Saranya Ponvannan (born Sheela Christina) is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam and a few Kannada language films. She also acted in one Hindi movie Chup: Revenge of the Artist in 2022. Saranya made her acting debut in a lead role in Mani Ratnam's Nayakan (1987) and went on to play lead roles from 1987 to 1996. Following an eight-year sabbatical, she returned to films in 2003 as a character actor roles. In her career spanning around over 25 years she had won a number of accolades including one National Film Award, two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and five Filmfare Award South.
Career
Saranya made her Tamil debut in Mani Ratnam's production Nayakan, as the female lead opposite Kamal Haasan in 1987. She made her first Telugu appearance in 1989 film Neerajanam; her Malayalam debut was in the same year with the film Artham starring opposite Mammootty.
In 1996, she made her Kannada debut with Appaji. After 1996, she quit from acting. In 2000 she appeared playing the lead role in the comedy television series, Veettukku Veedu Lootty, and subsequently accepted some supporting roles in other projects. During 2006 she appeared in family-drama serial Mugangal, which aired on Sun TV.
After a break from films she made a comeback in 2003 Tamil film Alai opposite Raghuvaran as Silambarasan 's mother. Since then she has been noted for her "mother" roles in films most notably Raam, Thavamai Thavamirundhu and Em Magan in the mid-2000s.
Her performance as Veerayi, a widowed mother torn between love and possessiveness, in the 2010 film Thenmerku Paruvakaatru – her 100th release – earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress. Her major breakthrough was 2005 Tamil film Thavamai Thavamirundhu after which she established herself as a prominent and leading actress in South India. As of 2017, she was one of the highest paid character actresses in the south Indian film industry.
In 2014, she launched Design & School of Fashion Technology (DSOFT), a fashion institute at Virugamakkam, Chennai.
She has also played the role of villain in Achamindri (2016).
In 2017, she had only three releases. She starred in the sequel of 2014 Tamil film Velaiyilla Pattathari, reprising the role of Bhuvana, in a cameo appearance. The character had died in the original film, but the filmmakers wanted her to appear in the sequel, because of her part in the former's success. Her second venture was with Vishnu Vishal in the film Katha Nayagan, playing the mother of Vishnu Vishal. Later she starred in Magalir Mattum, a women-centric film, in which she played alongside Jyothika, Oorvasi and Bhanupriya.
In 2018, she was first seen in comedy-family drama Mannar Vagaiyara as Vemal's mother; her comedy timing was well received, however Itly was released and opened to negative reviews. Later she was seen in Vijay Sethupathi's Junga and Nayanthara's Kolamavu Kokila as the mother of Kokila who although affected by lung cancer, assists her daughter in smuggling cocaine.
She took on the role of Vishalavva, mother to Kiccha Sudeepa's character in Kannada movie The Villain directed by Prem in 2018. Later she was seen in Madhupal's Malayalam thriller drama Oru Kuprasidha Payyan playing Chembammal.
She signed to reprise the role of Lakshmi in Kalavani 2. Her first Telugu release of the year was Gang Leader where she played the lead role Varalakshmi alongside Nani, Lakshmi, Kartikeya Gummakonda, Priyanka Arul Mohan among others.
After a brief hiatus because of COVID-19 Pandemic, her first release was through OTT in 2021 was Bhoomi alongside Jayam Ravi. Critics cited that the talented actress was restricted to few insignificant scenes. Following Bhoomi, she had two other releases in 2021 - multistarer Telugu film Maha Samudharam and Sasikumar's MGR Magan.
Personal life Saranya was born in a Christian family in Chennai. She is the daughter of Malayalam film director A. B. Raj, who had directed over 75 films. Her family is from Alappuzha, Kerala. She married actor-director Ponvannan in 1995, who co-starred with her in Karuthamma (1994), and the couple has two daughters.
