematic journey in that decade. Nonetheless, this period also witnessed the dramatic fall of quite a few artistes — some of whom have long been forgotten, while others still hold a special place in the hearts of the audience. Among the many actors who ruled Indian cinema during this decade was Saritha.
One of the most celebrated and successful South Indian actors of the 1980s, Saritha left a lasting impression in whichever language she worked and earned several awards. However, her personal life wasn’t as glorious, and she faced several traumas over the years, particularly from her second marriage to a fellow actor. In 1975, before making her footing in the film industry, Saritha married a person named Venkata Subbiah. However, their relationship was short-lived, and they eventually parted ways, dealing a blow to her. Her second marriage happened over a decade later, after she became a massive star.
Rise to stardom
Although she made her acting debut in a Telugu movie in 1978, it went unnoticed. But Saritha’s career and fate changed when she was spotted by ace filmmaker K Balachander, who cast her opposite Kamal Haasan in the romantic tragedy Maro Charitra. Not only did the movie become a massive success and was eventually remade in Hindi as Ek Duuje Ke Liye, which also earned iconic status, but Saritha’s performance was also hailed for its intensity. She soon became a staple in Balachander’s movies and played notable roles in films such as Thappu Thalangal, Idi Katha Kaadu, Agni Sakshi, Kalyana Agathigal, and Achamillai Achamillai. She also delivered extraordinary performances in movies like Aval Appadithan, Vandichakkaram, Netrikan, Puthukavithai, Sujatha, Mouna Geethangal, Thanneer Thanneer, and Simma Soppanam, sharing the screen with stars like Sivaji Ganesan, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and Vijayakanth, among others.
Not just in Tamil, Saritha made strides across the South. While she won hearts with her performances in Telugu films such as Idi Katha Kaadu, Tholi Kodi Koosindi, Kokilamma, Kanchana Ganga, and Kaliyuga Pandavulu, she also garnered immense praise for her portrayals in Malayalam films. Interestingly, her most notable performances in Malayalam were in movies where she shared the screen with Mammootty, and the two appeared as husband and wife, in films such as Oru Kochu Kadha Aarum Parayatha Kadha, Sandarbham, Kathodu Kathoram, Muhoortham 11:30, Thaniyavarthanam, Sangham, and Kuttettan. In Kannada too, Saritha was an indomitable figure and worked in films like Keralida Simha, Jeevakke Jeeva, Hosa Belaku, Bhakta Prahlada, Chalisuva Modagalu, and Kaamana Billu, among others, where her performances with veteran star Dr Rajkumar earned much praise.
Saritha in the Telugu film Gootiloni Ramachilaka. (Express archive photo)
Despite the abundance of actors in these industries, Saritha’s talent was so profound that it was impossible to overlook her. In fact, her performances in strong, layered characters became a benchmark for aspiring actors and even her contemporaries. While she bagged the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress three times, Saritha also won multiple Filmfare Awards for Best Actress. Amid all this, she lent her voice to several female actors in various movies as well.
Marriage to actor Mukesh that caused Saritha’s fall
In 1988, at the peak of her career, Saritha married Malayalam actor Mukesh, who was a far smaller star than she was, and bid adieu to cinema. However, this marriage also ended in tragedy, and the couple, who have two sons together, parted ways in 2001, according to Manorama Online. To raise her children as a single mother, Saritha returned to the film industry, but it wasn’t easy for her to commence a new innings in acting. Hence, she began working more often as a dubbing artiste, giving voice to actors like Nagma, Vijayashanti, Tabu, Sushmita Sen, Ramya Krishnan, and Soundarya, among others. Following a prolonged separation, Saritha and Mukesh’s divorce was finalised in 2011, after which he married dancer Methil Devika in 2013. Their marriage also ended in divorce.
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Saritha in the Telugu film Kokilamma. (Express archive photo)
What was the reason behind Saritha and Mukesh’s divorce?
Although news of Saritha and Mukesh’s separation quickly became a hot topic, the real reason behind it remained unknown to the public for a long time. Years later, she revealed that Mukesh had emotionally and physically abused her during their time together, and that she chose to suffer in silence due to a promise she had made to Mukesh’s father, theatre director-actor O Madhavan, whom she loved and respected greatly. Saritha also accused Mukesh of infidelity. “I was ashamed to tell what I had experienced. I could not believe what was happening to me. I have acted in movies. I have seen all this in movies. But I never thought that all that would happen in my life,” she reportedly said once. “Amid all the familial issues, he maintained affairs with many. I just hoped that he would realise his mistake and come back.”
She added, “After my father’s death, I started seeing Mukesh’s father as my own. He was given an assurance by me. That is why I made no complaint to the police. I kept that assurance until his death. After Mukesh attacked me in front of his maids, I stopped going to his house. Once when his father came to Thiruvananthapuram for tax matters, he came to pick me up. At the airport, father told me ‘Let’s go home’. I said I was not coming and that I had taken a room in Pankaj Hotel. He did not utter a word in front of the driver and then came to my room. He then held my hands and said he knew what I was going through and that he knew his son was wrong. He, however, requested to ensure this doesn’t come up in the media. I kept that promise till today. I am breaking this today because my silence was misunderstood. No one knew what had happened.”
Saritha also accused Mukesh of physically assaulting her. “When I was pregnant, he kicked me in the stomach and I fell into the yard. I cried. In such situations, he would say, ‘Oh… you are a good actress… go on, cry.’ He always found something to hurt me… Once, when I was nine months pregnant, we went out for dinner together. While returning, when I tried to get into the car, he kept tricking me by taking the car forward and backwards. When I ran behind the car, I fell down and sat there crying. But I tried not to let him see those tears since he would laugh. Once, when he returned drunk at midnight, I casually asked why he was late. He pulled me by the hair, dragged me and beat me,” she alleged.
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Although Saritha’s acting career did not soar again, she made an impressive comeback in 2023, playing a key role in director Madonne Ashwin’s Maaveeran, starring Sivakarthikeyan and Aditi Shankar in the lead roles.
