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Kasthuri Shankar

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Kasthuri Shankar
Occupations
  • Actress
  • model
Years active1991-2001
2009-present

Kasthuri Shankar is an Indian actress, model and television presenter who has appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada language films.[1]

Personal life

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She was born in a Brahmin[2] family to Sumathi, a lawyer and P.S. Shankar. She has one younger brother. She is married and has a son and a daughter. Her daughter is a leukemia survivor.[3]

Career

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After graduation from Ethiraj College for Women, Kasthuri won Miss Chennai in 1992. In the same year, she won the Femina Miss Madras beauty pageant too. While studying in college, she started her career in modelling over interest in the domain.[4] Not only was she a successful model, but also, she was a finalist in the BBC's Mastermind India 2000 quiz. Her acting career began in 1991 with the film, Aatha Un Koyilile (1991). From working on small budget Tamil films, she went on to work into more mainstream movies alongside legends, such as Kamal Haasan in Indian (1996). A 30-minute documentary film, Kasthuri: A South Indian Film Star, was released as a tribute to her success in the film industry. She gained attention for her acting skills in Annamayya (1997) and dance performance in Kaadhal Kavithai (1998).

However, she decided to make a comeback as a supporting actress and television host. Her debut comeback film was Malai Malai (2009) and also worked on Vina Vidai Vettai (2013-2014) for Puthuyugam TV.

She also notably portrayed a key supporting role as an investigative agent in Adhik Ravichandran's Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan (2017), appearing alongside Silambarasan.[5]

Politics

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Kasthuri campaigned for the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) in Madurai during the 2024 Indian general elections.[citation needed]

Other work

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Television

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Kasthuri works as quiz master at staged events and on television. She had taken an early interest during childhood in participating in quiz events, and later continued making competitive appearances, and notably appeared as a contestant on BBC's Mastermind India in 2000. She later made a comeback to hosting television-based quiz shows in the 2010s, and worked on Vina Vidai Vettai for Puthuyugam TV.[6]

After rejecting the opportunity to appear on the Tamil reality television show Bigg Boss Tamil in 2018, she joined the third season of the show in 2019 as a wildcard entry contestant.[7]

After that, she made her comeback to Telugu audience in Intinti Gruhalakshmi serial which airs on Star Maa now.[8]

Columns

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In the late 1990s, Kasthuri wrote a weekly column titled "Keep It Simple Stupid" in the Kumudham magazine.[9]

Topless photoshoot

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In 2014, she was photographed topless and half-nude as a part of Jade Beall's book The Bodies of Mothers: A Beautiful Body Project.[10][11][12]

Social commentary and controversies

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Kasthuri is an active commentator regarding social issues through an occasional column with the Times of India and via Twitter, and her tweets have sometimes elicited debate in the media.[13] In early 2017, she questioned Rajinikanth's ability as a potential politician, and her opinion garnered criticism from the actor's fans.[14][15] In late 2018, she criticised Rajinikanth's ignorance over the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and engaged in a further exchange with Rajinikanth's supporters.[16] Kasthuri spoke out as a part of the Me Too movement in India, suggesting that her reluctance to give into patriarchal behaviour meant that she was removed from several film projects. She revealed that one male actor took a particular vengeance against her for her rebuff to his advances, and subsequently made it difficult for her to work on other projects.[3][17][18] She criticised directors Bharathiraja and S. Shankar in April 2019, she said director Bharathiraja and his son has black skin and they use North Indian girls with lighter skin in their movies while S. Shankar goes a long way and imports white skin foreign girls in his movies.[19] While Kasthuri declares herself an Indian patriot, her husband and two children are all US-born American citizens. During the row over the comments made by DMK MP Elangovan against Hindi, Kasthuri criticized him stating that she was personally offended as she was of mixed lineage herself.[20]

A person, who claimed himself to be actor Ajith's fan, had allegedly made sexist comments against Kasturi Shankar in January 2020. A week after this, Kasthuri Shankar blasted him, by suggesting him to ask his mother or sister if he wants a woman for sex. She used the tag #dirtyajithfans, which started trending in India. Some fans of Ajith created #DirtyKasthuriAunty to counter this. A war of words continued and created a controversy.[citation needed]

