S. N. Lakshmi
actor · television actor
- February 20, 2012 · Chennai
- 85 years
- cardiac arrest
About S. N. Lakshmi
S. N. Lakshmi, 85, Indian actress, cardiac arrest.
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Full Biography
|Sennalkudi Narayanan Lakshmi (1927 – 20 February 2012) was an Indian actress, who appeared in supporting roles, often playing roles of a mother or grandmother in films. A recipient of the state government's Kalaimamani and Kalaiselvam awards, Lakshmi acted in more than 1,500 films and 6,000 dramas.
Early life
Lakshmi was born to Narayana Thevar as the thirteenth child and left home aged 11 because her six older brothers did not give her the attention she wanted. Her family had to move from their village town of Sennalkudi to Virudhunagar after their father had died and her mother worked at a small hotel and also at the temple to keep the family afloat. Her neighbour, a dancer, helped Lakshmi join a drama troupe and she quickly picked up the steps she was taught and travelled with them from place to place. When the actors reached Raja Mannargudi they left her with a family which put her on a train to Madras and bade farewell. When she was wandering alone, help came in the form of a lorry driver's wife who noticed her and showed her the way to Gemini Studios, which opened its doors to the destitute. It took eight years for her family to find her.
She soon joined the studio staff at a salary of Rs. 150 and then rented a house with four other young girls and hired a cook. Before her film career began, Lakshmi had years of theatre experience, with more than 2,000 plays to her credit. From Ganandesikar's and N. S. Krishnan's theatre troupes to S. V. Sahasranamam's Seva Stage and K. Balachander's Ragini Recreations, Lakshmi trained under stalwarts. Lakshmi acted as a man in many all-woman plays, doing stunts and acrobatics and even fought a leopard as an extra in the MGR film, Baghdad Thirudan. In 1959, she bought her first home in Royapettah on Pachaiappan Nayakkan Road. Three years later, she bought her first car, a Morris Eight.
Career
She started as a group dancer in Chandralekha. Plays and one-scene appearances in films continued until N. S. Krishnan gave her a pivotal role in Nalla Thangai and then her real breakthrough came through Muktha Srinivasan's maiden venture Thamarai Kulam followed by Engal Kula Devi and Naalu Veli Nilam. Nagesh then recommended her to K. Balachander to star in Server Sundaram, after he had been impressed with her performance in the theatre show of the same name, and the film's success prompted more offers for the actress.
Kamal Haasan called her to feature in Thevar Magan while she was taking a break in Puttaparthi and from then until Virumaandi, Lakshmi has been a part of nearly all of Kamal Haasan productions and such was his confidence in her ability that he would ask the assistants to give her the dialogue and move away, confident that she would handle it on her own.
Before her death she was doing a role as Meenakshi's grandmother in the serial "Saravanan Meenakshi" in Vijay TV and also as Thulasi's grand mother in the serial "Thendral" in SunTV .
Personal life
Lakshmi has mentioned that "marriage didn't appeal to her", and that her brothers' grandchildren and their kids are now regulars at her house.
Until the early 2000s, Lakshmi would move around town by driving but was forced to give it up after she broke her leg. On Sunday mornings she would visit Sai Kripa, a free medical centre in Chennai and help the staff.
Death
S. N. Lakshmi died in Chennai on 20 February 2012, at the age of 85. She had a cardiac arrest in the early hours of 20 February 2012. She was taken to a hospital, where the doctors declared her dead. Her body was kept at her Saligramam residence in Chennai where film personalities paid tributes to her. Her cremation took place in her native town, Virudhunagar.
Filmography
TV serials
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._N._Lakshmi
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- October 21, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 15 questions
Questions drawn from S. N. Lakshmi's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what year was S. N. Lakshmi born?
- A.1930
- B.1920
- C.1935
- D.1927correct
S. N. Lakshmi was born in 1927.
Source: Biography introduction
2.At what age did S. N. Lakshmi leave her childhood home?
- A.11correct
- B.13
- C.15
- D.9
S. N. Lakshmi left home at the age of 11 because her brothers did not give her the attention she wanted.
Source: Early life section
3.Which of these was the birthplace town that S. N. Lakshmi's family moved from?
