Santha Devi

Damayanthi (1927 – 20 November 2010), better known by her stage name Kozhikode Santha Devi, was an Indian Malayalam film and stage actress. In a career spanning about sixty years, she acted in more than 1000 plays and about 480 films.

Biography
Santha Devi was born in Kozhikode in a then well known tharavadu called Thottathil in  1927 as the daughter of Thottathil Kannakkuruppu and Karthiyayani Amma as the seventh daughter of their 10 children. She did her studies from Sabha school and then B.E.M school.

She made her debut as an actress through a 1954 drama Smarakam written by Vasu Pradeep and directed by Kundanari Appu Nair. She made her cinema debut in Minnaminungu (1957) directed by Ramu Karyat. She acted in over 480 movies including Moodupadam, Kuttikkuppayam, Kunjalimaraykkar, Iruttinte Athmavu, Sthalathe pradhana payyans and Adwaitham. Kerala Cafe, produced by director Ranjith, was her last movie where she enacted the role of a forlorn grandmother with no one to look after her. Besides movies, she was also active in television serials. Her most memorable roles are from Manasi and Minnukettu.

Santha Devi died on 20 November 2010 evening in a private hospital in Kozhikode.

Family
She had five brothers and four sisters. All of her brothers were in Air Force and Military services. At the age of 18 she married her uncle's son, Balakrishnan, a railway guard, but the relationship did not last long. He left Santha Devi after the couple had a son. Later, she married Kozhikode Abdul Kader, a popular Malayalam playback singer. She has two sons, Suresh Babu and the late Sathyajith.

Awards and honours
Santha Devi is a recipient of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award (1978) and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship (2003). She won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Yamanam (1992) directed by Bharath Gopi. She has received the Kerala State award for best Stage actress in 1968 for her role in Kudukkukal. In 1968, she received award from Thrissur Fine Arts Society and in 1973 she received best actress award again. In 1978, her acting in Ithu bhoomiyanu and Inquilabinte makkal fetched her Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Acamedy's award for best actress. She won the Kerala Film Critics Association Award in 1979 and Kerala State Award for Best Actress in State plays in 1983 for Deepasthambham Mahashcharyam.

In 1992 she got Film critics award again. Santha Devi was awarded Premji award and later in 2005 the lifetime achievement award from Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. She won the attimabbe prize also from Karnataka

Filmography (partial)

 * Malayalam# Sandehi (1954)
 * 1) Minnaminigu(1957)
 * 2) Ninamaninja Kalpadukal (1963)
 * 3) Moodupadam (1963)
 * 4) Kuttikuppayam (1964)
 * 5) Devalayam (1964)
 * 6) Murappennu(1965) as Madhaviyamma
 * 7) Mayor Nair (1966)
 * 8) Kunjali Marakkar (1967)
 * 9) Nagarame Nandi (1967)
 * 10) Aneshichu Kandethiyilla (1967)
 * 11) Ashwamedam (1967) as Lakshmi
 * 12) Iruttinte Athmavu (1967) as Parukkuttiamma
 * 13) Mulkireedam (1967)
 * 14) Kottayam Kolacase (1967)
 * 15) Aval (1967)
 * 16) Anaachadanam (1968)
 * 17) Thokkukal Kathaparayunnu (1968)
 * 18) Velutha Kathreena (1968)
 * 19) Ummachu (1971)
 * 20) Kuttyedathi(1971) as Meenakshi
 * 21) Iniyoru Janmam Tharoo (1972)
 * 22) Darshanam (1973)
 * 23) Shasthram Jayichu Manushyan Thottu (1973)
 * 24) Udayam Kizhakku Thanne (1974)
 * 25) Nirmala (1975 film) (1975)
 * 26) Utharayanam (1975)
 * 27) Athithi (1975)
 * 28) Njavalppazhangal (1976)
 * 29) Yatheem (1977)
 * 30) Aparadhi (1977) as Madhaviyamma
 * 31) Padasaram (1978) as Kochukaali
 * 32) Chuvanna Vithukal (1978)
 * 33) Avar Jeevikkunnu (1978)
 * 34) Thenthulli (1979)
 * 35) Thakara (1979)
 * 36) Neelathamara (1979)
 * 37) Vilkkanundu Swapnangal (1980)
 * 38) Chakara (1980) as Subhadra
 * 39) Angadi (1980)
 * 40) Ashwaradham (1980)
 * 41) Adhikaram (1980)
 * 42) Mylanji (1982 )
 * 43) Surumayitta Kannukal (1983)
 * 44) Maniyara (1983)
 * 45) Srikrishna Parundu (1984)
 * 46) Anubandham (1985)
 * 47) Dheivatheyorthu (1985)
 * 48) Vellam (1985)
 * 49) Abhayam Thedi (1986)
 * 50) Doore Doore Oru Koodu Koottam (1986)
 * 51) PC 369 (1987) as Mandara
 * 52) Nadodikkaattu (1987) as Ramdas's Mother (Cameo appearance)
 * 53) Idanazhiyil Ou Kalocha (1987)
 * 54) Rithubetham (1987)
 * 55) Oohakachavadam (1988)
 * 56) Dhinarathrangal (1988)
 * 57) Kanakambarangal (1988) as Sreedevi's mother
 * 58) Asthikal Pookkunnu (1989) as Itti
 * 59) Padippura (1989)
 * 60) Chanakyan(1989)
 * 61) V. I. P. (1989) as Karthyayani
 * 62) Alicinte Anveshanam (1989)
 * 63) Naduvazhikal (1989)
 * 64) Carnivel (1989)
 * 65) Aye Auto (1990)
 * 66) Sasneham (1990)
 * 67) Brahmarakshassu (1990)
 * 68) Kakkathollayiram (1990)
 * 69) No 20 Madras Mail (1990)
 * 70) Aakoshakkottayile Sulthan (1991)
 * 71) Parallel College (1991)
 * 72) Adwaitham (1991)
 * 73) Daivasahayam Lucky Centre (1991)
 * 74) Dhanam (1991)
 * 75) Kamaladalam (1992)
 * 76) Yamanam (1992)
 * 77) Magrib (1993)
 * 78) Agneyam (1993)
 * 79) Ghoshayathra (1993) as Itheyiumma
 * 80) Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans (1993)
 * 81) Naaraayam (1993)
 * 82) Chukkan (1994) as Gayathri's Mother
 * 83) Bharanakoodam (1994) as Manju's maid
 * 84) Ghazal (1994)
 * 85) Pingami (1994)
 * 86) Tharavadu (1994)
 * 87) Deyvathinte Vikrithikal (1994)
 * 88) Avan Ananthapadmanabhan (1994)
 * 89) Mazhayethum Munbe (1995)
 * 90) Sundari Neeyum Sundaran Njanum (1995)
 * 91) Oru Abhibashakante Case Diary (1995)
 * 92) Sasinas (1995)
 * 93) Chandha (1995)
 * 94) No 1 Snehatheeram Bangalore North (1995)
 * 95) Sundarimare Sookshikkuka (1995)
 * 96) Madamma (1996)
 * 97) Aakaashathekkoru Kilivaathil (1996)
 * 98) Harbour (1996)
 * 99) Mahathma (1996)
 * 100) Suvarna Simhaasanam (1997)
 * 101) Irattakuttikalude Achan (1997) as Valsan's mother
 * 102) Sisiram (1998)
 * 103) Oro Viliyum Kathorthu (1998)
 * 104) Magician Mahendralal From Delhi (1998)
 * 105) Chenaparambile Anakaryam (1998)
 * 106) Priyankari (2000)
 * 107) Rapid Action Force (2000) as Vasanthakumari's muthassi
 * 108) Ninneyum Thedi (2001)
 * 109) Kattu Vannu Vilichappol (2001)
 * 110) Neythukaran (2001)
 * 111) Ee Bhargavi Nilayam (2002)
 * 112) Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam (2003)
 * 113) Ammakkilikkoodu (2003)
 * 114) Mizhirandilum (2003)
 * 115) Anyar (2003) as Ummumma
 * 116) Janakeeyam (2003) as Lakshmiyamma
 * 117) Kilichundan Mambhazham (2003) as Maimuna's mother
 * 118) Freedom (2004)
 * 119) Akale (2004) as Typewriting teacher
 * 120) Maratha Nadu (2004)
 * 121) Ullam (2005)
 * 122) Anandabadram (2005)
 * 123) Nottam (2006) as Jankiyamma
 * 124)  Mamma (2006) - Short film as Mrs. Philipose
 * 125) Prajapathi (2006)
 * 126) Vilapagalkkappuram (2008)
 * 127) Crazy Gopalan (2008) as Janakiyamma
 * 128) Thalappavu (2008)
 * 129) Mayabazar(2008)
 * 130) Koodaram (2009)
 * 131) Malayali (2009)
 * 132) Kerala Cafe (2009)
 * 133) Nandhuni (2010)
 * 134) Nalla Pattukare (2010)
 * 135) Annarakkannanum Thannalayathu (2010) ... Valiyathan's mother
 * 136) Uthrada Ravu - Short film
 * 137) Kunjipennu (2010) - album
 * 138) Nurunguvettangal - Short film ... Sr. Margarita
 * 139) Tharangal (2014) - photo only


 * Hindi
 * Triyathri (1990)

Television serials (partial)

 * Manasi (DD Malayalam)
 * Pennurimai (DD Malayalam)
 * Chitta (Surya TV)
 * Minnukettu (Surya TV)
 * Manassariyathe (Surya TV)
 * Kayamkulam Kochunni (Surya TV)
 * Ali Manthrikan
 * Ennapadam
 * Sakunam ( DD Malayalam)
 * Vadhu - telefilm
 * Vidhyarambham - telefilm
 * Puthiyaplakkuppayam - telefilm
 * Kannukal- telefilm
 * Kunchathumma - telefilm

Dramas (partial)

 * Kudukkukal
 * Smaarakam
 * Deepasthambham Mahaascharyam
 * Inquilaaabinte Makkal
 * Ithu Bhoomiyaannu
 * Pediswapnam