Tamil Actress Sneha

Judging by the number of fan sites on the internet, Suhasini Rajaram Naidu (or Sneha) is one of the most popular actresses on the Indian movie scene, and certainly one of its most beautiful performers. Although she is primarily known as a Tamil actress, Sneha has also starred in Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films, establishing an outstanding profile far beyond the Tamil movie circuit.

As if that were not enough, Sneha has modelled in commercials for everything from shampoo to textiles, become a commercial brand ambassador, and taken ownership of a marriage hall. With such a varied portfolio of interest, Sneha is clearly no ordinary Tamil actress – and she’s a very busy girl!

Like many other actors and actresses on the Tamil movie scene, Sneha was actually raised outside India. She was brought up in Sharjah, Dubai’s slightly less famous and glitzy neighbour, before returning to India upon completion of her schooling. It seems her childhood was fairly unremarkable; certainly nothing like as busy as her rollercoaster existence as a film actress.

In 2001, when she was just 19, Sneha made her screen debut as a supporting actor in a popular Malayalam film. Just a few months later, she made her crucial breakthrough in the Tamil movie Ennavale, opposite the legendary Madhavan, and followed this up with a string of Tamil movie hits in 2002. Working with legends such as King and Pammal K. Sambandam, Sneha began to learn her craft and expand her repertoire, earning critical acclaim for playing a demanding double role in 2003.

By 2006, Sneha had appeared in films covering all the South Indian languages, and the plaudits kept coming; in 2008 she won praise from movie critics for her role alongside Cheran in the film Pirivorn Santhipporn, and the following year she appeared alongside Hollywood actor John Shea in a harrowing social thriller. Although she had made her breakthrough as a Tamil actress, Sneha was now a household name among Indians of all languages and movie tastes - a truly national superstar.

Her upcoming films will see Sneha play a tough police officer, and take on a Muslim role for the first time – evidence of her ongoing commitment to original and provocative parts, and prove herself as a versatile and reliable actress across the Indian movie spectrum. Of the 60 films she has filmed to date, 35 have been Tamil productions; yet she is as popular with Telugu, Kannada and Malayam audiences as she is will Tamil movie buffs, a sure sign of her adaptability and range of skills.

Building on her early success as a Tamil actress, Sneha began to appear in commercials in the early years of the last decade, for the likes of Power Shampoos, Preethi Mixi, GRB Udhayam Ghee, Papillon and Shree Devi Textiles. She has also graced fashion shows such as Chennai International Fashion Week and Sydney Sladen Fashion Week, snapped up a marriage hall in Panruti and promoted brands such as Dabur Amla Nelli Hair Oil and Cavin Kare’s Chinni’s Pickle.

Throughout her career, Sneha has strived to maintain a wholesome, dignified image. She is perhaps the only current Tamil actress who refuses to show cleavage in her films, and tries to stay away from bimbo roles in both movie and commercial work. She has gone on record as saying she does not think that showing flesh is necessary to get chances in her industry; and besides, the audiences enjoy her ‘homely’ roles, so why change?

This dedicated stance marks Sneha out as a wonderful model for young children, and with her portfolio growing all the time, she looks set to dominate the Telugu, Malayalam and Tamil movie scene for years to come.