Geetha is an Indian actress who appears in Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Hindi, and Tulu films. She debuted in the Tamil film Bairavi (as Rajinikanth's sister). Since then, she has appeared in more than 200 films in all major South Indian languages, and in a few Hindi films. Geetha has won two Filmfare Awards South as well as, Kerala State Film Awards and Karnataka State Film Awards.
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Career
Geetha made her film debut with the 1978 Tamil film Bairavi, as the title character in which she played Rajinikanth's sister. She was in her seventh grade when she was cast for the film. She later discontinued her studies to concentrate on her acting career. Her performance as Indira in the 1986 Malayalam film Panchagni based on the true life story of a Naxalite revolutionary Ajitha, received critical acclaim and described by The Hindu as "one of Malayalam cinema's landmark heroines". The same year, she appeared in several other Malayalam films including Sukhamo Devi, Kshamichu Ennoru Vakku, Aavanazhi, and Geetham. She won the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress in 1989 for Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha. Most of her notable performances were with Mammootty and Mohanlal.
Her notable Kannada films are with Rajkumar, Ananth Nag, Vishnuvardhan and Ambareesh. Some of her notable films include Dhruva Thare, Devatha Manushya, Anuraga Aralithu, Shruthi Seridaaga, and Aakasmika with Rajkumar. Other films are Eradu Rekhegalu, Mareyada Manikya, Mrugaalaya, Veeradhi Veera, Mithileya Seethayaru, Nenapina Doni, Bairavi, Shiva Mecchida, Giri Baale, Ramanna Shamanna, Goonda Guru, Nigooda Rahasya, Ramapurada Ravana, Prachanda Kulla, Hrudaya Pallavi, Daada, Aaradhane, Shabarimale Swamy Ayyappa and Aruna Raaga. She was romantically paired with Ambareesh in more than fifteen films.
Geetha also appeared in Tamil serials including Kai Alavu Manasu and Engirindho Vanthaal, both directed by K. Balachander. She also starred in Tamil serials including Katha Kathayaam Karanamaam and Rajakumari, where she played Ramya Krishnan's mother which aired on Sun TV.
She did a cameo as Kamal Haasan's dance partner for the song "Ve Vela Gopemmala" in K. Viswanath's Sagara Sangamam. The Malayalam dubbed version was also a hit and "Karmegha Varnnante Maril" made her popular in Kerala before her debut in Panjagni.
Personal life
In 1997, she married Vasan Thatham, an American CPA and Indian chartered accountant. The couple lived in New Jersey, where Vasan is a business promoter and advisor to corporations. The couple have one son who was born in 1999.
After her marriage, she took a break from acting from 1998 to 2002. She returned to acting in 2003 and has played the hero's mother roles in films such as Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana, Okkadu, Pournami, Unakkum Enakkum, Santosh Subramaniam, Sivakasi, Azhagiya Tamil Magan, Masters and Anwar. She has since moved to Chennai.
Filmography
Awards
Karnataka State Film Awards
Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actress - Aruna Raaga (1986)
Kerala State Film Awards
1989 - Second Best Actress - Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha
Filmfare Awards South
Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Kannada - Shruthi SeridaagaShruthi Seridaaga
Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam - AadhaaramAadhaaram
Cinema Express Awards
1988 : Best Actress – Malayalam - Vaishalii
