Suhasini

Suhasini Maniratnam (born Suhasini Charuhasan, on 15 August 1961) is an Indian film actress known for her works in South Indian Cinema. She made her film debut in 1980 with the Tamil film Nenjathai Killathe for which she won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress. Suhasini has won the National Film Award for Best Actress for Sindhu Bhairavi in 1986. She has received four Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Kannada, Two Kerala State Film Awards, Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Telugu, and has garnered state awards like, Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, Nandi Awards.

Early life and career

Suhasini was born to Charuhasan, on 15 August 1961 in Chennai in the prominent Hassan family. In 1988 she married Mani Ratnam, and has a son.

Film career

A student of cinematography from the Madras Film Institute, Suhasini started her career as a camera assistant to Ashok Kumar and later went on to become an actress. Suhasini has acted in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films. She started her career as a make-up artist for several leading actors at that time. She is extremely popular in Kannada movies. Her films Bandhana directed by Rajendra Singh Babu and Suprabhatha, directed by Dinesh Baboo was a blockbuster, and thus became one of the most bankable stars of Kannada cinema of the time. Suhasini at TeachAIDS recording session in 2013

Muttina Haara (1990) with Vishnuvardhan directed by Rajendra Singh Babu, Benkiyalli Aralida Hoovu (1983) directed by K. Balchander, Hendthig Helthini and Amruthavarshini directed by Dinesh Babu were all run away hits. Her work in Mathad Mathad Mallige with Vishnuvardhan directed by Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar, Eradane Maduve and its sequel Mathondu Maduve directed by Dinesh Baboo. Her combination with Dr.Vishnuvardhan is considered as one of the best and rare combinations of South Indian Cinema and the duo have acted together in many blockbuster films that include Bandhana, Suprabhatha, Muthina Haara, Hendthig Helthini, Himapatha, Mathad Mathad Mallige, School Master etc.

She was introduced to Malayalam cinema through Padmarajan's Koodevide (1983), which also featured Mammootty. Her role in the AFI Fest-nominated feature Vanaprastham (1999), which starred Mohanlal, was particularly well received. She won the National Film Award for Best Actress in 1986 for her role in the 1985 Tamil film Sindhu Bhairavi, directed by K. Balachander. In 1996, Suhasini stepped into direction with Indira. She also wrote the screenplay for the film. The project was produced by G. V. Films. Suhasini and her husband Mani Ratnam are involved in the running of their production company Madras Talkies, with G. Srinivasan. She is a self-confessed Atheist. In an interview to Radhika Rajamani of rediff.com she said "I don't believe in God, in prayer, in going to temples begging God to give me and my family happiness. I am not asking everyone to be an atheist, but good thoughts are not spent in a temple. You are not going to make money merely by reciting slokas; you need to know the share market, mutual funds and so on. I am learning French even though I am a housewife, a mother, daughter, friend, agony aunt to friends and family. I am practical. That is why I am into social work.".

Galleries of Suhasini