Saranya Ponvannan

Saranya Ponvannan (born 26 April 1970), born as Sheela Christina Raj, is a popular South Indian film actress who has predominantly appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam language films and a few Kannada language films. Saranya made her debut in a lead role in Mani Ratnam's Nayakan (1987) and went on to play lead roles from 1987-1996. Following an eight-year sabbatical, she returned to films as a character actor, specializing in "mother of the hero" roles.

1987-1996

Saranya made her Tamil debut in Mani Ratnam's production Nayakan, as the female lead opposite Kamal Haasan in 1987. She made her first Telugu appearance in 1988 film Neerajanam; her Malayalam debut was a year later in the 1989 film Artham starring opposite Mamooty. In 1996 almost during the end of her career as a lead actress she debuted in Kannada cinema in Appaji.

Television work

After marriage in 1995, she semi retired from acting. In 2000 she appeared playing the lead role in the comedy television series, Veettukku Veedu Lootty, and subsequently accepted some supporting roles in other projects. During 2006 she appeared in family-drama serial Mugangal, which aired on Sun TV.

Comeback and critical acclaim

After a break from films she made a comeback in 2003 Tamil film Alai oppositeRaghuvaran as Silambarasan 's mother. Since then she has appeared in many films in supporting roles most notably Raam, Thavamai Thavamirundhu and Em Magan in the mid-2000s.

Her performance as Veerayi, a widowed mother torn between love and possessiveness, in the 2010 film Thenmerku Paruvakaatru –her 100th release – earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress. Her major breakthrough was 2005 Tamil film Thavamai Thavamirundhu after which she established herself as a prominent and leading actress in South India. As of 2017, she was one of the highest paid character actresses in the south Indian film industry.

In 2014, she launched Design & School of Fashion Technology (DSOFT), a fashion institute at Virugamakkam, Chennai.

She has also played the role of villain in Achamindri (2016).

2017–present

In 2017, she had only three releases. She starred in the sequel of 2014 Tamil film Velaiyilla Pattathari, reprising the role of Bhuvana, in a cameo appearance. The character had died in the original film, but the filmmakers wanted her to appear in the sequel, because of her part in the former's success. Her second venture was with Vishnu Vishal in the film Katha Nayagan, playing the mother of Vishnu Vishal. Later she starred in Magalir Mattum, a women-centric film, in which she played alongside Jyothika, Oorvasi and Bhanupriya.

In 2018, she was first seen in comedy-family drama Mannar Vagaiyara as Vemal's mother; her comedy timing was well received, however Itly was released and opened to negative reviews. Later she was seen in Vijay Sethupathi's Junga and Nayanthara's Kolamavu Kokila as the mother of Kokila who although affected by lung cancer, assists her daughter in smuggling cocaine. She signed to reprise the role of Lakshmi in Kalavani 2.

She took on the role of Vishalavva, mother to Shiva Rajkumar's character in Kannada movie The Villain directed by Prem in 2018.

She was born in a Christian family at Alappuzha, Kerala and is the daughter of Malayalam film director A. B. Raj who directed over 75 films. She married actor-director Ponvannan in 1995 and this couple has two daughters.

National Film Awards

• 2011—Best Actress for Thenmerku Paruvakaatru

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

• 2006 – Best Supporting Actress for Em Magan
• 2010 – Best Supporting Actress for Kalavani

Filmfare Awards

• 2005 – Winner—Best Supporting Actress for Thavamai Thavamirundhu
• 2006 – Winner—Best Supporting Actress for Em Magan
• 2010 – Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Telugu for Puli
• 2011 – Winner—Best Supporting Actress for Thenmerku Paruvakaatru
• 2012 – Winner—Best Supporting Actress for Neerparavai
• 2014 – Nominated–Best Supporting Actress - Tamil for Velaiyilla Pattathari
• 2016 – Nominated–Best Supporting Actress - Tamil for Kodi
• 2019 - Winner- Best Supporting Actress for Kolamavu Kokila

South Indian International Movie Awards

• 2013 – Winner—Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Neerparavai
• 2014 – Nominated–Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Kutti Puli
• 2015 – Winner—Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Velaiyilla Pattathari
• 2019 – Nominated–Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Kolamavu Kokila

Ananda Vikatan Awards

• 2010 – Winner–Best Supporting Actress for Kalavani
• 2014 – Winner–Best Supporting Actress for Ennamo Nadakkudhu & Velaiyilla Pattathari

Vijay Awards

• 2011 – Winner—Best Supporting Actress for Thenmerku Paruvakaatru
• 2013 - Nominated—Best Supporting Actress for Oru Kal Oru Kannadi
• 2015 – Nominated–Best Supporting Actress for Velaiyilla Pattathari

Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards

• 2011 - Winner-Best Supporting Actress for Thenmerku Paruvakaatru
• 2013 - Winner-Best Supporting Actress for Oru Kal Oru Kannadi
• 2014 - Nominated-Best Supporting Actress forVelaiyilla Pattathari

Edison Awards

• 2011 - Winner-Best Supporting Actress for Thenmerku Paruvakaatru

JFW Awards

• 2014 - Women Achiever of the year

JFW Movie Awards

• 2019 - Best Supporting Actress for Kolamavu Kokila