Awards
National Film Awards 2011—Best Actress for Thenmerku Paruvakaatru
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards 2006 – Best Supporting Actress for Em Magan 2010 – Best Supporting Actress for Kalavani
Filmfare Awards Winnings: 2005 – Winner—Best Supporting Actress for Thavamai Thavamirundhu 2006 – Winner—Best Supporting Actress for Em Magan 2011 – Winner—Best Supporting Actress for Thenmerku Paruvakaatru 2012 – Winner—Best Supporting Actress for Neerparavai 2019 - Winner- Best Supporting Actress for Kolamavu Kokila Nominations: 2005 - Nominated- Best Supporting Actress - Tamil for Raam 2012 - Nominated- Best Supporting Actress - Tamil for Oru Kal Oru Kannadi 2010 – Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Telugu for Puli 2014 – Nominated–Best Supporting Actress - Tamil for Velaiyilla Pattathari 2016 – Nominated–Best Supporting Actress - Tamil for Kodi
South Indian International Movie Awards 2013 – Winner—Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Neerparavai 2014 – Nominated–Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Kutti Puli 2015 – Winner—Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Velaiyilla Pattathari 2019 – Nominated–Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Kolamavu Kokila
Ananda Vikatan Awards 2010 – Winner–Best Supporting Actress for Kalavani 2014 – Winner–Best Supporting Actress for Ennamo Nadakkudhu & Velaiyilla Pattathari
Vijay Awards 2011 – Winner—Best Supporting Actress for Thenmerku Paruvakaatru 2013 - Nominated—Best Supporting Actress for Oru Kal Oru Kannadi 2015 – Nominated–Best Supporting Actress for Velaiyilla Pattathari
Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards 2011 - Winner-Best Supporting Actress for Thenmerku Paruvakaatru 2013 - Winner-Best Supporting Actress for Oru Kal Oru Kannadi 2014 - Nominated-Best Supporting Actress forVelaiyilla Pattathari
Edison Awards 2011 - Winner-Best Supporting Actress for Thenmerku Paruvakaatru
JFW Awards 2014 - Women Achiever of the year 2025 - Best On Screen Mother of Tamil Cinema
JFW Movie Awards 2019 - Best Supporting Actress for Kolamavu Kokila
Filmography
Films Year Film Role Language Notes1987 Nayakan Neela Tamil Debut film1988 Manasukkul Mathappu Dr.Geetha Tamil En Jeevan Paduthu Narmada Tamil Melam Kottu Thaali Kattu Muthamma Tamil Sivapputhaali Keerthana Tamil Dhaayam Onnu Preetha Tamil 1989 Andru Peytha Mazhaiyil Preethi Tamil Sakalakala Sammandhi Uma Tamil Karunguyil Kundram Tamil Neerajanam Jaya Telugu Telugu Debut Artham Manasa Malayalam Malayalam Debut 1990 Anjali Dr. Sheela Tamil Ulagam Pirandhadhu Enakkaga Meena Tamil 1991 Vanakkam Vathiyare Sundari Tamil Naan Pudicha Mappillai Lakshmi Tamil Ashwini Telugu Ganga Telugu Aakasha Kottayile Sultan Mallika Malayalam Cheppukilukkana Changathi Manikutty Malayalam Aanaval Mothiram Annie Malayalam Ennum Nanmakal Indu Malayalam 1992 Agni Paarvai Seetha Tamil Kottai Vaasal Rekha Tamil Sahasam Rekha Telugu 1993 Dasarathan Vasanthi Tamil Magrib Aarifa Malayalam Journalist Ranjini Malayalam Ente Sreekuttikku Nandhini Malayalam Injakkadan Mathai & Sons Beena Malayalam Aadarsam Telugu 1994 Dollar Lusie Malayalam Karuththamma Ponnatha Tamil Seevalaperi Pandi Velammal Tamil 1995 Pasumpon Malar Tamil 1996 Appaji Rekha Kannada Meendum Savithri Uma Tamil Neti SavithriTelugu Boss Kannada Easwaramoorthy IN Lathika Malayalam Samayakkondu Sullu Rukmini Kannada 2003 Alai Nirmala Tamil Comeback film after marriage Chantigadu Savthriyamma Telugu 2004 Varnajalam Karthiga Tamil Arul Arul 's sister Tamil Adhu Meera's mother Tamil Chatrapathy Saravanan's sister Tamil Ramakrishna Ramakrishna's mother Tamil Meesai Madhavan Devi Tamil Gomathi Nayagam Tamil 2005 Ayodhya Jameela Tamil Raam Saradha Tamil Sivakasi