Kovai Sarala is an Indian actress and comedian, who plays supporting roles in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films. She has won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Comedian three times, for her performances in Sathi Leelavathi (1995), Poovellam Un Vasam (2001) and Uliyin Osai (2008).[1] She has also won two Nandi Awards for Best Female Comedian[2] and the Vijay Award for Best Comedian for her performance in Kanchana (2011). She is now part of Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam Party.[3]
Kovai Sarala | |
|---|---|
 Sarala in 2016 | |
| Born | Sarala Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1979-present |
| Political party | Makkal Needhi Maiam |
She has acted with all the top comedians including Brahmanandam, Goundamani, Senthil, Vadivelu and Vivek. Her comedy tracks with Vadivelu and Brahmanandam have been especially popular.
Early and present life
editKovai Sarala was born in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (then in Madras State) in a Malayali family.[4] She developed interest in acting after watching MGR's films. She completed her studies and entered the film industry with the support of her sister and father.[4]
She got her first film offer when she was in the 9th standard and acted with Vijayakumar and K. R. Vijaya in the film Velli Ratham.[5] She was in Class 10, when she played a 32-year-old pregnant woman Mundhanai Mudichu, her second film.[6] Two years later she acted in Chinna Veedu, where she played the 65-year-old mother of Bhagyaraj's character.[6] She has appeared in more than 300+ films in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.[6] She has mentioned the films Sathi Leelavathi, Viralukketha Veekkam, Varavu Ettana Selavu Pathana, Karakattakkaran and Viswanathan Ramamoorthy as her personal favourites.[5]
She has also worked in television series and television shows. She worked as a regular guest judge on Asatha Povathu Yaaru?[citation needed] and has hosted the reality show Paasa Paravaigal.[6] In 2013, she was the judge on the Tamil comedy show "Comedyil Kalakkuvathu Eppadi" that airs on Vijay TV.[citation needed] Now she is regular judge on the Tamil comedy show "Varuthapadatha valibar sangam" that airs on Zee Tamil.[7] Also hosting kids game show "Chellame chellam" on Sun TV.
Personal life
editSarala is not married. She looks after the children of her relatives, as she considers them to be her own.[citation needed]
Filmography
edit| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Tamil
editTelugu
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Veera Prathap | |||
| 1991 | Amma Kadupu Challanga | |||
| 1992 | Pellam Chepithe Vinnali | |||
| 1993 | Pellama Majaka | |||
| 1994 | Kunti Putrudu | |||
| Bhairava Dweepam | Allari Deyyam | |||
| Hello Alludu | ||||
| 1995 | Aasthi Mooredu Aasa Baaredu | |||
| God Father | ||||
| Lingababu Love Story | Bank Manager Ambhujam | |||
| 1996 | Family | Kasthuri | ||
| Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi | Julie | |||
| 1997 | Pelli | Meena | ||
| Mama Bagunnava | Sundarambal Iyer | |||
| 1998 | Suprabhatam | Chukkamma | ||
| Navvulata | Nurse | |||
| 1999 | Vaare Vah Moguda | |||
| 2000 | Kshemamga Velli Labamgarandi | Subbalakshmi | ||
| Rayalaseema Ramanna Chowdary | Venkamma | |||
| Nuvve Kavali | Rukku | |||
| Tirumala Tirupati Venkatesa | Lalitha | |||
| 2001 | Mrugaraju | |||
| Akka Bavaekada | Mangamma | |||
| Simharasi | ||||
| Ramma Chilakamma | Simran, Simhu Darling | Dual roles | ||
| Athanu | ||||
| Hanuman Junction | Sangeetha's aunt | |||
| 2002 | Entha Bagundo | |||
| Malli Malli Chudali | ||||
| Maa Alludu Very Good | A. V. Rao's mother | |||
| Sandade Sandadi | Fitting Parvathi | |||
| O Chinadana | Veena Tantula Meera Bai | |||
| 2003 | Fools | Manga | ||
| Ottesi Cheputunna | ||||
| Ela Cheppanu | Sarala | |||
| Ori Nee Prema Bangaram Kaanu | ||||
| Sriramachandrulu | Savitri | |||
| Tiger Harischandra Prasad | ||||
| 2004 | Mee Intikoste Em Istaaru Maa Intkoste Em Testaaru | [12] | ||
| Andaru Dongale Dorikite | Chi. La. Sow. Suryakantham | |||
| Monalisa | Nurse | partially reshot version | [13] | |
| Vidyardhi | ||||
| 2005 | Mahanandi | Chilakamma | ||
| Evadi Gola Vaadidhi | Leela Rani | |||
| Veerabhadra | Colony resident | |||
| 2006 | Naidu LLB | |||
| Iddaru Attala Muddula Alludu | Sarala | |||
| Style | Ganesh's neighbour | |||
| Raam | ||||
| Rajababu | ||||
| Aadivaram Aadavallaku Selavu | ||||
| Bhagyalakshmi Bumper Draw | Mary Gotham | |||
| Pellaina Kothalo | ||||
| 2007 | Pagale Vennela | Sarala | ||
| Desamuduru | Shivani | |||
| Maharathi | Saralamma | |||
| Seema Sastri | ||||
| 2008 | Nee Sukhame Ne Koruthunna | |||
| Sawaal | ||||
| Bommana Brothers Chandana Sisters | Bommana brothers' mother | |||
