Latha (actress) explained

Latha
Birth Name:Nalini
Birth Date:1953 8, df=yes
Birth Place:Tamil Nadu, India
Othername:Latha Sethupathi
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1973–1984
1992–2012
2016–Present
Spouse:Sabapathy (Married in 1983)
Children:Karthik, Srinivas
Father:Shanmugha Rajeswara Sethupathi

Latha, also known as Latha Sethupathi, is an Indian actress who starred in leading roles in South Indian films from 1973 to 1983.[1] She is also known for her roles in various serials in the Tamil language.

Early life

Latha Sethupathi was born into the Sethupathi clan, the royal family of Ramnad, in Tamil Nadu, India. Her father was Shanmugha Rajeswara Sethupathi, and her mother was Leelarani. As her mother was not Shanmugha Rajeswara Sethupathi's official wife, Latha's status within the family was illegitimate. She has a brother, actor Rajkumar Sethupathy and half-brothers Dasarathan Sethupathi and Ramanatha Sethupathi. Latha's fluency in both Tamil and Telugu stemmed from her mother's origins in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.[2]

She started her career at age fifteen with encouragement from her aunt, actress Kamala Kotnis.[3] Her first film was Ulagam Sutrum Valiban (1973), starring and produced by M. G. Ramachandran.[4] [5]

Career

Latha has acted in more than one hundred films, spanning the Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam languages. Her first film was Ulagam Sutrum Valiban (1973), in which she starred alongside M. G. Ramachandran. It was shot exclusively in foreign locations such as Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Japan. She remained M. G. Ramachandran's leading lady for several years in Tamil films. He recommended her to star with Akkineni Nageswara Rao for Andala Ramudu (1973), thus making her debut in Telugu films.[6] She specialized in playing glamorous roles in Tamil and Telugu films. She played Zeenat Aman's role in the two remakes in the Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973): the Telugu film, Annadammula Anubandham (1975) and the Tamil film Naalai Namadhe (1975). She played Jaya Bhaduri's role from Zanjeer (1973) in the Telugu remake Nippulanti Manishi (1974), and the Tamil remake, Sirithu Vazha Vendum (1974). She won a Filmfare Award for her performance in Vattathukkul Sadhuram. The Kalaimamani award was bestowed upon her by the State Government of Tamil Nadu for her achievements in the film industry. She has also received awards from the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Government of Andhra Pradesh for her acting ability. She was also briefly involved in politics, as her father, Shanmugha Rajeswara Sethupathi, the Raja of Ramnad, was a politician.[7] [3] She played a role in Rajinikanth's movie Shankar Salim Simon (1978). This role made her one of the only two actresses, along with Lakshmi, to be paired with MGR and Rajinikanth in the 1970s Tamil movies.

After a hiatus of 14 years, she began acting again in leading roles in many mega-serials in Tamil and Telugu. In 2002, the actress played a mother-in-law in the Telugu television serials, Eenati Ramayanam,[8] Pavithrabandham, and Matti Manishi.[9] Most recently, she has gained notoriety alongside Radhika in the Tamil television serials Chitthi, Kasthuri, Selvi, and most famously in Arasi. Her role is best known for her catchphrases "Pada Pada Padannu Irukkiradhu" and "Idhu Rombo Too Much" and the humorous portrayal of the character. Currently, she is acting in the serials Roja as Canada Kamakshi and Sundari Neeyum Sundaran Naanum as Vijayalakshmi.

Notable filmography

Year Film Role Language Notes
1973 Ulagam Sutrum Valiban Lilly Tamil
1973 Veettukku Vandha Marumagal Tamil
1973 Andala Ramudu Sita Telugu
1973 Gandhi Puttina Desham Telugu
1974 Netru Indru Naalai Tamil
1974 Sirithu Vazha Vendum Mala Tamil
1974 Urimai Kural Tamil
1974 Chamundeshwari Mahime Kannada
1974 Sorgathil Thirumanam Tamil
1974 Sivakamiyin Selvan Tamil Kavitha
1974 Nippulanti Manishi Telugu
1974 Intinti Katha Telugu
1974 Ammayi Pelli Telugu
1975 Pallandu Vazhga Saroja Tamil
1975 Naalai Namadhe Rani Tamil
1975 Ninaithadhai Mudippavan Mohana Tamil
1975 Niramaala Malayalam
1975 Anbu Roja Tamil
1975 Rakta Sambandhalu Telugu
1975 Annadammula Anubandham Telugu
1976 Padi Pantalu[10] LeelaTelugu
1976 Needhikku Thalaivanangu Tamil
1976 Uzhaikkum Karangal Muthamma Tamil
1976 Manamaara Vazhthungal Tamil
1976 Magaadu Telugu
1977 Meenava Nanban Tamil
1977 Navarathinam Manikkum Tamil
1977 Kurukshetram Telugu
1978 Devadasi Manjari Kannada
1978 Madhuraiyai Meetta Sundharapandiyan Tamil
1978 Shankar Salim Simon Vasanthi Tamil
1978 Vayasu Ponnu Tamil
1978 Prathyaksha Daivam Malayalam
1978 Prema Paga Telugu
1978 Kumara Raja Telugu
1978 Simha Garjana Telugu
1978 Aayiram Jenmangal Savithri Tamil
1978 Ahalya Malayalam
1978 Varuvan Vadivelan Tamil
1978 Vayanadan Thamban Malayalam
1978 Vattathukkul Chaduram Tamil
1978 Kannamoochi Tamil
1979 Andadu Aagadu LathaTelugu
1979 Sankhu Teertham Telugu
1979 Pancha Bhootalu Telugu
1979 Neeya? Tamil
1979 Gnana Kuzhandhai Ponni Tamil
1979 Suprabadham Tamil
1979 Urvashi Neene Nanna Preyasi Kannada
1979 Urvasi Neeve Naa Preyasi Telugu
1979 Malligai Mohini Tamil
1979 Needhikku Mun Neeya Naana Tamil
1979 Srungara Ramudu Telugu
1979 Ramabanam Telugu
1979 Azhage Unnai Aarathikkiren Vani Tamil
1979 Agniparvatham Malayalam
1979 Pancha Bhoothalu Telugu
1980 Love in Singapore Sudha Malayalam
1980 Ramudu Parasuramudu Telugu
1980 Love in Singapore Sudha Telugu
1980 Pappu Herself Malayalam
1980 Raman Parasuraman Tamil
1980 Anna Paravai Tamil
1980 Oru Iravu Oru Paravai Tamil
1980 Rusi Kanda Poonai Tamil
1981 Pinneyum Pookkunna Kadu Malayalam
1981 Deiva Thirumanangal Parvathy,Meenatchi Tamil
1981 Devi Dharisanam Tamil
1981 Parvathy Parvathi BhaiMalayalam
1981 Antha Kannada
1981 Samskaram Malayalam
1982 Erattai Manithan Tamil
1982 Ilaya Magan Tamil
1992 Amaran Tamil
1994 Raja Pandi Tamil
1997 Vasuki Parvatham Tamil
1997 Rettai Jadai Vayasu Anjali's mother Tamil
1998 Ponnu Velayira Bhoomi Tamil
1999 Pudhu Kudithanam Seethalakshmi Tamil
1999 Thachiledathu Chundan Malayalam
2000 Kandha Kadamba Kathir Vela Parvathi amma Tamil
2004Jana Jana's aunt Tamil
2006 Kusthi Tamil
2010 Vallakottai Tamil
2018 Nagesh Thiraiyarangam Dr. Sakuntala Tamil
2022The LegendSaravanan's motherTamil

