The 1980s undoubtedly played an important role in shaping Indian cinema as we know it today. Not only did the filmmakers of the time create many innovative and experimental films, but several of the now reigning superstars also began their cinematic journey in that decade. However, this period also witnessed the dramatic fall of quite a few artists, some of whom have long been forgotten, while others still hold a special place in the hearts of the public. Among the many actors who dominated Indian cinema during this decade was Saritha.
One of the most celebrated and successful South Indian actors of the 1980s, Saritha left a lasting impression in whatever language she worked in and won several awards. However, his personal life was not so glorious and faced several traumas over the years, particularly since her second marriage to a fellow actor. In 1975, before establishing herself in the film industry, Saritha married a person named Venkata Subbiah. However, their relationship was short-lived and they eventually broke up, dealing him a severe blow. Her second marriage occurred more than a decade later, after she had become a major star.
Rise to stardom
Although he made his acting debut in a Telugu film in 1978, he went unnoticed. But Saritha’s career and destiny changed when she was discovered by a star filmmaker. K Balachanderwho cast her opposite Kamal Haasan in the romantic tragedy Maro Charitra. Not only did the film become a huge hit and was eventually remade in Hindi as Ek Duuje Ke Liye, which also gained iconic status, but Saritha’s performance was also praised for its intensity. He soon became a staple in Balachander’s films and played notable roles in films like Thappu Thalangal, Idi Katha Kaadu, Agni Sakshi, Kalyana Agathigal and Achamillai Achamillai. He also gave extraordinary performances in films like Aval Appadithan, Vandichakkaram, Netrikan, Puthukavithai, Sujatha, Mouna Geethangal, Thanneer Thanneer and Simma Soppanam, sharing the screen with stars like Sivaji Ganesan, RajinikanthKamal Haasan and vijayakanthinter alia.
Not only in Tamil, Saritha made leaps and bounds in the south. While she won hearts with her performances in Telugu films like Idi Katha Kaadu, Tholi Kodi Koosindi, Kokilamma, Kanchana Ganga and Kaliyuga Pandavulu, she also earned immense praise for her performances in Malayalam films. Interestingly, her most notable performances in Malayalam were in films in which she shared the screen with mammothand the two appeared as husband and wife in films like Oru Kochu Kadha Aarum Parayatha Kadha, Sandarbham, Kathodu Kathoram, Muhoortham 11:30, Thaniyavarthanam, Sangham and Kuttettan. In Kannada too, Saritha was an indomitable figure and worked in films like Keralida Simha, Jeevakke Jeeva, Hosa Belaku, Bhakta Prahlada, Chalisuva Modagalu and Kaamana Billu among others, where her performances with veteran star Dr Rajkumar garnered much praise.
Saritha in Telugu movie Gootiloni Ramachilaka. (Express File Photo)
Despite the abundance of actors in these industries, Saritha’s talent was so deep that it was impossible to miss her. In fact, his performances in strong, layered characters became a benchmark for aspiring actors and even his contemporaries. While she bagged the Tamilnadu State Film Award for Best Actress three times, Saritha also won multiple Filmfare Best Actress Awards. In the midst of all this, she also lent her voice to several actresses in several films.
Marriage to actor Mukesh that caused Saritha’s downfall
In 1988, at the peak of her career, Saritha married Malayalam actor Mukesh, who was a much smaller star than her, and bid farewell to cinema. However, this marriage also ended in tragedy, and the couple, who have two children together, separated in 2001, according to Manorama online. To raise her children as a single mother, Saritha returned to the film industry, but it was not easy for her to start a new stage in acting. Hence, he began working more often as a dubbing artist, voicing actors like Nagma, Vijayashanti, Tabu, Sushmita Sen, Ramya Krishnan and Soundarya, among others. After a prolonged separation, Saritha and Mukesh’s divorce was finalized in 2011, following which he married dancer Methil Devika in 2013. Their marriage also ended in divorce.
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Saritha in Telugu movie Kokilamma. (Express File Photo)
What was the reason for Saritha and Mukesh’s divorce?
Although the news of Saritha and Mukesh’s separation quickly became a hot topic, the real reason remained unknown to the public for a long time. Years later, she revealed that Mukesh had physically and emotionally abused her during their time together, and that she decided to suffer in silence because of a promise she had made to Mukesh’s father, theater director and actor O Madhavan, whom she loved and respected very much. Saritha also accused Mukesh of infidelity. “I was ashamed to tell what I had experienced. I couldn’t believe what was happening to me. I have acted in movies. I have seen all this in movies. But I never thought that all this would happen in my life,” he once said. “In the midst of all the family problems, he had affairs with many. I just hoped he would realize his mistake and come back.”
He added, “After my father died, I started seeing Mukesh’s father as my own. I gave him a guarantee. That’s why I didn’t file a complaint with the police. I maintained that assurance till his death. After Mukesh attacked me in front of his maids, I stopped going to his house. Once, when his father came to Thiruvananthapuram for tax purposes, he came to pick me up. At the airport, my father told me, ‘Let’s go to Thiruvananthapuram.’ home’. I told him that I was not going and that I had booked a room at Pankaj hotel. He did not say a word in front of the driver and then he came to my room. He then held my hand and said that he knew what had happened.
Saritha also accused Mukesh of physically assaulting her. “When I was pregnant, he kicked me in the stomach and I fell in the yard. I cried. In those situations, he would say, ‘Oh… you’re a good actress… go on, cry.’ He always found something to hurt me… Once, when I was nine months pregnant, we went out to dinner together. On the way back, when I tried to get into the car, he kept tricking me by driving it back and forth. When I ran behind the car, I fell and lay there crying. But I tried not to He would see those tears because he would laugh. Once, when he returned drunk at midnight, I casually asked him why he was late. “He pulled my hair, dragged me and hit me,” he alleged.
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Although Saritha’s acting career did not skyrocket again, she made an impressive comeback in 2023, playing a key role in director Madonne Ashwin’s Maaveeran, starring Sivakarthikeyan and Aditi Shankar in the lead roles.