- A.Chennai
- B.Royapettah
- C.Sennalkudicorrect
- D.Virudhunagar
The family moved from their village town of Sennalkudi to Virudhunagar after the father died.
Source: Early life section
4.How did S. N. Lakshmi find her way to Gemini Studios after wandering alone?
- A.She was directed there by a dance instructor.
- B.She saw a sign while walking through the city.
- C.She was helped by a lorry driver's wife.correct
- D.She was dropped off by a train conductor.
A lorry driver's wife noticed S. N. Lakshmi wandering alone and showed her the way to Gemini Studios.
Source: Early life section
5.Approximately how many films did S. N. Lakshmi appear in during her career?
- A.Over 500
- B.Over 2,000
- C.Over 1,500correct
- D.Over 6,000
S. N. Lakshmi acted in more than 1,500 films during her lifetime.
Source: Biography introduction
6.What was the first car owned by S. N. Lakshmi?
- A.A Fiat 500
- B.A Ford Model T
- C.An Austin Seven
- D.A Morris Eightcorrect
Three years after buying her first home, S. N. Lakshmi purchased a Morris Eight car.
Source: Early life section
7.Which film marked S. N. Lakshmi's start as a group dancer?
- A.Thamarai Kulam
- B.Baghdad Thirudan
- C.Chandralekhacorrect
- D.Server Sundaram
S. N. Lakshmi started her film career working as a group dancer in the film Chandralekha.
Source: Career section
8.Which director recommended S. N. Lakshmi for a role in the film Server Sundaram?
- A.N. S. Krishnan
- B.Muktha Srinivasan
- C.K. Balachander
- D.Nageshcorrect
Nagesh recommended S. N. Lakshmi to K. Balachander after seeing her perform in a stage show.
Source: Career section
9.What award is mentioned as having been received by S. N. Lakshmi?
- A.National Film Award
- B.Kalaimamanicorrect
- C.Padma Shri
- D.Filmfare Award
S. N. Lakshmi was a recipient of the state government's Kalaimamani and Kalaiselvam awards.
Source: Biography introduction
10.Where was S. N. Lakshmi when Kamal Haasan asked her to feature in Thevar Magan?
- A.Puttaparthicorrect
- B.Virudhunagar
- C.Gemini Studios
- D.Chennai
Kamal Haasan called S. N. Lakshmi to feature in the film while she was taking a break in Puttaparthi.
Source: Career section
11.In which television serial did S. N. Lakshmi play the role of Meenakshi's grandmother?
- A.Naalu Veli Nilam
- B.Engal Kula Devi
- C.Thendral
- D.Saravanan Meenakshicorrect
Before her death, S. N. Lakshmi was acting as Meenakshi's grandmother in the serial Saravanan Meenakshi.
Source: Career section
12.What type of charity work did S. N. Lakshmi perform on Sunday mornings?
- A.Helping staff at a free medical centrecorrect
- B.Distributing food to the homeless
- C.Teaching acting to children
- D.Organizing drama workshops
S. N. Lakshmi would visit Sai Kripa, a free medical centre in Chennai, on Sunday mornings to help the staff.
Source: Personal life section
13.What was the cause of death for S. N. Lakshmi?
- A.Pneumonia
- B.Cardiac arrestcorrect
- C.A car accident
- D.A long illness
S. N. Lakshmi suffered a cardiac arrest in the early hours of 20 February 2012.
Source: Death section
14.Where did the cremation of S. N. Lakshmi take place?
- A.Saligramam
- B.Chennai
- C.Royapettah
- D.Virudhunagarcorrect
Although she died in Chennai, S. N. Lakshmi's cremation occurred in her native town of Virudhunagar.
Source: Death section
15.How many plays did S. N. Lakshmi have to her credit before her film career began?
- A.More than 2,000correct
- B.More than 3,000
- C.More than 4,000
- D.More than 1,000
Before starting her film career, S. N. Lakshmi had years of theatre experience with more than 2,000 plays to her credit.
Source: Early life section
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