Silk Smitha: Difference between revisions
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'''Silk Smitha''' ({{lang-te|'సిల్క్' స్మిత}}; (2 December 1960 – 23 September 1996) was an [[Cinema of India|Indian]] film actress. Starting a make-up girl in 1970s, she became an movie extra <ref>{{cite web |title= Why Silk Smitha is Bollywood's favourite bad girl|author=Anupama Chopra|authorlink=Anupama Chopra|url=http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?ID=ENTEN20110184987&keyword=bollywood&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&nid=136920 |date=September 28, 2011 |publisher=NDTV Movies }}</ref> and subsequently the most wanted heroine of the early 80s. The [[sobriquet]] "Silk" came in 1979, with her first Tamil film ''Vandi Chakkaram'', in which she played a [[bar girl]] named Silk. In a career spanning 17 years, she did over 450 films in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Kannada]] and [[Hindi]] languages. |
'''Silk Smitha''' ({{lang-te|'సిల్క్' స్మిత}}; (2 December 1960 – 23 September 1996) was an [[Cinema of India|Indian]] film actress. Starting a make-up girl in 1970s, she became an movie extra <ref>{{cite web |title= Why Silk Smitha is Bollywood's favourite bad girl|author=Anupama Chopra|authorlink=Anupama Chopra|url=http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?ID=ENTEN20110184987&keyword=bollywood&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&nid=136920 |date=September 28, 2011 |publisher=NDTV Movies }}</ref> and subsequently the most wanted heroine of the early 80s. The [[sobriquet]] "Silk" came in 1979, with her first Tamil film ''Vandi Chakkaram'', in which she played a [[bar girl]] named Silk. In a career spanning 17 years, she did over 450 films in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Kannada]] and [[Hindi]] languages. |
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== Biography == |
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Born '''Vijayalakshmi''' in poor family in [[Eluru]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], Smitha left school after her fourth standard due to financial constraints. Due to her good looks, she was ‘exploited’ by men, thus her family married her off at a very young age. But when she started getting ill-treated in her marriage, she ran away to Madras ([[Chennai]]) and started living with an aunt.<ref name=silk/><ref name="BNET Independent">{{cite news | Last Name = Kuldip| First Name= hussain| title = Obituary|publisher = The Independent cited in BNET| date = 1996-09-26 | url = http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19960926/ai_n14066122| accessdate = 2006-11-09}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref> |
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==Career== |
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She started her career as a touch-up artiste for a B-grade actor, and soon got a break in small character roles.<ref name=silk/> Later she was discovered by Indian director [[Vinu Chakravarthy]] at a flour mill. He renamed her Smitha and his wife taught her English, while she learned dancing from another teacher.<ref>{{cite news | Last Name = KP| First Name= Sunil| title = Chronicle of a death foretold | publisher = Rediff India Abroad| date = 1997-04-04 | url = http://www.rediff.com/entertai/apr/04silk.htm| accessdate = 2009-01-02}}</ref> Smitha made her debut in the [[Cinema of Kerala|Malayalam film]] ''Inaye Thedi'' in 1979.<ref>[http://www.rediff.com/movies/apr/04silk.htm Chronicle of a death foretold] Rediff April 04, 1997</ref>, though soon due to her overt sex appeal, she switched to roles of cabaret dancers and vamp roles and thus got [[type casted]]. <ref name=silk/> After garnering much notice and acclaim with her first major role in the Tamil film ''Vandi Chakkaram'', in 1979, Smitha assumed the [[Stage name|screen name]] "Silk", after her character's name in the movie.<ref>{{cite news | Last Name = Staff Correspondent| First Name= Pradeep| title = Some reel-life role models| publisher = Deccan Herald| date = 2006-10-26 | url = http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/Oct262006/update11483520061026.asp| accessdate = 2006-11-09}}</ref><ref name="toi_20110221">{{cite news|title=Ekta slams Silk Smitha's boyfriend|work=[[The Times of India]]|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-02-21/news-interviews/28618730_1_silk-smitha-dirty-picture-ekta-kapoor|date=February 21, 2011|author=Vicky Lalwani}}</ref> However after it became a big hit, she could not escape typecasting, severely limiting her range throughout her career.<ref name=silk/> |
