Tulasi (actress)

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Tulasi (or Tulasi Shivamani) is an Indian actress who primarily works in Telugu, Kannada, and Tamil cinema. Later she appeared in lead actress and supporting actress roles.[1] She has acted in over 300 films in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, and Bhojpuri languages.[2] She won two Nandi Awards and one Filmfare Award.

Tulasi
Born
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
OccupationActress
Years active1967-present

Career

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Tulasi made her debut in the Telugu language when she was three months old in 1967. For a song in a film, a baby was needed and Tulasi was placed in the cradle after actress Savitri had requested Tulasi's mother, who was a friend of her.[3] She was featured in a song when she was 3+12 years old in Jeevanatarangalu and said that she became a full-fledged actor when she was four.[3]

She got married at age 28 to Kannada director Sivamani.[2] She stated, "I met him in the morning and by evening we tied the knot".[4] They have one son, Sai Tarun. Tulasi decided to quit acting after getting married, working only occasionally as a voice actor in Telugu films, including ones by Mani Ratnam.[1] When her son was around six years old, she received several mother character roles. She initially declined them all, but finally signed on one Kannada film, Excuse Me, in which she played mother to Divya Spandana and which became a big hit.[2] After that she was doing three films a year in Kannada.

She began to act mainly in mother roles in Telugu and Tamil film industries. Her notable supporting roles include performances in Sasirekha Parinayam, Mr. Perfect, Darling, Srimanthudu, Iddarammayilatho, Nenu Local, Mahanati & Dear Comrade in Telugu and Pillaiyar Theru Kadaisi Veedu, Easan, Mankatha, Sundarapandian, Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer and Pandiya Naadu in Tamil. Tulasi has said that Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer, in which she had played mother to Manisha Yadav's character, changed her life and brought her an "identity as a screen mother".[2] Her portrayal of Chellamma in Pannaiyarum Padminiyum was praised too,[1] with critics stating that she was "brilliant",[5][6] and had given her "career best performance".[7]

Partial filmography

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Year Film Role Language Notes
1967 Bharya Telugu
1973 Arangetram Tamil
1977 Chillarakottu Chittamma Telugu
1978 Seetamalakshmi Telugu
1979 Sankarabharanam Sankaram Telugu
Kothala Raayudu[8] Paapa, Satyam's niece Telugu
1981 Nyayam Kavali Padma Telugu
Mudda Mandaram Telugu
Rama Dhandu Telugu
1982 Iddaru Kodukulu Padma Telugu
Bhakthadruva Markhandeya Telugu
Jagannatha Rathachakralu[9] Lakshmi Telugu
Sakalakala Vallavan Tamil
Trisulam Telugu
Nalugu Stambhalata Telugu
Subhalekha Lakshmi Telugu
1983 Maga Maharaju Telugu
Ee Pillaku Pellavuthundha Telugu
Konte Kodallu Bhagyalakshmi Telugu
Nelavanka Lalita Telugu
Mantri Gari Viyyankudu Suseela Telugu
1984 Anubandham Telugu
Kotha Dampathulu Telugu
Nallavanuku Nallavan Tamil
Disco King Telugu
Nagabekamma Nagabeku Kannada
Indina Ramayana Kannada
1985 Preminchu Pelladu Telugu
Rechukka Roja Telugu
Sri Katna Leelalu[10] Jyothi Telugu
Muchataga Mugguru Telugu
Mugguru Mitrulu Telugu
Srivaru Rajani Telugu
1986 Driver Babu Radha Telugu
Henne Ninagenu Bandhana Kannada
Bhayam Bhayam Telugu
Naa Pilupe Prabhanjanam Gayathri Telugu
Aadi Dampatulu Telugu
Piranthaen Valarnthaen Tamil
Poojaku Panikiraani Puvvu Telugu
1987 Aranyakanda Neela Telugu
Dhoorathu Pachai Tulasi Tamil
Thambathyam Aruna Tamil
Raaga Leela Telugu
1988 Kanchana Seetha Telugu
Brahma Vishnu Maheshwara Kannada
Jeevana Ganga Telugu
1989 Zoo Laka Taka Telugu
1990 Alajadi Telugu
Appu Malayalam
1991 Amma Rajinama Telugu
1992 Killer Telugu
Chitram Bhalare Vichitram Meera Telugu
1993 Kannayya Kittayya Telugu
Vintha Kodallu Telugu
1994 Mahanadhi Manju Tamil
1994 Raithu Bharatam Telugu
2003 Excuse Me Kannada
2005 Yashwanth Kannada
Jootata Nandini Devi Mallangowda Kannada
Gunna Kannada
2006 Chellata Kannada
Sevanthi Sevanthi Kannada
Honeymoon Express Kannada
Sirivanta Kannada
Jothe Jotheyali Kannada
2007 Poojari Kannada
Ee Preethi Onthara Kannada
Savi Savi Nenapu Kannada
2008 Moggina Manasu Deeksha's mother Kannada
Sangama Kannada
Neenyare Kannada
2009 Sasirekha Parinayam Telugu
Rajkumari Kannada
Naa Girlfriend Baga Rich Sravya's mother Telugu
Josh Sharadamma Kannada Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Kannada
Minchu Kannada
Raaj the Showman Kannada
Rajani Kannada
2010 Ullasa Utsaha Kamala Kannada
Punda Kannada
Nanjangud Nanjunda Kannada
Sihi Gaali Kannada
Easan Chezian's Mother Tamil
Darling Rajeshwari Telugu
2011 Pillaiyar Theru Kadaisi Veedu Tamil
Mankatha Tamil
Mr. Perfect Vicky's Mother Telugu
2012 Rajadhani Kannada
Julai Kaameshwari Murthy Telugu
Paagal Kannada
Sundarapandian Archana's mother Tamil
2013 Sthreeshakthi Kannada
Iddarammayilatho Komali's mother Telugu
Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer Shweta's mother Tamil Nominated—Vijay Award for Best Supporting Actress
Pandiya Naadu Sivagami Chidambaram Tamil
Khatarnak Umesh Reddy Kannada
2014 Pannaiyarum Padminiyum Chellamma Tamil Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Supporting Actress
Ambareesha Kannada
Ninnindale Kannada
2015 Aambala Tulasi Tamil
Oru Vadakkan Selfie Hari's Mother Malayalam
Srimanthudu Narayana Rao's sister-in-law Telugu
Kaththukkutti Arivazhagan's mother Tamil
Ramleela Kannada
RX Soori Kannada
2016 Ammayitho Abbayi Telugu
Kalpana 2 Kannada
Viraat Kannada
Saagasam Tamil
Aarathu Sinam Aravind's mother Tamil
Zero Priya's neighbour Tamil
Brahmotsavam Varalakshmi Telugu
Wagah Vasu's mother Tamil
Hyper Surya's mother Telugu
Metro Arivazhagan's Mother Tamil
2017 Nenu Local Siri Telugu
Rogue Telugu
Kannada
Nakshatram Rama Rao's mother Telugu
Meda Meeda Abbayi Srinu's mother Telugu
Nenjil Thunivirundhal Kumar's mother Tamil
C/O Surya Surya's mother Telugu
Oye Ninne Vishnu's mother Telugu
Richie Radha Tamil
2018 Nimir Valli's mother Tamil
Mahanati Madhuravani's mother Telugu
Aatagallu Munna's mother Telugu
Neevevaro Kalyan's mother Telugu
Happy Wedding Akshara's mother Telugu
Nannu Dochukunduvate Meghana's mother Telugu
Sarkar M. Masilamani's wife Tamil
2019 Dear Comrade Jaya's mother Telugu
iSmart Shankar Telugu
RDX Love Villager Telugu
Queen Ranganayaki Tamil Web series
2020 Naadodigal 2 Jeeva's mother Tamil
2021 Sashi Raj's mother Telugu
Mosagallu Padma Telugu
SR Kalyanamandapam Santhi Telugu
Navarasa Kamal's mother Tamil Web series
Ellam Sheriyakum Ancy's mother Malayalam
Adbhutham Vennala's Grandmother Telugu
Oka Chinna Family Story Rukmini Telugu Web series
Skylab Gowri's mother Telugu
2022 Veeramae Vaagai Soodum Porus's and Dwaraka's mother Tamil
F3 Venky's stepmother Telugu
Konda Konda Chennamma Telugu
Karthikeya 2 Karthik's mother Telugu
Thank You Abhi's mother Telugu
Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu Durga Tamil
Naan Mirugamaai Maara Tamil
Dhamaka Yashoda Rao Telugu
Anukoni Prayanam Telugu
2023 Bhola Shankar Telugu
Lockdown Diarie Tamil
Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty Siddhu's mother and Phanindra's wife Telugu
Saba Nayagan Tamil
2024 Rathnam Malliga's mother Tamil

Television

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Year Title Role Network Language Ref.
2024 Bench Life Meenakshi's mother SonyLIV Telugu

Awards

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Nandi Awards[11]
Filmfare Awards South

References

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  1. ^ a b c Rao, Subha J. (9 May 2015). "Chellamma chronicles Actress Tulasi". The Hindu.
  2. ^ a b c d "Tulasi rocks in her third innings". The New Indian Express. 13 November 2013
  3. ^ a b Y. Sunita Chowdhary (9 July 2012). "My First Break: Tulasi". The Hindu.
  4. ^ "Actress Tulasi – Prabhas Thinks I'm Hot". cinegoer.net. 10 August 2011
  5. ^ "Pannaiyarum Padminiyum". Sify. Archived from the original on 7 June 2015.
  6. ^ "Review: Pannaiyarum Padminiyum is refreshing". Rediff.
  7. ^ "News18.com: CNN-News18 Breaking News India, Latest News Headlines, Live News Updates". News18. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Kothala Rayudu Cast and Crew Info".
  9. ^ Jagannatha Ratha Chakralu Full Movie - Krishna | Jayaprada | Jaggayya | Giribabu | V9 Videos, retrieved 12 January 2024
  10. ^ "Sri Katna Leelalu Movie Cast".
  11. ^ "నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964–2008)" [A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964–2008)] (PDF). Information & Public Relations of Andhra Pradesh. Retrieved 21 August 2020. (in Telugu)
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