Soundarya filmography


Soundarya was an Indian actress who worked predominantly in Telugu films in addition to Kannada and Tamil films. She made her film debut through the Kannada film Gandharva. The following year, she debuted in Telugu and Tamil with the films Manavarali Pelli and Ponnumani respectively. She received critical acclaim for her role in the latter. Between 1993 and 1994, she appeared in several commercially successful Telugu films, notably Rajendrudu Gajendrudu, Mayalodu, Number One and Hello Brother. However, she had her career breakthrough with Ammoru, a film which garnered her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu. In 1996, she featured in the successful film Pavitra Bandham and won the Nandi Award for Best Actress. The success of these films established her as the leading actress of Telugu cinema. She achieved further success with films like Pelli Chesukundam, Choodalani Vundi, Dongaata and Arunachalam, the latter being her first venture with Rajinikanth.
Her portrayal of an NRI woman falling prey to the extreme abuse by her father-in-law in the film Anthahpuram was highly applauded by critics. She won several accolades, including her second Filmfare Best Actress award and the Nandi Special Jury Award. In 1999, she featured in the romantic drama Raja, which earned her the third Filmfare Best Actress award as well as the Industry Hit film Padayappa. The same year, she appeared opposite Amitabh Bachchan in the film Sooryavansham, her first and only venture in Bollywood. Her career saw a further rise with films like Annayya, Ninne Premistha, Azad, 9 Nelalu and Eduruleni Manishi, which garnered her positive reviews. In 2002, she acted as the protagonist and co-produced the film Dweepa, which won numerous accolades including two National Film Awards. Swetha Naagu became her last release while being alive; it was her 100th film. Post her death, Siva Shankar and Apthamitra marked her posthumous releases. She was also awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada for Apthamitra posthumously.

Other languages

YearTitleRoleLanguageNotes
1992Rajadhi RajaShakuntalaKannada Debut film
1992Nanna ThangiMadhuriKannada
1992Baa Nanna PreethisuAshaKannada
1992GandharvaSudhaKannada
1993PonnumaniChinthamaniTamilTamil Debut
1993Vijaya KranthiLuckyKannada
1994Thooguve KrishnanaMeenaKannada
1995Muthu KaalaiPoonjolaiTamil
1995Dear Son MaruthuRaniTamil
1996SipayiShanthiKannada
1996SenathipathiAishwaryaTamil
1997ArunachalamVedhavalliTamil
1998Kaathala KaathalaStella SundariTamil
1998Doni SagaliKshamaKannada
1999Mannavaru ChinnavaruMeghanaTamilpartially reshot version of Subhavartha
1999AryabhataBharatiKannada
1999PadayappaVasundharaTamil
1999Naanu Nanna HendthiruSeethaKannada
1999SooryavanshamRadhaHindiHindi debut
2000Naga DevatheGoddess NagammaKannada
2001Sri ManjunathaKatyayaniKannada
2001ThavasiPriyadharshiniTamilNominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
2002IvanDheetchanyaTamilNominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
2002DweepaNagiKannadaAlso producer; Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada
2002Yathrakarude SradhakkuJyothiMalayalamMalayalam debut
2003Chokka ThangamPavalamTamil
2003Kilichundan MampazhamAaminaMalayalam
2003VijayadashamiGoddess BhuvaneshwariKannada
2003Sri RenukadeviRenuka DeviKannada
2004Swetha NagaraMadhumatiKannada
2004ApthamitraGanga / NagavalliKannadaPosthumous release
Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada
2008Navashakthi VaibhavaGoddess RenukadeviKannadaPosthumous release