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Silk Smitha went on to star in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and a few Hindi films. Her dance numbers, semi-nude scenes and bold performances in films like ''[[Moondru Mugam]]'' made her the ultimate symbol of sensuality in [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Kannada]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]] cinema. Her item numbers in films like ''[[Amaran]]'' were also celebrated at the box office. Some film critics, historians and journalists have referred to her as a "soft porn" actress.<ref>{{cite news | Last Name = Sebastian| First Name=| title = Magic workers| publisher = The Hindu| date = 2005-03-06 | url = http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/lr/2005/03/06/stories/2005030600310500.htm| accessdate = 2006-11-09}}</ref> A vast majority of her movies are softcore and a common theme is her playing a freakishly strong agent in skimpy [[bikinis]] beating up huge thugs. Even in the rare non-sexual roles, she impressed critics and audiences, such as her role of a wife hurt by her husband's infidelity in ''[[Alaigal Oivathillai]]'' (1981). <ref name=silk/> One of her films, ''[[Layanam]]'' (1989), has earned a cult status in the Indian adult film industry, and was dubbed in numerous languages including, [[Hindi]] as ''[[Reshma Ki Jawani]]'' (2002), which too acquired cult status.<ref name=silk/><ref>{{cite news | Last Name = Bhattacharya| First Name= Roshmila| title = Sex Sells| language =| publisher = Screen Weekly| date = 2002-11-08 | url = http://www.screenindia.com/fullstory.php?content_id=8| accessdate = 2006-11-09}}</ref> Her most respected film is ''[[Moondram Pirai]]'' by [[Balu Mahendra]], who he remade it in Hindi as ''[[Sadma]]'', with much of the cast, including Sridevi, Kamal Hassan, and Silk Smitha reprising their roles.<ref>{{cite news | Last Name = Ashok Kumar| First Name= SR |
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| title = A saga of success| publisher = The Hindu| date = 2006-09-06 | url = http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/09/15/stories/2006091500110200.htm| accessdate = 2006-11-09}}</ref> |
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At the peak of her career, according to Tamil film historian, [[Randor Guy]], "Films that had lain in cans for years were sold by the simple addition of a Silk Smitha song.”. <ref name=silk>{{cite news |title=Silk Route: Ekta Kapoor’s forthcoming film ‘The Dirty Picture’ revisits a sequins-and-pelvic-thrust era of Tamil cinema..|url=http://www.livemint.com/2011/09/30210746/Silk-Route.html?h=A3 |publisher=[[Mint (newspaper)]] |date=September 30 2011}}</ref> |
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==Death== |
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In 1996, Smitha was found dead in her [[Chennai]] apartment. The previous year she had tried to become a film producer. Financial problems, disillusionment in love and an alcohol dependency apparently led to depression.<ref name="BNET Independent"/> It is suspected that Smitha committed suicide.<ref name=indiatoday>{{cite news|last=Vasudev| first=Shefalee| title= Young Affluent and Depressed | publisher = ''India Today'' |date =2002-12-23 | url =http://www.india-today.com/itoday/20021223/living.shtml | accessdate =2009-01-02}}</ref>, but the circumstances of her death remain a mystery. |
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==In popular culture== |
==In popular culture== |
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Revision as of 19:43, 11 November 2011
Silk Smitha | |
|---|---|
| Born | Vijayalakshmi December 2, 1960 |
| Died | September 23, 1996 (aged 35) |
Silk Smitha (Template:Lang-te; (2 December 1960 – 23 September 1996) was an Indian film actress. Starting a make-up girl in 1970s, she became an movie extra [1] and subsequently the most wanted heroine of the early 80s. The sobriquet "Silk" came in 1979, with her first Tamil film Vandi Chakkaram, in which she played a bar girl named Silk. In a career spanning 17 years, she did over 450 films in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi languages.
