Sreelatha Namboothiri turns 75; from stage singer to silver screen star

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sreelatha Namboothiri’s life is a story of wonder—starting as a young girl who went to sing in a KPAC'S play, she eventually rose to fame on the silver screen. Sreelatha, who turns 75 on February 4, still remains active in the world of acting. Here, she shares her memories.

"While studying in 10th grade, I received an invitation from KPAC to sing in the plays Yuddhakandam and Kootukudumbam. I not only sang but also acted in both. Kumari Thankam, who had played leading roles opposite Prem Nazir, was my father's sister. She invited me to act in the movie Viruthan Shanku. I went to Madras at my mother's insistence. However, I became sad after learning that I was paired with Adoor Bhasi. I was only 16, while he was 40. Additionally, I was unsure about doing comedy roles. So, I declined the offer. While staying at my aunt's house in Madras, I got my first movie role in Aashachakram, in which I played the daughter of Sathyan Master. The next opportunity came in Padhicha Kallan, directed by M Krishnan Nair. I acted alongside Bhasi Chettan (Adoor Bhasi) in that film, and in subsequent films, I was frequently paired with him. I then went on to play several comedy roles," Sreelatha said.

"Though I was in the industry for only 12 years, from 1968 to 1980, I had acted in over 250 films. My last film was Kolilakkam. During this period, I also pursued my passion for classical music and trained under Dakshinamoorthy Swami in Madras for four years. I made my arangettam as a singer in 1975 at the Harippad Subramanya Swamy Temple and went on to sing in 16 films," she said.

"After marriage, I stepped away from both acting and music. We settled in Kunnamkulam and lived there for 23 years. My husband, Kalady Namboothiri, was a doctor. While he was studying at Ayurveda College, he acted with me in the movie Venalil Oru Mazha, directed by Sreekumaran Thampi. It was during this time that he proposed to me. We acted together in three more films. In 2002, we moved to Sasthamangalam, Thiruvananthapuram. My husband passed away in 2005. I am still close to my colleagues from the film industry, including Sheela, Jayabharathi, Sharada, and KR Vijaya," the veteran actress added.

Sreelatha made a comeback to films in the year 2006 through the film Vinodayathra. She is acting in television serials as well. She started doing music concerts in 2008.

Sreelatha Namboothiri was born on February 4, 1950, in Karuvatta, Alappuzha. Her father, Balakrishnan Nair, was a military officer, and her mother, Kamalam, was a music teacher who performed concerts. Srelatha has a son, Vishakh, and a daughter, Ganga. Her daughter-in-law is Aishwarya, and her grandchild is Priyadath. They all live in the United Kingdom.