Kayalvizhi Tamil Thavamai Thavamirundhu Saradha Muthiah Tamil Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Tamil2006 Emtan Magan Selvi Tamil Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – TamilTamil Nadu State Film Best Supporting Actress Award Thiruvilaiyaadal Aarambam Thiru's mother Tamil Rakhi Gowri's Mother Telugu Adaikalam Kasthuri Tamil 2007 Thirumagan Jayakodi Tamil Jagadam Seenu's mother Telugu Kireedam Rajeshwari Tamil Pirappu Kaliamman Tamil Vel Saradha (Velu's & Vasu's Mother) Tamil Puli Varudhu Ramesh's Mother Tamil 2008 Pidichirukku Stella Tamil Nenjadhai Killadhe Vasanth's false mother Tamil Singakutty Kathir's mother Tamil Vilaiyattu Tamil Kuruvi Devi's sister-in-law /Koccha's Wife Tamil Pandi Sivagami Tamil Ready Pooja's younger maternal aunt Telugu Thenavattu Vazhuvanthal Tamil Dindigul Sarathy Saradha Tamil Ini Varum Kaalam Aravind's mother Tamil 2009 Yavarum Nalam Shanti, Manohar's Mother Tamil Colours Dr. Rajalakshmi Malayalam Vanam Partha Seemayile Tamil 2010 Police Quarters Jayamma Kannada Bayam Ariyaan Saraswathi Tamil Pulliman Yashoda Panicker Malayalam Kalavani Lakshmi Ramasamy Tamil Ananda Vikatan Awards for Best Supporting ActressTamil Nadu State Film Best Supporting Actress Award Guru Sishyan Mahalakshmi Tamil Magane En Marumagane Ponnarasi's Mother Tamil Thambikku Indha Ooru Mrs.Kumaraswamy Tamil Vedam Padma Telugu Puli Puli's mother Telugu Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Telugu Naane Ennul Illai Janaki Tamil Yaksha Yaksha's mother Kannada Thenmerku Paruvakaatru Veerayi Tamil National Film Award for Best ActressVijay Award for Best Supporting ActressFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - TamilNorway Tamil Film Festival Award for Best Supporting ActressEdison Award for Best Supporting Actress2011 Muthukku Muthaaga Pechi Tamil Vaanam Lakshmi Tamil Sadhurangam Analaar's wife Tamil Maharaja Seetha Tamil 2012 Oru Kal Oru Kannadi Shenbagam Tamil Norway Tamil Film Festival Award for Best Supporting ActressNominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - TamilNominated, Vijay Award for Best Supporting ActressChaarulatha Chaaru & Latha's Mother Tamil Kannada Thaandavam Sivakumar's Mother Tamil Neerparavai Mary Tamil Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - TamilSIIMA for Best Actress in a Supporting Role2013 Vatthikuchi Sakthi's mother Tamil Kutti Puli Deivanai Tamil Nominated, SIIMA for Best Actress in a Supporting Role All in All Azhagu Raja Meenakshi Tamil Suvadugal Tamil 2014 Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal Yasothammal Tamil Naan Sigappu Manithan Sumathi Tamil Ennamo Nadakkudhu Vijay's mother Tamil Ananda Vikatan Awards for Best Supporting Actress Manam Seetharamudu's mother Telugu Pappali Tamil Velaiyilla Pattathari Bhuvana Tamil SIIMA for Best Supporting Actress TamilAnanda Vikatan Awards for Best Supporting ActressNominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - TamilNominated, Vijay Award for Best Supporting ActressNominated, Norway Tamil Film Festival Award for Best Supporting Actress Amma Ammamma Lakshmi Tamil 2016 Bangalore Naatkal Kannan's mother Tamil 24 Sathyabhama Tamil Brahmotsavam Babu's Aunt Telugu Remo SK's Mother Tamil Kodi Kodi's & Anbu's mother Tamil Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Tamil Achamindri Rajalakhsmi Tamil 2017 Velaiyilla Pattathari 2 Bhuvana Tamil Katha Nayagan Thambidurai's mother Tamil Magalir Mattum Subbulakshmi Mangalamoorthy (Subbu) Tamil 2018 Mannar Vagaiyara Kalaiyarasi Tamil Itly Inba Tamil Lead role Junga Junga's mother/ Don amma Tamil Marainthirunthu Paarkum Marmam Enna Japan's mother Tamil Kolamavu Kokila Kokila's mother Tamil Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Tamil