P. A. Tulasi (born 20 June 1967) is an Indian actress who primarily works in Telugu, Kannada, and Tamil cinema. Later she appeared in lead actress and supporting actress roles. She has acted in over 300 films in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, and Bhojpuri languages."Tulasi rocks in her third innings". The New Indian Express. 13 November 2013 She won two Nandi Awards and one Filmfare Award.
Career Tulasi made her debut in the Telugu language when she was three months old in 1967. For a song in a film, a baby was needed and Tulasi was placed in the cradle after actress Savitri had requested Tulasi's mother, who was a friend of her.Y. Sunita Chowdhary (9 July 2012). "My First Break: Tulasi". The Hindu. She was featured in a song when she was years old in Jeevanatarangalu and said that she became a full-fledged actor when she was four.
She got married at age 28 to Kannada director Sivamani. She stated, "I met him in the morning and by evening we tied the knot"."Actress Tulasi – Prabhas Thinks I'm Hot". cinegoer.net. 10 August 2011 They have one son, Sai Tarun. Tulasi decided to quit acting after getting married, working only occasionally as a voice actor in Telugu films, including ones by Mani Ratnam. When her son was around six years old, she received several mother character roles. She initially declined them all, but finally signed on one Kannada film, Excuse Me, in which she played mother to Divya Spandana and which became a big hit. After that she was doing three films a year in Kannada.
She began to act mainly in mother roles in Telugu and Tamil film industries. Her notable supporting roles include performances in Sasirekha Parinayam, Mr. Perfect, Darling, Srimanthudu, Iddarammayilatho, Nenu Local, Mahanati & Dear Comrade in Telugu and Pillaiyar Theru Kadaisi Veedu, Easan, Mankatha, Sundarapandian, Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer and Pandiya Naadu in Tamil. Tulasi has said that Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer, in which she had played mother to Manisha Yadav's character, changed her life and brought her an "identity as a screen mother". Her portrayal of Chellamma in Pannaiyarum Padminiyum was praised too, with critics stating that she was "brilliant", and had given her "career best performance".
Partial filmography Year Title Role Language Notes 1967 Bharya Telugu 1973 Arangetram Tamil 1977 Chillarakottu Chittamma Telugu 1978 Seetamalakshmi Telugu 1979 Sankarabharanam Sankaram Telugu Kothala RaayuduPaapaTelugu1980Prema TarangaluTelugu 1981 Nyayam Kavali Padma Telugu Mudda Mandaram Telugu Rama Dhandu Telugu 1982Iddaru KodukuluPadmaTelugu Bhakthadruva Markhandeya Telugu Jagannatha RathachakraluLakshmiTelugu Sakalakala Vallavan Tamil Trisulam Telugu Nalugu Stambhalata Telugu Subhalekha Lakshmi Telugu 1983 Maga Maharaju Telugu Ee Pillaku Pellavuthundha Telugu Konte Kodallu Bhagyalakshmi Telugu Nelavanka Lalita Telugu Mantri Gari Viyyankudu Suseela Telugu 1984 Anubandham Telugu Kotha Dampathulu Telugu Nallavanuku Nallavan Tamil Disco King Telugu Nagabekamma Nagabeku Kannada Indina Ramayana Kannada 1985 Preminchu Pelladu Telugu RechukkaRojaTeluguSri Katna LeelaluJyothiTelugu Muchataga Mugguru Telugu Mugguru MitruluTelugu Srivaru Rajani Telugu 1986Driver BabuRadhaTelugu Henne Ninagenu Bandhana Kannada Bhayam BhayamTeluguNaa Pilupe PrabhanjanamGayathriTeluguAadi DampatuluTelugu Piranthaen Valarnthaen Tamil Aranyakanda Neela Telugu Poojaku Panikiraani Puvvu Telugu 1987 Dhoorathu Pachai Tulasi Tamil Thambathyam Aruna Tamil DaadaTelugu Raaga Leela Telugu 1988 Kanchana Seetha Telugu Brahma Vishnu Maheshwara Kannada Maa Inti MaharajuTelugu Jeevana Ganga Telugu 1989Zoo Laka TakaTeluguPraja TheerpuTelugu 1990 Alajadi Telugu Appu Malayalam 1991Amma RajinamaTelugu Chitram Bhalare Vichitram Meera Telugu Srisaila Bhramarambika KatakshamTelugu 1992 Killer Telugu 1993 Kannayya Kittayya Telugu Vintha KodalluTelugu 1994 Mahanadhi Manju Tamil Raithu BharatamTelugu 2003 Excuse Me Kannada 2005 Yashwanth Kannada Jootata Nandini Devi Mallangowda Kannada Gunna Kannada 2006 Chellata Kannada Sevanthi Sevanthi Kannada Honeymoon Express Kannada