Saranya Ponvannan

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Saranya is an Indian film actress who has predominantly appeared in Tamil language films. Her real name is Sheela. Saranya made her debut in a lead role in Mani Ratnam’s Nayagan and went on to play lead roles in a few films during the late 1980s. Following an eight-year sabbatical, she returned to feature films as a character artiste, essaying supporting roles, particularly playing mother characters to lead artists. For her performances in films including Raam (2005), Thavamai Thavamirundhu (2005), Em Magan (2006) and Kalavani (2010), she has received notable critical praise and several accolades, including three Filmfare Awards for Best Supporting Actress, while her performance in Thenmerku Paruvakaatru fetched her the National Film Award for Best Actress in 2011. Saranya is the daughter of Malayalam film director A. B. Raj. She is married to a fellow actor, Ponvannan.

After marriage in 1995, she settled down to domestic bliss, refusing to take up any film offers. In 2000, however, she was offered the lead role in the comedy television series, Veettukku Veedu Lootty, which she has accepted. Subsequently, she decided to accept some good offers, enacting supporting roles.[4] Since then she has appeared in many films in supporting roles most notably Raam, Thavamai Thavamirundhu and Em Magan. Her performance as Veerayi, a widowed mother torn between love and possessiveness, in the 2010 film Thenmerku Paruvakaatru – incidentally her 100th release – ultimately fetched her the National Film Award for Best Actress.

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