Actor Sarada, known for her authentic portrayals of tragic characters, has been named the winner of the JC Daniel Award, the highest honour given by the government of Kerala in the field of cinema. On Friday, January 16, Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian announced that the 80-year-old actor has been chosen for the award for the year 2024.
The award, carrying a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a statuette, and certificate, will be given along with the Kerala State Film Awards on January 25, at a function in Thiruvananthapuram.
Born in Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, Sarada was a prominent presence in the Malayalam films of 1960s and 70s, earning the name of dukhaputhri (Queen of tragedy) for the tragic characters she often played. She won her first two National Awards for playing the role of a desperate mother forced to feed poison to her starving children in Thulabharam (1968) and a newly-wed woman driven to poverty and suffering in Swayamvaram (1972). Her third National Award came for the Telugu film Nimajjanam (1977).
She played several memorable characters in movies like Udhyogastha, Inapravukal, Thriveni, Kattu Thulasi, Iruttinte Athmavu, and Sakunthala. In her later years, she played noticeable roles in movies like Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam and Nayika.
In 2017, she became one of the members of the Hema Committee, constituted by the government to investigate the issues of women in Malayalam cinema. Along with Justice Hema and retired civil servant KB Vatsala Kumari, Sarada interviewed a number of people and prepared the report that would prove to be a historic document in shaping the future of the Malayalam film industry.
The committee that bestowed the 32nd JC Daniel Award on Sarada comprises veteran filmmaker and lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi, actor Urvashi, filmmaker Balu Kiriyath, and Chalachitra Academy secretary C Ajoy.