Sumalatha Wiki, Height, Age, Husband, Children, Family, Biography & More

Sumalatha is an Indian politician and actress. She has acted in more than 200 films. She is the first Independent woman candidate who became a member of the Lok Sabha from Karnataka.

Wiki/Biography

Sumalatha was born on Tuesday, 27 August 1963 (age 59 years; as of 2023) in Madras (now Chennai), India. Her zodiac sign is Virgo. She did her schooling at St. Joseph Convent Brodipet, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. She grew up in Mumbai and Andhra Pradesh.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 5″

Weight (approx.): 65 kg

Hair Colour: Brown

Eye Colour: Black

Family

Sumalatha was born in a Naidu family in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh

Parents & Siblings

Sumalatha’s father, V. Madan Mohan, was a film technician and was known as the Chief of Optics, and her mother, Roopa Mohan, was a homemaker. Sumalatha is the fourth child of her parents among 5 children. She has two elder sisters, Renuka and Rohini, an elder brother, Rajendra Prasad and a younger sister Krishna Priya.

Husband & Children

Sumalatha got married to Kannada actor and politician Ambareesh on 8 December 1991. They have a son named Abhishek, who is an actor.

Ambareesh passed away on 24 November 2018 due to cardiac arrest, just a few days before their 27th marriage anniversary. Her son, Abhishek, got married to Indian model and internet personality Aviva Bidapa in 2023.

Relationship

Sumalatha was in a relationship with actor Ambareesh. They met for the first time on the sets of the Kannada film Aahuti (1985), where they developed a close friendship. Later in 1987, during the shooting of the Malayalam film New Delhi, they both grew closer. They were together for 3 years before tying the knot on 8 December 1991.

Religion

Sumalatha follows Hinduism.

Address

172/A, 21st Main, 2nd Phase, J.P. Nagar, Bengaluru

Signature

Career

Acting

Sumalatha began her acting career at the age of 15 after she won a beauty pageant in 1979. In the beginning, her only dream and ambition were to be cast along with veteran actor Kamal Hassan. She has done more than 220 films in her acting career.

Tamil film industry

She made her acting debut with the Tamil film Thisai Maariya Paravaigal (1979), in which played a role of a Dalit girl. She has done many Tamil films including Thazhvaram (1990), Nair Saab (1989), David David Mr David (1988), and Isabella (1988). She has worked with many veteran actors in the South Indian film industry including Rajinikanth, Jayan, and Mohanlal.  She worked as the second heroine for Rajinikanth beside Rati Agnihotri in films like Murattu Kaalai (1980) and Kazhugu (1981).

Telugu film industry

She made her Telugu debut with the film Karunamayudu (1978). She has appeared in many Telugu films including Illalu Vardhillu (1985), Hima Bindu (1982), Viswanatha Nayakudu (1987), and Srirastu Subhamastu (2016). Most of her Telugu films are with veteran actor Chiranjeevi. In the Telegu film, Rakshasudu (1986), Sumalatha’s off-screen friendship with the actress, Suhasini Maniratnam led to a candid scene making in the final cut of the film. This happened when she was combing her friend’s hair on the train for the journey to the sets and the director asked the cameraman to shoot the scene.

Malayalam Film industry

Sumalatha has appeared in many Malayalam films including Thazhvaram (1960), Isabella (1988) , Nirakkoottu (1985), Thoovanathumbikal (1987), Parampara (1990), and New Delhi (1987). In the film Isabella she played the role of a tour guide Isabella and in Thoovanathumbikal, she played the role of a sex worker, Clara, opposite Mohanlal. Her biggest hit was New Delhi (1987) in which she played the role of a dancer, Maria Fernandes opposite Mammootty. Most of her famous films were with Mammootty.

Kannada film industry

Sumalatha made her debut in the Kannada film industry with the film Ravichandra (1980), in which she played the role of Sheela, the wife of the lead role played by Rajkumar. She has acted in many Kannada films including Bhoopathi (2007), Hongkongnalli Agent Amar (1988), India vs England (2020), and Hope (2022).

Politics

Sumalatha began her political career in 2019 when she announced that she would contest the 2019 Indian general elections from the Mandya constituency in Karnataka as an independent candidate. She was backed officially by the BJP members and unofficially by the congress members. There were no BJP candidates from the Mandya constituency to show support for her against the JDS candidate Nikhil, son of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

She was accompanied by famous actors from the South film industry like Yash and Darshan Thoogudeepa Shrinivas when she filed the nomination papers on 20 March 2019. She won the elections with a margin of 128,876 votes and became the first Independent woman Member of parliament from Karnataka.

Assets & Properties

Movable Assets

• Bank Deposits: Rs. 1,31,88,453

• LIC or other insurance Policies: Rs.92,44,063

• Other Assets: Rs. 8,23,343

• Bonds, Debentures and Shares in Companies: Rs. 82,46,275

• Personal loans/advance given: Rs. 61,51,658

• Jewellery: Rs. 1,79,38,734

Immovable Assets

• Commercial Buildings: Rs. 41,00,000

• Residential Buildings: Rs. 17,31,91,150

Note: The given estimates of movable and immovable assets are according to the year 2017-2018.

Net Worth

Sumalatha’s net worth for the financial year 2017-2018 was estimated to be Rs. 22 crore.

Awards, Honours, Achievements

• In 1979, she won the Devar’s Best New Face Award for the Tamil film Thisai Maariya Paravaigal (1979).

• In 1987, she won the Special Jury Nandi Award for Best Actress for the Telugu film Shrutilayalu (1987).

• In 1987, She won Best Actress at Film Fans Award for the Telugu film Shrutilayalu (1987).

• In 1987, she won the Best Actress at the Kerala Film Critics Award for the Malayalam film New Delhi (1987).

• In 1987, she won Best Actress at the Lux Award for the Malayalam film New Delhi (1987).

• In 1987, she won the Film Fans Award for Best Actress for the Malayalam Film New Delhi (1987).

• In 1988, she won Best Actress at the Kerala Film Critics Award Malayalam film Isabella (1988).

Favourites

Facts/Trivia

• Sumalatha knows how to speak six different languages including Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada.

• Her hobbies include travelling, reading, and listening to music.