Sheela (born 24 March 1945) is a Malayalam film actress from India. She, along with Prem Nazir, holds the world record for acting in the largest number of films (110) together as heroine and hero.^[1] In 2005 she won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the Malayalam film Akale.^[2] She has also acted in numerous films with Madhu, Sathyan, Jayan and M. G. Soman and several film stars.

Biography[link]

Sheela was born in a Syrian Christian family in Trissur, Kerala.^[3] She made her debut in Paasam opposite MGR. Her first film in Malayalam was Bhagyajathakom, with Sathyan. The next two decades saw her essay roles in more than 475 films totally in various languages such as Tamil, Telugu and Kannada and Malayalam. Very Famous Films such as Chemmeen, Kallichellamma, Velutha Kathreena and Vazhve Mayam were a few among them. She has won many awards such as Kerala State Film Awards, the Lux award and the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement award.^[4]. In one of her most famous movies - Kannapanunni, she plays the role of a powerful yet humane woman - She is a princess forced to marry a poor woodcutter. She takes an oath - she will make the woodcutter the best warrior but stay a virgin if she fails. She takes the puny guy into her fold & through love as well as command and control, trains him for 100 days. The warrior then wins & is rewarded on the grand victory night with physical love.of Sheela. ^[5]. In another famous movie, Kadathanattu Makkam, she plays the role of a princess who is cheated by her sisters in law and false allegations of being in love with a boatman are leveled against her. She and the boatman are both charged with the death sentence. She gets the boatman smuggled in during the last night before they are to be executed and rewards him for his loyalty by making physical love to him. ^[6] Her name, along with Prem Nazir's name figures in the Guinness Book of World Records, for acting together consecutively in 107 films. In the 70s and 80s, Sheela's tried her hand at directing as well. She directed two films, Yakshaganom and Shikarangal. She wrote the story, script, and screenplay for Shikharangaland Yakshagaanam, which was also remade in Tamil. Besides films, she has directed a tele-film Ninaivukale neengividu in which Jayabharathi acted. She acted with Kamal Hassan in films like Vishnu Vijayam and Eeta as heroine. She acted as Akhilandeswary in the 2005 blockbuster Chandramukhi alongside Rajinikanth. She has also authored a book, titled Kuilinte Kooduand many short stories. She is a very good painter and her oil paintings and portraits were commendable.

Sheela returned to acting, playing main role in Sathyan Anthikkad's Manassinakkare. The film was a huge hit, and her performance was critically acclaimed. Sheela bagged the Kerala State Film Award for best supporting actress in the film Akale.

She was married to Tamil actor Ravichandran. She has a son George (alias Vishnu), who acts in Tamil serials and a few Malayalam movies.

Awards[link]

Asianet Film Awards

• 2007 – Best Lifetime Achievement Award

Filmfare Awards South

• Best Malayalam Actress – 1977 – Lakshmi

Kerala State Film Awards

• Best Actress – 1969 – Various Films
• Best Actress – 1971 – Various Films
• Best Actress – 1976 – Anubhavam
• Second Best Actress – 2004 – Akale

National Film Awards

• Best Supporting Actress – 2005 – Akale

See also[link]

• Jayabharathi
• Sharada

References[link]

External links[link]

• Sheela at the Internet Movie Database