There are very few such artists in the film industry whose death saddens not only their loved ones but also their fans and the entire film fraternity. The actress we are talking about today is one such artist who helped the Indian film industry gain recoginition with her immense talent. She also earned true love and admiration from her fans and other veterans. We are talking about none other than Malayalam film actress Sukumari Amma who worked a lot and also gained recognition and respect for it but became a victim of a painful death.
Sukumari Amma, born in October 1940, is best known for her works in Malayalam and Tamil films. In a career spanning over five decades, Sukumari Amma appeared in more than 2500 films mainly in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu, along with a few Hindi and one each in Sinhala, French, Bengali, Tulu, English, and Kannada films.
Sukumari Amma, born in present-day Tamil Nadu, started working in films at the age of 10 with a minor role in the Tamil film 'Or Iravu' in 1951. She started her dance career in 1946 and was active in films, TV serials, albums, advertisements, dramas, television shows, stage shows, public programs, special functions, and cultural events for more than 65 years.
In 2003, Sukumari Amma was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India. She also won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for the Tamil film 'Namma Gramam' (2010).
But as thrilling and inspiring as her life and career were, Sukumari Amma died a painful death, leaving fans truly heartbroken. In 2013, Sukumari Amma suffered burn injuries while lighting a traditional lamp at her residence. One month after the incident, in March 2013, Sukumari Amma died from a cardiac arrest at a Chennai hospital, where she was receiving treatments for burns.
Sukumari Anna was married to director A. Bhimsingh till his death in 1978. She was widowed at 38. The couple had a son, Suresh, who acted in many films and is now a professional doctor.
