Savithri Sreedharan, Beloved 'Umma' of Sudani from Nigeria, Dies at 83

Veteran Malayalam theatre and film actor Savithri Sreedharan, whose portrayal of Jameela in the 2018 film Sudani from Nigeria earned her a devoted following as 'Umma', died on Wednesday. She was 83.

She had been undergoing treatment for age-related ailments.

Sreedharan's acting life was rooted in Kozhikode's professional theatre circuit, where she worked for more than four decades. She was associated with several prominent troupes based in the city, among them Kalinga, Chiranthana Theatres, Sangamam and Stage India, and appeared in a large number of plays that established her reputation as a powerful stage performer.

Her stage work brought her the Kerala State Government's Best Actress award for theatre in 1977 and again in 1993. She was also honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for her contribution to theatre.

She entered cinema in M.T. Vasudevan Nair's Kadavu, playing a mother. Her filmography went on to include V2aliyangadi, Dakini, Mera Naam Shaji, Virus, Ittymaani: Made in China, Pada and Pappan.

It was her performance as Jameela in Sudani from Nigeria that brought her wide recognition among film audiences. The role won her a Special Mention at the 66th National Film Awards and the Kerala State Film Award for Best Character Actress.

Even after finding fame on screen, Sreedharan stayed closely tied to the professional theatre tradition of Kozhikode, the city where she spent much of her long acting career.