Sirivantha Kannada Jothe Jotheyali Kannada 2007 Poojari Kannada Ee Preethi Onthara Kannada Savi Savi Nenapu Kannada 2008 Moggina Manasu Deeksha's mother Kannada Sangama Kannada Neenyare Kannada 2009 Sasirekha Parinayam Telugu Rajkumari Kannada Naa Girlfriend Baga Rich Sravya's mother Telugu Jhossh Sharadamma Kannada Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Kannada Minchu Kannada Raaj the Showman Kannada Rajani Kannada 2010 Ullasa Utsaha Kamala Kannada Punda Kannada Nanjangud Nanjunda Kannada Sihi Gaali Kannada Easan Shyamala Tamil Darling Rajeshwari Telugu 2011 Pillaiyar Theru Kadaisi Veedu Tamil Mankatha Tamil Mr. Perfect Vicky's Mother Telugu 2012 Rajadhani Kannada Julai Kaameshwari Murthy Telugu Paagal Kannada Sundarapandian Archana's mother Tamil 2013 Sthreeshakthi Kannada Iddarammayilatho Komali's mother Telugu Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer Shweta's mother Tamil Nominated—Vijay Award for Best Supporting Actress Pandiya Naadu Sivagami Chidambaram Tamil Khatarnak Umesh Reddy Kannada 2014 Pannaiyarum Padminiyum Chellamma Tamil Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Supporting Actress Ambareesha Kannada Ninnindale Kannada 2015 Aambala Tulasi Tamil Oru Vadakkan Selfie Hari's mother Malayalam Srimanthudu Narayana Rao's sister-in-law Telugu Kaththukkutti Arivazhagan's mother Tamil Ramleela Kannada RX Soori Kannada 2016 Abbayitho Ammayi Abhi's mother Telugu Kalpana 2 Kannada Viraat Kannada Saagasam Tamil Aarathu Sinam Aravind's mother Tamil Zero Priya's neighbour Tamil Brahmotsavam Varalakshmi Telugu Metro Arivazhagan's mother Tamil Wagah Vasu's mother Tamil Hyper Surya's mother Telugu Saptagiri Saptagiri's mother Telugu 2017 Nenu Local Siri Telugu Rogue TeluguKannada Nakshatram Rama Rao's mother Telugu Meda Meeda Abbayi Srinu's mother Telugu Nenjil Thunivirundhal Kumar's mother Tamil C/O Surya Surya's mother Telugu Oye Ninne Vishnu's mother Telugu Richie Radha Tamil 2018 Nimir Valli's mother Tamil Mahanati Madhuravani's mother Telugu Aatagallu Munna's mother Telugu Neevevaro Kalyan's mother Telugu Happy Wedding Akshara's mother Telugu Nannu Dochukunduvate Meghana's mother Telugu Sarkar M. Masilamani's wife Tamil 2019 Dear Comrade Jaya's mother Telugu iSmart Shankar Telugu RDX Love Villager Telugu QueenRanganayakiTamilWeb series 2020 Naadodigal 2 Jeeva's mother Tamil 2021 Sashi Raj's mother Telugu Mosagallu Padma TeluguSR Kalyanamandapam Santhi Telugu Navarasa Kamal's mother Tamil Web series Ellam Sheriyakum Ancy's mother Malayalam Adbhutham Vennala's Grandmother Telugu Oka Chinna Family Story Rukmini Telugu Web series Skylab Gowri's mother Telugu 2022 Veeramae Vaagai Soodum Porus's and Dwaraka's mother Tamil F3 Venky's stepmother Telugu Konda Konda Chennamma Telugu Karthikeya 2Karthik's mother Telugu Pratibimbalu Sudha Telugu Thank You Abhi's mother Telugu Vendhu Thanindhathu KaaduDurga Tamil Naan Mirugamaai Maara Bhoominathan's motherTamilDhamakaYashoda RaoTeluguAnukoni Prayanam Raju’s wife Telugu 2023 Bhola Shankar Mahalakshmi’s mother Telugu Lockdown Diarie Tamil Miss Shetty Mr PolishettySiddhu's mother and Phanindra's wifeTeluguSaba Nayagan Saba’s mother Tamil 2024 Rathnam Malliga's mother Tamil Shivam BhajeChandu’s motherTeluguManamey Vikram’s mother Telugu 2025 Niram Marum Ulagil Annakili Tamil Dilruba Telugu Sweetheart! Pregnant woman's mother Tamil Meghalu Cheppina Prema Katha Meghana’s mother Telugu Krishna Leela Telugu Aaromaley Ajith's mother Tamil Love OTP TeluguKannada The Devil Kannada Andhra King Taluka Sagar’s mother Telugu Unpaarvaiyil Sujatha Tamil Direct release on Sun NXT Divya Drusthi Telugu 2026 S Saraswathi Telugu Biker Ananya’s mother Telugu Sing Geetham Basavamma Telugu Korean Kanakaraju Kanakaraju’s mother Telugu
Television + Year Title Role Network Language Notes 2024 Bench Life Meenakshi's mother SonyLIV Telugu Sshhh ahaTamil Anthology series; segment Kamathupaal
Awards Nandi Awards (in Telugu)
Best Child Actress - Seetamalakshmi (1978) Best Child Actress - Sankarabharanam (1980)
Filmfare Awards South Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Kannada - Jhossh
References
External links
Interview with Tulasi