Biography
Born Vijayalakshmi in poor family in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, Smitha left school after her fourth standard due to financial constraints. Due to her good looks, she was ‘exploited’ by men, thus her family married her off at a very young age. But when she started getting ill-treated in her marriage, she ran away to Madras (Chennai) and started living with an aunt.[2][3]
Career
She started her career as a touch-up artiste for a B-grade actor, and soon got a break in small character roles.[2] Later she was discovered by Indian director Vinu Chakravarthy at a flour mill. He renamed her Smitha and his wife taught her English, while she learned dancing from another teacher.[4] Smitha made her debut in the Malayalam film Inaye Thedi in 1979.[5], though soon due to her overt sex appeal, she switched to roles of cabaret dancers and vamp roles and thus got type casted. [2] After garnering much notice and acclaim with her first major role in the Tamil film Vandi Chakkaram, in 1979, Smitha assumed the screen name "Silk", after her character's name in the movie.[6][7] However after it became a big hit, she could not escape typecasting, severely limiting her range throughout her career.[2]
Silk Smitha went on to star in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and a few Hindi films. Her dance numbers, semi-nude scenes and bold performances in films like Moondru Mugam made her the ultimate symbol of sensuality in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam cinema. Her item numbers in films like Amaran were also celebrated at the box office. Some film critics, historians and journalists have referred to her as a "soft porn" actress.[8] A vast majority of her movies are softcore and a common theme is her playing a freakishly strong agent in skimpy bikinis beating up huge thugs. Even in the rare non-sexual roles, she impressed critics and audiences, such as her role of a wife hurt by her husband's infidelity in Alaigal Oivathillai (1981). [2] One of her films, Layanam (1989), has earned a cult status in the Indian adult film industry, and was dubbed in numerous languages including, Hindi as Reshma Ki Jawani (2002), which too acquired cult status.[2][9] Her most respected film is Moondram Pirai by Balu Mahendra, who he remade it in Hindi as Sadma, with much of the cast, including Sridevi, Kamal Hassan, and Silk Smitha reprising their roles.[10]
At the peak of her career, according to Tamil film historian, Randor Guy, "Films that had lain in cans for years were sold by the simple addition of a Silk Smitha song.”. [2]
Death
In 1996, Smitha was found dead in her Chennai apartment. The previous year she had tried to become a film producer. Financial problems, disillusionment in love and an alcohol dependency apparently led to depression.[3] It is suspected that Smitha committed suicide.[11], but the circumstances of her death remain a mystery.
In popular culture
In 2011, a biopic on Silk Smitha's life, titled The Dirty Picture, is being produced in Hindi by Ekta Kapoor, directed by Milan Luthria [12] starring Vidya Balan as Smitha which is slated to release on Smitha's birthday on December 2, 2011.[13][2]
Selected filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Inaye Thedi | Malayalam | |
| 1979 | Vandi Chakkaram | Tamil | |
| 1981 | Alaigal Oivathillai | Tamil | |
| 1981 | Seethakoka Chiluka | Telugu | |
| 1982 | Yamakinkarudu | Telugu | |
| 1982 | Moondram Pirai | Headmaster's wife | Tamil |
| 1982 | Sagalakala Vallavan | Tamil | |
| 1982 | Pattanathu Rajakkal | Tamil | |
| 1982 | Theerpu | Tamil | |
| 1982 | Thanikattu Raja | Tamil | |
| 1982 | Ranga | Tamil | |
| 1982 | Sivantha Kankal | Tamil | |
| 1982 | Parvaiyin Marupakkam | Tamil | |
| 1983 | Moondru Mugam | Tamil | |
| 1983 | Paayum Puli | Tamil | |
| 1983 | Thudikkum Karangal | Tamil | |
| 1983 | Sadma | Soni | Hindi |
| 1983 | Thai Veedu | Tamil | |
| 1983 | Prathigna | Malayalam | |
| 1983 | Thanga Magan | Tamil | |
| 1983 | Khaidi | Telugu | |
| 1983 | Jeet Hamaari | Soni | Hindi |
| 1983 | Jaani Dost | Laila | Hindi |
| 1983 | Attakkalasam | Malayalam | |
| 1983 | Eettappuli | Rani | Malayalam |
| 1983 | Silk Silk Silk | Tamil | |
