Sumalatha

Some Lesser Known Facts About Sumalatha

• Sumalatha spent her childhood in Mumbai and Andhra Pradesh.

• After Sumalatha completed her schooling, she participated in a beauty pageant in Andhra Pradesh in 1979 and won.

• After she won the pageant, she was approached by Telugu film producer D. Ramanaidu to cast her in his film and also offered her a signing amount of ₹1,001; however, Sumalatha made her acting debut with a Tamil film.

• After making her acting debut in 1979 with the Tamil film Thisai Maariya Paravaigal (1979), Sumaltha appeared in the Tamil film Murattu Kaalai (1980).

• In the film, she played the role of Soundaryam. She appeared alongside Rajinikanth.

  

• Sumalatha has appeared in more than twenty Tamil films including Sollathe Yarum Kettaal (1981), Kudumbam Oru Kadambam (1981), Theerpu (1982), and Azhagiya Kanne (1982).

• Sumalatha can speak six different languages including Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada.

• Sumalatha has appeared in more than 40 Malayalam films including Ee Thanutha Veluppan Kalathu (1990), John Jaffer Janardhanan (1982), David David Mr. David (1988), and Chakravalam Chuvannappol (1983).
  

  

   

• Sumlatha has acted in many Telugu films including Gang Leader (1991), Jayammu Nischayammu Raa (1989), Thandri Kodukula Challenge (1987), Raja Kumarudu (1999), and Srirastu Subhamastu (2016).

  

• In the Telugu film Rakshasudu (1986), Sumalatha’s off-screen friendship with the actress Suhasini Maniratnam is also shown in the film; when she was combing her friend’s hair on the train for the journey to the sets, the director asked the cameraman to shoot the scene.

• In 2019, after she announced that she would contest the 2019 Indian general elections from the Mandya constituency in Karnataka as an independent candidate, the Bharatiya Janata Party officially backed her by withdrawing any BJP candidates from the Mandya constituency to show support for her against the Janata Dal (Secular) party candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. ^[4]Deccan Herald

  

• On 20 March 2019, while filing the nomination papers for the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Sumalatha was accompanied by famous actors from the South film industry including Yash and Darshan Thoogudeepa Shrinivas.

  

• In February 2024, Sumalatha was urged by many BJP leaders to contest from any other constituency rather than Mandya for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections due to the ongoing NDA alliance; however, during an interview, she refused pointing out that it was always the sitting Member of the Parliament from the constituency that was offered the candidacy and she also said that she believed BJP would offer her the seat. She said,
  

  It has been a common practice to field the sitting MP from a particular constituency despite any alliance. I am confident that the BJP will give me a ticket to contest from Mandya. My husband won four times from here and my election is the fifth term for our family from Mandya. The people of Mandya have great expectations from our family and I want to take forward Ambareesh’s legacy. I entered politics for Mandya. If I have to contest from any other constituency, why should I be in politics?” ^[5]The Hindu

• Sumalatha has appeared in more than 30 Kannadda films including Thayige Thakka Maga (2018), Sathya Jyothi (1986), Ee Sambhashane (2009), and India vs England (2020).

  

• On 20 January 2024, Sumalatha received an honorary doctorate from the United Technological Research University of America, Hyderabad for Social Service & service in Politics & Films.