Television

Serials
YearTitle Role Language Channel
1999–2000Idhi Katha KaduTeluguETV
2000ChithiRajeshwariTamilSun TV
2000–2001Matti ManishiTeluguDoordarshan
2001-2002Kelunga Mamiyare Neengalum Marumagal ThanRajeshwari Sun TV
2001–2003PavithrabandhamSasirekhaGemini TV
2002–2003Eenati Ramayanam
2005–2006SelviThangamTamilSun TV
2006–2012KasthuriRadhaSun TV
2007–2009ArasiThangam
2010–2012No: 23 Mahalakshmi NivasamRajeshwariTeluguGemini TV
2016–2019ValliTamilSun TV
2019ChandrakumariSun TV
2019–2020RajalakshmiStar Vijay
Sundari Neeyum Sundaran NaanumVijayalakshmi
2019–2020; 2021RojaCanada Kamakshi
2020–2023Abhiyum NaanumRajeshwari
2021–2022Vaidhegi KaathirundhaalAmuthanayakiStar Vijay
2023–PresentMr. ManaiviMaragatham
Shows
YearTitle Role Language Channel
2020Vanakkam TamizhaGuestTamil
2020
2020Yarappa Inda PonuHerself
2021Mathappu Sondhangal
2022Puthandu Saval

Personal life

She is married to Sabapathy, a Singapore businessman whom she has married in 1983. She has two sons, Karthik and Sreenivas.[4] [11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Latha Sethupathi . veethi.com . 1 March 2022.
  2. Web site: நடிப்பு, நடனம் லதா பயிற்சி பெற எம்.ஜி.ஆர். ஏற்பாடு . MGR helped Latha for practising acting and dance . https://web.archive.org/web/20190822105323/https://cinema.maalaimalar.com/cinema/cinehistory/2018/12/07233414/1217000/Cine-history-MGR.vpf . 22 August 2019 . 18 July 2018 . Cinema.maalaimalar.com.
  3. Web site: Rediff On The NeT: An interview with Latha, former MGR heroine-turned- politician . Rediff.com . 18 July 2018.
  4. Web site: Rediff On The NeT: An interview with Latha, former MGR heroine-turned- politician . Rediff.com . 18 July 2018.
  5. Web site: உலகம் சுற்றும் வாலிபனில் எம்.ஜி.ஆர். அறிமுகம் செய்த லதா . Latha was introduced by MGR through Ulagam Sutrum Vaaliban . Cinema.maalaimalar.com . 18 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190822105627/https://cinema.maalaimalar.com/cinema/cinehistory/2018/12/06231554/1216819/cinima-history-mgr-latha.vpf . 22 August 2019.
  6. Web site: Andala Ramudu (1973) . Telugu Cinema . 13 April 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091110083621/http://www.telugucinema.com/c/publish/movieretrospect/andalaramudu1973.php . 10 November 2009.
  7. Web site: Sonia act fails to help Cong men retain even their deposit in TN . 17 May 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101204110902/http://www.expressindia.com/news/ie/daily/19980305/06450164.html . 4 December 2010 . dead.
  8. http://www.screenindia.com/old/20020823/rsouth.html
  9. Web site: Telly beckons top stars . https://web.archive.org/web/20030831233315/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/10/08/stories/2002100800260100.htm . dead . 31 August 2003 . . 18 July 2018.
  10. Web site: Padi Pantalu (1976) . 2024-04-10 . Indiancine.ma.
  11. Web site: சிங்கப்பூர் தொழில் அதிபரை மணந்தார் லதா . Latha was married to Singapore businessman . 18 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130701070448/http://cinema.maalaimalar.com/2013/06/27230205/Latha-married-Singapore-busine.html . 1 July 2013 . dead.