Kozhikode,23 Sept (H.S.): Veteran theatre and film actor Savithri Sreedharan, who won national recognition for her performance in the Malayalam film Sudani from Nigeria, has died at the age of 83.

She died at her home in Mankavu, Kozhikode, after undergoing treatment for age-related ailments. A familiar presence on the Malayalam stage for decades, Savithri reached a wider audience when she appeared in Sudani from Nigeria in 2018.

Her performance in the film earned her a Special Mention at the 66th National Film Awards. The recognition came after a long career in theatre, where she had worked with several Kozhikode-based companies and performed in plays by noted dramatist K T Muhammed.

Savithri was associated with theatre groups including Kalinga, Chiranthana Theatres and Kozhikode Stage India. Her work across these companies made her a familiar figure to audiences who followed Malayalam theatre long before her arrival on screen.

Sudani from Nigeria brought her stage experience to cinema. In the film, she played Jameela, a role that drew attention to her performance and introduced her to viewers beyond the theatre circuit. The film became a turning point in her career, giving her recognition at both the state and national levels.

She subsequently appeared in Dakini, released in 2018, and Virus, released in 2019. These films added to her screen work, although theatre remained the foundation of her acting career.

Savithri’s career traced an uncommon path: years of sustained work before a film debut that won her national acclaim. Her death marks the loss of an actor whose contribution to Malayalam performance extended from Kozhikode’s theatre groups to the cinema screen.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman