Last Updated: July 19, 2022, 18:57 IST
Shamlee was also seen in the film Malootty which narrated the story of a five-year-old girl who visits her grandparent’s home.
Presently Shamlee is working as a painter.
Actress Shamlee was one of the most sought-after actresses in Kollywood. She made her debut in 1989 and became an instant favourite of the audience. Despite her popularity in childhood, Shamlee slowly lost her star status as she grew older. This article curates her journey.
Shamlee made her debut in the film industry with the movie Rajanadai in 1989. At the time of debut, she was just two years old. Her aura was such that once she acted in any film, the audience didn’t care much about other actors.
Shamlee’s biggest source of inspiration was her father Babu. He had shifted from Kerala to Tamil Nadu to fulfil his wish to become an actor. He couldn’t succeed in his ambitions. Despite this, he decided to support his daughter in her dream of becoming an actor.
Shamlee was also seen in the film Malootty which narrated the story of a five-year-old girl who visits her grandparent’s home. While playing with her dog, she falls into the borewell. Her father struggles to save her before it is too late. Directed by Bharathan, Malootty was a box office success.
After acting in Rajanadai and Malootty, it was the film Anjali directed by Mani Ratnam which made her a star. Shamlee essayed the character of a mentally challenged child. She was the recipient of the National Film Award in best child artist category. She also won Tamil Nadu State Film Award. Anjali was released on July 12, 1990, and garnered immense applause for the choice of mental illness as the subject.
After these 3 projects, Shamlee worked in a lot of Kannada films as well but then she took a break from acting. She started concentrating more on her studies. She made her comeback to films in the year 2009 with the movie Oy !. Oy ! received mixed reviews. Presently Shamlee is working as a painter. She learned painting from renowned artist AV Ilango.