On 17 November 2024,Kasthuri Shankar was arrested in Hyderabad following derogatory and controversial statements against the Telugu community settled in Tamil Nadu at an event organized by the Hindu Makkal Katchi.[21]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Language Notes
1991 Aatha Un Koyilile Kasthuri Tamil
Chakravarthy Praseetha Malayalam
Rasathi Varum Naal Radha Tamil
1992 Government Mappillai Mallaria
Chinnavar Meena
Urimai Oonjaladugiradhu Uma
Senthamizh Pattu Shanmathi
Abhirami Dhanam
Gang War Kaveri Telugu
1993 Rakkayi Koyil Vellaiyamma Tamil
Pudhiya Mugam Raja's first wife
Pass Mark Shanthi
Aathma Uma
Udan Pirappu Sumathi
Nippu Ravva Bharathi Telugu
Enga Muthalali Kalyani Tamil
1994 Amaidhi Padai Thayamma
Watchman Vadivel Radha
Raja Pandi Ponnuthaayi
Thendral Varum Theru Nalini
Jaana Kasturi Kannada
1995 Sindhu Bath Shobana Tamil
Chinna Mani Chinna Mani
Kolangal Uma
Aakaya Pookal Kamakshi
God Father Aruna Telugu
Agrajan Sreedevi Malayalam
Radholsavam Chempakam
Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava Ammu
1996 Ibbara Naduve Muddina Aata Kannada
Indian Kasthuri Tamil
Krishna Lizy
Soggadi Pellam Jyothi Telugu
Merupu Prema
Rendu Kutumbala Katha Hema
1997 Chilakkottudu Kasturi
Ratha Yatra Ganga
Annamayya Akkalamma
Maa Ayana Bangaram
1998 Mangalya Pallakku Seethalakshmi Malayalam
Thutta Mutta Dr. Seema Kannada
One Man Army Kasthoori
Sneham Radhika Malayalam annamayya_telugu
Kaadhal Kavidhai Swapna Tamil
1999 Habba Anu Kannada
Suyamvaram Uma Tamil
Panchapandavar Nandini Malayalam
2001 Engalukkum Kaalam Varum Pooja Tamil
Dosth Special appearance in the song "Hey Sal Sal"
Akasa Veedhilo Padma Telugu
Premakke Sai Vedha Kannada
2002 Adheena Princess Adheena Malayalam
2009 Malai Malai Lakshmi Tamil
2010 Thamizh Padam Special appearance in the song "Kuthuvilakku"
Gudu Gudu Gunjam Malleeshwari Telugu
Don Seenu Lakshmi
2011 Pathinaaru Ilavarasi Tamil Guest appearance
Thoonga Nagaram Special appearance
2012 Naanga Chithra
2013 Azhagan Azhagi Special appearance in the song "Ethuvarai Vaanam"
Naan Rajavaga Pogiren Bharathi
2014 Vadacurry Satish's sister in law
Naan Ponnu Ondru Kanden Special appearance in the song "Othaya Retaya"
2017 Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan Ruby
Samanthakamani Krishna's mother Telugu
2018 Traffic Ramasamy Witness in court Tamil Guest appearance
Thamizh Padam 2 Special appearance in the song "Vaa Vaa Kaama"
2020 Velvet Nagaram Gauri
2021 EPCO 302 S. Durga IPS
2022 Godfather Brahma's mother Telugu
2023 Tamilarasan Tamil
Rayar Parambarai Rayar's sister
Striker
2024 Simbaa Telugu

Television

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Year Title Role Language Network Notes
Eshtadanam Malayalam DD Malayalam
1995 Kaiyalavu Manasu Vani Tamil Sun TV
2000 Mastermind India Contestant Tamil BBC
2010 Sun Kudumbam Awards 2010 Host Sun TV
Star Singer Special judge Malayalam Asianet
2013–2014 Vina Vidai Vettai Host Tamil Puthuyugam TV
2014 Vina Vidai Vettai Juniors Host Puthuyugam TV
Wow 2 Participant Telugu E TV
2019 Bigg Boss Tamil 3 Contestant Tamil Star Vijay Evicted
Day 63
2020–2024 Intinti Gruhalakshmi Tulasi Telugu Star Maa
2020 Cash Participant Telugu ETV
Agni Natchathiram Rudra Tamil Sun TV
2021 Parampara Indira Telugu Disney+ Hotstar
Sixth Sense Participant Telugu Star Maa
2022 Aruvi Herself Tamil Sun TV
Sreedevi Dance Company Herself Telugu ETV
2024 Seethe Ramudiki Katnam Ram's Mother Telugu Zee Telugu
Jhansi TBA Telugu ETV

References

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  1. ^ "Actor Kasthuri Shankar Opens up About Losing Parents, Seeing Daughter Battle Cancer". 29 November 2021.
  2. ^ https://tamil.samayam.com/latest-news/tiruchirappalli/are-you-tamilan-actress-kasthuri-angry-in-the-brahmin-function/articleshow/106453811.cms
  3. ^ a b Sundar, Mrinalini. "Casting couch in filmdom isn't a myth, it does exist". The Times of India.
  4. ^ "Career as an actress". The Times of India.
  5. ^ "I am too old for Vijay, too young for Rajinikanth: Kasthuri". 22 June 2017.
  6. ^ "In the limelight again". journeyline.in.
  7. ^ "Bigg Boss Tamil 3 contestant Kasthuri makes shocking revelations over her payment dues". 30 September 2020.
  8. ^ Pasupuleti, AuthorPriyanka. "Kasthuri Shankar testing her luck on small screen". Telangana Today. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  9. ^ "Minnoviyam". Archived from the original on 20 April 1999.
  10. ^ "Actor Kasthuri's photo shoot for motherhood wins hearts, she says amazed at response". The News Minute. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  11. ^ "Actress Kasthuri Poses Semi-nude for Photo-book 'Bodies of Mothers'". The New Indian Express. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  12. ^ Team, DNA Web (31 October 2015). "South Indian actress Kasthuri poses topless for Jade Beall's 'A Beautiful Body Project'". DNA India. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  13. ^ "The Word View: Ek Gaon Mein Ek Kisan Raghuthatha!". The Times of India.
  14. ^ Subramanian, Anupama (23 May 2017). "I am a true fan of Rajini sir: Kasturi". Deccan Chronicle.
  15. ^ "Kasthuri Says She's A "True Fan" Of Rajinikanth". 23 May 2017.
  16. ^ "Rajinikanth, actress Kasthuri engage in war of words over Rajiv Gandhi assassination case". Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd.
  17. ^ "Kasthuri: "People Think Women Can't Climb Up The Ladder Without The Favours of a Man!"". 12 March 2017.
  18. ^ "Winds of change in Kollywood? More women actors speak up about misogyny in the industry". The News Minute. 25 March 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  19. ^ Rajkumar (17 April 2019). "பொது மேடையில் பாரதி ராஜாவின் நிறம் குறித்து கேலி செய்த கஸ்தூரி.! இதே வேல தானா.!". Tamil Behind Talkies. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Video | "I Am a Proud Shudra": Actor Kasturi Shankar Amid Language Row".
  21. ^ "Actor Kasthuri Shankar, Accused Of Anti-Telugu Remarks, Arrested In Hyderabad". News18. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
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