Veteran actress A Sakunthala no more

Veteran actress A Sakunthala, known for her contributions to the film industry across multiple languages, passed away on Tuesday, September 17 due to a heart attack. She was 84.

Sakunthala had been residing at her daughter’s house in Bengaluru and had been suffering from age-related ailments. On Tuesday afternoon, she experienced chest pain and was rushed to a nearby hospital. Unfortunately, she passed away in the evening due to a heart attack.

Originally from Arisipalayam in Salem district, Sakunthala initially gained recognition as a dancer and later entered the film industry, starting with small roles.

She has reportedly acted in around 600 films across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada languages. Her role in the 1970 police thriller CID Shankar, where actor Jaishankar played the lead, brought her significant recognition and opened the door for more opportunities in cinema.

She shared the screen with legendary actors such as Sivaji Ganesan and M.G. Ramachandran. Some of her notable films include Padikkadha Medhai, Kai Koduttha Deivam, Rajaraja Cholan, Bharat Vilas. Her last film appearance was in Ponmana Selvan in 1998, after which she continued acting in television serials until 2019.

Members of the film fraternity have expressed their condolences at her passing.