The veteran actor won a National Award (Special Mention) for her performance as Jameela in the film Sudani from Nigeria.

Published on: Sep 23, 2026, 22:21:05 IST

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Savithri Sreedharan, the veteran Malayalam actor who won acclaim for her performance in Sudani from Nigeria, has died. She was 85. Chief Minister of Keralam, VD Satheesan, paid tribute to her legacy on Wednesday.

Sreedharan had been suffering from age-related ailments for some time, they said.

Her acting career and legacy

She had a four-decade-long career in theatre, having entered the amateur theatre scene at the age of 16. After nearly two decades in amateur theatre, she moved to the professional stage.

Eminent playwright K T Mohammed's play 'Deepasthambham Mahascharyam' marked a significant phase in her theatre career. She later acted with several prominent drama troupes.

Sreedharan was also a recipient of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award for her overall contribution to theatre.

She made her film debut in 1991 with Jnanpith laureate M T Vasudevan Nair's directorial venture 'Kadavu'.

After a long gap, she returned to the silver screen in 2018 with 'Sudani from Nigeria', earning widespread appreciation for her performance. Her role in the film won her the Kerala State Film Award for Best Character Actress in 2019 and a Special Mention at the National Film Awards.

V D Sathesan wrote on X, "Expressing grief over the demise of renowned theater-film star Savitri Sreedharan. She, who enriched the theater stage for decades, secured a place in the hearts of Malayalis through films including 'Sudani from Nigeria'. She was an artist who amazed audiences with her natural acting.

Sharing in the sorrow of family members and colleagues over the passing of Savitri Sreedharan."

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