From child actor to renowned actress, discover the inspiring story of Kannur Sreelatha, her rise in Malayalam cinema, and the fake news that almost ended her career.
It was a few years ago in rural Kannur, Kerala. A local theatre troupe was performing before a packed audience, their play unfolding with moments of laughter and tears.
Backstage, a young child actor waited in costume for his cue. But when the moment finally came, the boy had drifted off to sleep, and no amount of calling could wake him.
The group, caught in a dilemma, suddenly found a saviour in the most unexpected form: his eight-year-old sister. Without hesitation, she stepped onto the stage as a stand-in for her brother.
That first, unexpected debut did not falter. From there, she went on to act in more than a hundred films, countless plays and telefilms. Over the years, she became a familiar face to Malayali audiences.
It was director Sathyan Anthikad who gave her a lasting identity, adding her hometown to her name; thus, she became Kannur Sreelatha. On screen, she appeared in many shades: the supportive friend, the strong mother, the neighbour who belonged to every household.
Today, she resides in a modest house in Keezthulli village, on the fringes of Kannur town.
A childhood surrounded by theatre legends
Sreelatha was born in Thalaikavu, the heart of Kannur city. The daughter of famous theatre artists Kallalam Shantha and N P Rajan, there was always drama around her. “My father had his own drama troupe called ‘Raja Theatres’… All the rehearsals and drama discussions were held at home. I grew up watching all that.
All the theatre artists who came to Kannur would gather at our house. Kuthiravattom Pappu, Nellikode Bhaskaran, Kozhikode Narayanan, Vasu Pradeep, Madakkara Lakshmanan, Nalini Nileshwaram, Kannur Joyce, music director Kannur Rajan and others were regular visitors to the house. Kannur Rajan had composed a song that my father had just written and turned it into a drama song, which was very popular. This was the song my father sang while making the beedi. Those are all my childhood memories,” she recalled.
'Karukaruka Kurukuruka Chembakaviththu Lampadi Pakunne Mathapoothathum, Kalaparicchathum, Karikkarchathum, Neyyappam Chuttathum Neeyarinjodi Aduthaveetile Karuthapenne Meenakshi... '
“At the age of 8, I made my debut in the acting field with the play 'Chitarunna Chillukal'. I replaced my brother's role, and it was given to me by my father. ‘Everything is a destiny,” she added
Drama is life
Recognising her passion for drama and the stage, Sreelatha’s father began giving her small roles in plays. She also trained in dance under Kalamandalam Vanaja.
“When a dance competition ended at a cultural festival, everyone said I would come first. But the children of two teachers were competing with me. Despite making mistakes during their performance, they won the prize because of their influence. I was pushed to third place. One of the judges even told me this openly. From then on, I decided not to take part in school competitions anymore,” she recalled.
“I have performed dance plays with my teacher, Kalamandalam Vanaja. Later, I also trained under Sreenivasan and Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair,” Sreelatha said.
“I played notable roles in many of my father’s plays, including Apaswaram, Asthipanjaram, Kudumbadrohi, and Chekuthante Kottaram. That opened the way for prominent amateur drama committees to approach me.”
She continued, “I went on to act in plays like Trishulam, Sathyathinte Mukham, Shubha Pantuvarali, Uttarayanapakshi, Aashthana Viddhikal, Nirangal, Theepidicha Athmavu, and Cabinet with various art societies. As part of a drama contract with the Alavil National Art Society in Kannur, I earned a remuneration of 75 rupees per stage. I also performed in Bhaktapriya and Charithram Aavarthikkunnu with them. When these plays became popular, people began to notice me more as an actress.”
“When I was in the ninth grade, I was invited to act in a play by Kalinga Theatres in Kozhikode. KT Muhammed was the director, and I stayed there for about a year,” she said. “I played the role of Nilambur Ayesha’s daughter in the play Kainattikal. That year, my schooling was interrupted, and I failed the tenth-grade examination.”
She added, “While preparing for the second attempt, I acted in the play Nandhi Veendum Varika by Sangamam Theatres in Kozhikode. Through that, I received the State Award for Best Professional Actress in 1981–82. By then, I had already cleared the 10th class.”
“When I began earning a good income from theatre, I decided to continue acting. I went on to perform in many plays like Muthappan, Kadaangot Makkam...,” she said.
Film debut
Sreelatha’s first brush with cinema came as a child artist in Kottayi Bharathan’s Sneha Sammanam. But the film never made it to theatres. Not long after, she appeared in Naseema alongside her parents.
“There was only one scene where I had to play dead in Naseema,” she laughed. “Later, after receiving the State Award for Best Drama Actress, my real film debut happened. I was called for Balachandra Menon’s Prashnam Gurutharam. With that, people began to notice me.”
What followed was a golden run. “For five years straight, I was part of some of the best films — Kaanamarayathu, Ente Upasana, April 18, Sandharbham, Appunni... it was such a memorable phase,” she said.
The name that would stick with her for life also came during that period. “The shooting of Appunni was in Kozhikode. It was on that set that director Sathyan Anthikad suggested calling me Kannur Sreelatha. And from then on, that’s who I became,” she recalled.
Interval and second appearance
Just when Sreelatha was carving out a place for herself with good films, her world was shaken by a piece of fake news in a small Kannur newspaper. It changed everything.
“That day, I was in Ernakulam for the shooting of Thammil Thammil. Suddenly, I heard the news. A false story had spread in Kannur city that I had been brutally raped in a tourist home and was in critical condition in the hospital. No one even bothered to check the truth. The fake news spread like wildfire. The humiliation it caused my family forced me to stop acting,” she recalled.
“I still don’t know who was behind it or what their motive was. After that, I stayed away from films for ten years. During that time, I worked with All India Radio, hosting a programme called Ezhuthupetti. It was only in 1995 that I returned to acting, starting with a telefilm. My friend, who later became my life partner, Prakash, was the one who encouraged that comeback,” she said.
Her return was nothing short of remarkable. “In just two years, I acted in more than 25 films — Hitler Brothers, Rajakeeyam, Killikkurissiyile Kudumbamela, Sammanam, Kottaram Veettile Apputtan, Njangal Santhushtaraanu, Ayal Kathayezhuthukayaanu, Kannezhuthi Pottumthotthu, Gershom, Pattabhishekam and many others. After that, I never looked back. The role of Rosakutty in Kannezhuthi Pottumthotthu won me wide appreciation. My last film was Monica Oru AI Story.”
Life-changing moments
Sreelatha is also an A-grade artist on All India Radio and has made her mark on the mini-screen through acclaimed serials like Minnukettu, Tanich, Amma Manass, Snehanjali, and Ival Yamuna.
“With the decrease in films, I am now more active in musical programmes with my husband. We are doing a show called Old is Gold. I still hope to keep getting good roles in films,” she said with a smile.
Published: 19 Aug 2025, 06:05 pm IST
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