Kovai Sarala
Kovai Sarala is an Indian actress and comedian, who prominently plays supporting roles in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam 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][2] She has also won the two Nandi Awards for Best Female Comedian[3] and the Vijay Award for Best Comedian for her performance in Kanchana (2011).[4] She is now part of Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam Party.[5]
Kovai Sarala | |
|---|---|
 Sarala in 2016 | |
| Born | Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India |
| Occupations |
|
| 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 were especially very popular.
Early and present life
Kovai Sarala was born in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (then in Madras State) to a Malayalam speaking family.[6][7] She had 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.[6]
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.[8] She was in Class 10, when she played a 32-year-old pregnant woman Mundhanai Mudichu, her second film.[9] Two years later she acted in Chinna Veedu, where she played the 65-year-old mother of Bhagyaraj's character.[9] She has appeared in more than 300+ films in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.[9] She has mentioned the films Sathi Leelavathi, Viralukketha Veekkam, Varavu Ettana Selavu Pathana, Karakattakkaran and Viswanathan Ramamoorthy as her personal favourites.[8]
She has also worked in television series and television shows. She worked as a regular guest judge on Asatha Povathu Yaaru?[10] and has hosted the reality show Paasa Paravaigal.[9] In 2013, she was the judge on the Tamil comedy show "Comedyil Kalakkuvathu Eppadi" that airs on Vijay TV. Now she is regular judge on the Tamil comedy show "Varuthapadatha valibar sangam" that airs on Zee Tamil.[11] Also hosting kids game show "Chellame chellam" on Sun TV.
Personal life
Sarala is not married. She looks after the children of her relatives, as she considers them to be her own.[12]
Filmography
Tamil
Telugu
| 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 | |||
| Gopura Deepam | ||||
| 1998 | Suprabhatam | |||
| Navvulata | Nurse | |||
| 1999 | Vaare Vah Moguda | |||
| 2000 | Kshemamga Velli Labamgarandi | Subbalakshmi | ||
| Rayalaseema Ramanna Chowdary | Venkamma | |||
| Nuvve Kavali | Rukku | |||
| Tirumala Tirupati Venkatesa | Lalitha | |||
| 2001 | Mrugaraju | |||
| Simharasi | ||||
| Ramma Chilakamma | ||||
| 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 | |||
| 2004 | Andaru Dongale Dorikite | Chi.La.Sow.Suryakantham | ||
| Vidyardhi | ||||
| 2005 | Mahanandi | Chilakamma | ||
| Evadi Gola Vaadidhi | Leela Rani | |||
| Veerabhadra | Colony resident | |||
| 2006 | Naidu LLB | |||
| Pellaina Kothalo | ||||
| Iddaru Attala Muddula Alludu | Sarala | |||
| Style | Ganesh's neighbour | |||
| Raam | ||||
| Rajababu | ||||
| Aadivaram Aadavallaku Selavu | ||||
| Bhagyalakshmi Bumper Draw | Mary Gotham | |||
| 2007 | Pagale Vennela | Sarala | ||
| Desamuduru | Shivani | |||
| Maharathi | Saralamma | |||
| Seema Sastri | ||||
| 2008 | Sawaal | |||
| Mallepuvvu | ||||
| Michael Madana Kamaraju | Michael's fake mother | |||
| Nee Sukhame Ne Koruthunna | ||||
| Neninthe | Urmila | |||
| Hero | Sarala | |||
| Bommana Brothers Chandana Sisters | ||||
| Dongala Bandi | Aishwarya's sister | |||
| 2009 | Bumper Offer | Ramanamma | ||
| Evaraina Epudaina | ||||
| A Aa E Ee | ||||
| 2010 | 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 | |||
| Yamaho Yama | ||||
| 2013 | Masala | Anjali Devi / Chintamani | ||
| Greeku Veerudu | ||||
| 2015 | Temper | Shanvi's mother | ||
| Kick 2 | Darling | |||
| 2016 | Nayaki | Saradha | ||
| 2019 | Abhinetri 2 | Lalitha | ||
Malayalam
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Thaliritta Kinakkal | |||
| 1997 | Poomarathanalil | |||
| 1999 | Niram | Rukku | ||
| 2004 | Kerala House Udan Vilpanakku | Parvathi Ammal | ||
| 2005 | Hai | |||
| 2012 | Maad Dad | Dawini D’Zosa | ||
| 2016 | Girls | Komalam | ||
Kannada
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Africadalli Sheela | |||
| 1993 | Hendthi Helidare Kelabeku | Sarala | ||
| Alimayya | ||||
| 2002 | Naanu Naane | |||
| 2008 | Arjun | Surya's wife | ||
Singer
- Marugo Marugo (Sathi Leelavathi) (1995)
- Thekkathi Mappillai (Magalirkaaga) (2000)
- Rama Rama (Villu) (2009)
Television
- 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
- Best Comedian - Sathi Leelavathi (1995)
- Best Comedian - Poovellam Un Vasam (2001)
- Best Comedian - Uliyin Osai (2008)
- Vijay Award for Best Comedian - Kanchana (2011)
References
- "Tamil Nadu announces film awards for three years". IndiaGlitz.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2004. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
- "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. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- Muni 2: Kanchana
- "Actor Kovai Sarala joins Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam". 8 March 2019.
- Chowdhary, Y. Sunita (7 January 2012). "Comedy comes naturally". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
- Chowdhary, Y. Sunitha (8 January 2012). "Interview With Kovai Sarala". Cinegoer. Archived from the original on 27 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
- "Acting is all that matters for this talented performer". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 19 April 2007. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007.
- Rangarajan, Malathi (21 April 2012). "The Kovai chronicle". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
- "'There is a dearth for women comedians' – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. 15 August 2008. Archived from the original on 15 August 2008. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- Varuthadapatha Valibar Sangam on Zee Tamil. The Times of India. (21 May 2015). Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- Kovai Sarala – Tamil Movie News – Kovai Sarala on her marriage – Kovai Sarala | Manorama | Karakattakaran. Behindwoods.com (28 June 2010). Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- "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)
External links
- Kovai Sarala at IMDb