| 1983 | Soorakottai Singakutti | Tamil | |
| 1983 | Gudachari No.1 | Telugu | |
| 1983 | Roshagadu | Telugu | |
| 1984 | Challenge | Priyamvada | Telugu |
| 1984 | Rustum | Telugu | |
| 1984 | Neenga Kettavai | Tamil | |
| 1984 | Vaazhkai | Tamil | |
| 1984 | Prachanda Kulla | Kannada | |
| 1985 | Ottayam | Bhagyalakshmi | Malayalam |
| 1985 | Revenge | Geetha | Malayalam |
| 1985 | Chattamtho Poratam | Telugu | |
| 1985 | Shri Datta Darshanam | Telugu | |
| 1986 | Raakshasudu | Telugu | |
| 1987 | Aalappirandhavan | Tamil | |
| 1989 | Miss Pamela | Malayalam | |
| 1989 | Layanam | Malayalam | |
| 1989 | Andru Peytha Mazhaiyil | Tamil | |
| 1989 | Adharvam | Ponni | Malayalam |
| 1989 | Pick Pocket | Tamil | |
| 1989 | Sonthakkaran | Sudha | Tamil |
| 1990 | Avasara Police 100 | Tamil | |
| 1990 | Sunday 7 PM | Malayalam | |
| 1990 | Bamma Maata Bangaru Baata | Telugu | |
| 1991 | Aditya 369 | Rajanarthaki Nandini | Telugu |
| 1991 | Thalattu Ketkudhamma | Tamil | |
| 1991 | Chaithanya | Telugu | |
| 1991 | Thambikku Oru Paattu | Tamil | |
| 1991 | Idhayam | Tamil | |
| 1992 | Naadody | Malayalam | |
| 1992 | Halli Meshtru | Kannada | |
| 1992 | Antham | Telugu | |
| 1993 | Sabash Babu | Tamil | |
| 1993 | Bava Bavamaridi | Telugu | |
| 1993 | Mafia | Malayalam | |
| 1993 | Ulle Veliye | Tamil | |
| 1993 | Alimayya | Kannada | |
| 1993 | Rakshana | Telugu | |
| 1993 | Muta Mestri | Telugu | |
| 1994 | Oru Vasantha Geetham | Tamil | |
| 1994 | Vijaypath | Hindi | |
| 1994 | Palnati Pourusham | Telugu | |
| 1994 | Maro Quit India | Telugu | |
| 1995 | Spadikam | Laila | Malayalam |
| 1995 | Thumboli Kadappuram | Malayalam | |
| 1996 | Lucky Man | Tamil | |
| 1996 | Coimbatore Mappillai | Tamil |
References
- ^ Anupama Chopra (September 28, 2011). "Why Silk Smitha is Bollywood's favourite bad girl". NDTV Movies.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Silk Route: Ekta Kapoor's forthcoming film 'The Dirty Picture' revisits a sequins-and-pelvic-thrust era of Tamil cinema." Mint (newspaper). September 30 2011.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "Obituary". The Independent cited in BNET. 1996-09-26. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|First Name=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|Last Name=ignored (help) [dead link] - ^ "Chronicle of a death foretold". Rediff India Abroad. 1997-04-04. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|First Name=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|Last Name=ignored (help) - ^ Chronicle of a death foretold Rediff April 04, 1997
- ^ "Some reel-life role models". Deccan Herald. 2006-10-26. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|First Name=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|Last Name=ignored (help) - ^ Vicky Lalwani (February 21, 2011). "Ekta slams Silk Smitha's boyfriend". The Times of India.
- ^ "Magic workers". The Hindu. 2005-03-06. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|First Name=(help); Unknown parameter|Last Name=ignored (help) - ^ "Sex Sells". Screen Weekly. 2002-11-08. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|First Name=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|Last Name=ignored (help) - ^ "A saga of success". The Hindu. 2006-09-06. Retrieved 2006-11-09.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|First Name=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|Last Name=ignored (help) - ^ Vasudev, Shefalee (2002-12-23). "Young Affluent and Depressed". India Today. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Vidya's nothing like Silk". Pune Times of India. September 2, 2011.
- ^ "First Look: Vidya Balan as Silk Smitha". Times of India. 2011-08-26. Retrieved 2011-11-29.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)
Further Reading
- Ashish Rajadhyaksha, Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema, Oxford University Press, 1994 (ISBN 0-85170-669-X)
- Roopa Swaminathan, Star Dust: Vignettes from the Fringes of the Film Industry, Penguin, 2004 (ISBN 0-14-303243-7)
- Suparna Bhaskaran, Made in India: Decolonizations, Queer Sexualities, Trans/National Projects, Palgrave Macmillan, 2004 (ISBN 1-4039-6726-1)