| Michael Madana Kamaraju | Michael's fake mother | |||
| Mallepuvvu | Construction site worker | |||
| Hero | Sarala | |||
| Dongala Bandi | Aishwarya's sister | |||
| Neninthe | Urmila | |||
| 2009 | Bumper Offer | Ramanamma | ||
| Evaraina Epudaina | Nurse | |||
| A Aa E Ee | ||||
| 2010 | Kothimooka | Jambu | ||
| Puli | Inspector Madhumati | |||
| 2011 | Katha Screenplay Darsakatvam Appalaraju | |||
| Badrinath | Badrinath's mother | |||
| 2012 | Devasthanam | Sridevi | ||
| Nuvva Nena | Pushpa | |||
| Rebel | Nandini's aunt | |||
| Devudu Chesina Manashulu | Lakshmi | |||
| Sudigadu | Kamesh's Mother / Don D | |||
| 2013 | Masala | Anjali Devi / Chintamani | ||
| Greeku Veerudu | ||||
| 2015 | Temper | Shanvi's mother | ||
| Kick 2 | Darling | |||
| 2016 | Nayaki | Saradha | ||
| 2018 | Lakshmi | A. Saraswathi | partially reshot version | |
| 2019 | Abhinetri 2 | Lalitha |
Malayalam
edit| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Thaliritta Kinakkal | ||
| 1997 | Poomarathanalil | ||
| 1999 | Niram | Rukku | |
| 2004 | Kerala House Udan Vilpanakku | Parvathi Ammal | |
| 2005 | Hai | ||
| 2012 | Maad Dad | Dawini D'Zosa | [14] |
| 2016 | Girls | Komalam |
Kannada
edit| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Africadalli Sheela | Chikki Mukki | |
| 1993 | Hendthi Helidare Kelabeku | Sarala | |
| Alimayya | Anantha's mother | ||
| 2002 | Naanu Naane | ||
| 2008 | Arjun | Surya's wife |
Singer
edit- Marugo Marugo (Sathi Leelavathi) (1995)
- Thekkathi Mappillai (Magalirkkaga) (2000)
- Rama Rama (Villu) (2009)
- Iravinil Aattam (Kadavul Irukaan Kumaru) (2016)
Television
edit- Sundari Soundari (Sun TV)
- Ellame Siripputhan (Kalaignar TV)
- Vanthaana Thanthaana (Kalaignar TV)
- Sabhash Meera (Jaya TV)
- Sagalakala Sarala (Vijay TV)
- Comedyil Kalakkuvathu Eppadi (Vijay TV)
- Vantintlo Wonders (Gemini TV)
- Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam (Zee Tamil)
- Chellame Chellam (Sun TV)
- Arundhathi (Sun TV)
- Kutty Chutties (Sun TV)
- Kalakka Povathu Yaaru? – (Seasons 1–5,8–9 (Star Vijay) – Judge
Awards
editThis section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (December 2022) |
- Best Comedian – Sathi Leelavathi (1995)
- Best Comedian – Poovellam Un Vasam (2001)
- Best Comedian – Uliyin Osai (2008)
- Vijay Award for Best Comedian – Kanchana (2011)
References
edit- ^ "Rajini, Kamal win best actor awards". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 29 September 2009. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
- ^ "Telugu Cinema Etc – Nandi award winners list 2003". Idlebrain.com. 29 September 2004. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- ^ "Actor Kovai Sarala joins Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam". 8 March 2019. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ^ a b Chowdhary, Y. Sunita (7 January 2012). "Comedy comes naturally". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
A Malayali from Coimbatore, Sarala nurtured a dream of becoming an actor after watching MGR's films.
- ^ a b "Acting is all that matters for this talented performer". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 19 April 2007. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007.
- ^ a b c d Rangarajan, Malathi (21 April 2012). "The Kovai chronicle". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Archived from the original on 14 December 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ^ Varuthadapatha Valibar Sangam on Zee Tamil Archived 1 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine. The Times of India. (21 May 2015). Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "'Want To Live In Freedom': South Comedian Kovai Sarala On Not Getting Married". News18. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ^ "Cute, Yet Lacklustre". 29 March 2014. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "Aranmanai 4/ Baak Movie Review: Template oversell". 3 May 2024.
- ^ "Suriya-Starrer Kanguva's Title Taken From Rajinikanth's 1984 Film Gangvaa". News18. 17 April 2023. Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ "Movie review - Mee Intikoste Em Istaaru Maa Intkoste Em Testaaru". Idlebrain.com. 27 February 2004. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
- ^ Jeevi (7 October 2004). "Movie review – Monalisa". Idlebrain.com. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ Sudhish, Navamy (31 July 2012). "Director Revathy S Varma, on 'Mad Dad'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ "నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964–2008)" [A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964–2008)] (PDF). Information & Public Relations of Andhra Pradesh. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2020.(in Telugu)
External links
edit- Kovai Sarala at IMDb