Theatre was her world, 'Sudani from Nigeria' made Savithri Sreedharan a household name

Not many Malayalis will forget the soft-spoken mother in a headscarf who cared for an injured Nigerian footballer in 'Sudani from Nigeria.' Savithri Sreedharan played the character with such warmth and simplicity that she became one of the most loved faces of the film. Savithri passed away on Wednesday. But the mother she played in 'Sudani from Nigeria' will remain one of her most lasting contributions to Malayalam cinema.

Her journey to that role was an unusual one. Savithri made her film debut in ‘Kadavu’ in 1991. It was a small role, after which she stayed away from cinema for decades and devoted herself to theatre. Director Zakariya remembers how he found Savithri and her close friend, theatre artiste Sarassa Balussery, while he was shooting 'Sudani from Nigeria' in Kozhikode.

“We were looking for artistes from the region who could play the mother characters. When we asked around, we were introduced to Savithri and Sarassa. Both were experienced theatre artistes, and we were happy to have found them,” Zakariya recalls. Savithri was initially unsure whether her theatre style would work in cinema. But she quickly adapted during the workshop.

Theatre had been a major part of Savithri’s life. She was married to theatre artiste Sreedharan and continued acting on stage even after his death. She was associated with several theatre groups in Kozhikode, including Kalinga Theatre and Sangamam, with plays like ‘Ithu Bhoomiyanu’ and ‘Deepasthambham Mahascharyam’, earning her accolades.

Her years on stage also shaped the natural style that later became her strength on screen. “There was no artificiality in Savithri’s acting. Whether on stage or in front of the camera, she was always natural. Everything seemed effortless,” says Sarassa, who was recently seen in Sajin Baabu’s ‘Theatre: The Myth of Reality’.

The two friends became an important part of Sudani from Nigeria, but never got another opportunity to work together in a film. “We were both of the same age, and there weren't many roles that brought two characters like us together. We both played mothers in other films. We would often talk to each other about the characters we had done,” Sarassa told Onmanorama.

Savithri went on to appear in films including ‘Dakini’ and ‘Virus.’ But nothing matched the impact of her role in ‘Sudani from Nigeria.’ “She was happy that cinema gave people a chance to know her better. She became known to a much wider audience after entering films,” Sarassa recalls. Those who knew Savithri say that fame never changed her.

Wilson Samuel, who headed the Sangamam theatre troupe in Kozhikode, remembers her as a humble artiste who never let recognition get to her. “She would travel in an auto. She never insisted on a very high remuneration. She was always available as an artiste. The mother you saw on screen was the same person she was in real life,” he says.

Savithri had been unwell for the past two years and could not take up acting assignments. Yet, despite having only a handful of film roles, she left behind a character that touched audiences across Kerala. She may have waited decades after ‘Kadavu’ to return to cinema. But when she did, Savithri Sreedharan gave Malayalam cinema a mother audiences will remember for a long time.