Although she has done only three Malayalam films thus far, and her last outing in the industry was over two decades ago, Shruthi Krishna is one of those rare actors whom Malayalees are unlikely to forget, no matter how many years have passed. Even if her name doesn’t ring a bell immediately, her face will rush to the minds of movie audiences as soon as they hear the name “Ambili,” thanks to the hilarious hospital scene in Kottaram Veettile Apputtan (1998).
That was her sophomore Malayalam film, where she starred opposite Jayaram, after making her debut in the industry a year earlier with the Mammootty-led Oral Mathram (1997). She later appeared alongside Cochin Haneefa in CI Mahadevan 5 Adi 4 Inchu (2004), though that film didn’t garner much attention. Although she is no longer active in Malayalam cinema, Shruthi is still very much in the limelight in her home ground of Kannada, playing notable roles in both movies and television shows.
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Even if Malayalam movie audiences may know her mainly as Kottaram Veettile Apputtan’s Ambili, Shruthi Krishna is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished actors of her generation in Kannada, having won the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actress twice. She is also a recipient of the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress. In an illustrious career spanning 36 years, she has acted in over 150 films, winning the hearts of audiences across the South.
A unique family setup: Growing up with two mothers
Shruthi (née Girija) was born into a family of theatre artistes. According to Manorama Online, her father, GV Krishna, was a theatre company owner, and he married twin sisters, Radha and Rukmini, who were members of his troupe. The throuple has three children together: Shruthi, actor Sharan, and Usha. Interestingly, the family still hasn’t revealed to the world which child belongs to which mother. Regardless, they all share a close bond, and Shruthi herself has often opened up about having grown up experiencing the love of two mothers instead of one.
Actor Shruthi Krishna in Kottaram Veettile Apputtan. (Screenshot: YouTube/CentralTalkiesmovies; enhanced using AI)
Girija made her acting debut at the age of 14, playing a supporting role in Nambidre Nambi Bitre Bidi (1990). However, in that film and her subsequent Aasegobba Meesegobba, she was credited as Priyadarshini. Despite not particularly liking that name, she didn’t protest as she was a newcomer.
While working on Dwarakish’s Shruthi (1990), she shared her concern with the director, who suggested that she take the movie’s title as her screen name. Finding it attractive and noticing that no other major artiste had the same name, Girija rechristened herself as Shruthi. The movie became a massive hit, giving her a much-needed breakthrough.
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The rise of Kannada cinema’s ‘Tragedy Queen’
The success of the film brought a flood of opportunities for Shruthi Krishna, and she quickly rose to fame, thanks to her ability to perform a wide range of roles impressively, handling emotional, comedic, and even grey-shaded moments with finesse.
Meanwhile, her popularity in Kannada and immense talent paved the way for her entry into the Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam industries as well. While she won her first Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actress for her portrayal in Suresh Heblikar’s Aaghaatha (1994), Shruthi’s performance in K Balachander’s Kalki (1996) earned her her first Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress. She knocked it out of the park in Kannada back-to-back, particularly in emotional dramas, earning the sobriquet “Tragedy Queen.”
Actor Shruthi Krishna with her family. (Credit: Instagram/@shruthi__krishnaa)
Shruthi further gained popularity through her performances in women-centric movies, thereby attracting many women to cinema halls. She earned her second Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in director S Mahendar’s Gowdru (2004), headlined by Ambareesh. She has also worked with Kannada superstar Vishnuvardhan in films such as Time Bomb (1994), Thumbida Mane (1995), Mojugara Sogasugara (1995), Veerappa Nayaka (1999), Soorappa (2000) and Sirivantha (2006).
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Her performances in movies such as Muddina Maava (1993), Hetta Karalu (1994), Karpoorada Gombe (1996), Gattimela (2001), Rama Shama Bhama (2005), Akka Thangi (2008), Puttakkana Highway (2011), Kalpana (2012), and Kaatera (2023) contributed to her acclaim.
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Shruthi Krishna’s 2 failed marriages, political innings, and more
At the peak of her career in the late ’90s, Shruthi Krishna tied the knot with director S Mahendar, who later gave her the award-winning role in Gowdru. However, unlike many of her contemporaries, Shruthi didn’t step away from cinema after marriage. She continued doing films one after the other, earning the reputation of being a powerhouse artiste who could hold her own alongside any leading man. Even when she eventually transitioned to character roles, Shruthi soared, peerless.
However, she faced setbacks in her personal life. Her marriage to S Mahendar ended after 11 years. She and Mahendar have one daughter together, Gowri Shruthi. In 2013, she tied the knot with journalist-poet Chakravarthy Chandrachud, but their marriage lasted only about a year before ending in divorce.
Beyond cinema, she has also been active in politics and is a member of the BJP. She served as the chairperson of both the Karnataka Women and Child Development Corporation and the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation.
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Aside from her acting potential and illustrious career, Shruthi Krishna’s personal life has also garnered significant attention, particularly her father’s marriage to twin women. However, she has always proudly spoken about having had the privilege of experiencing the love and affection of two mothers equally. In fact, Shruthi and her siblings have mentioned that even they do not even know who their biological mother is, adding that they haven’t felt the need to decode it either.
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She reportedly said once, “For us, we didn’t feel it was necessary. If we wanted to, it’s a simple matter of finding the answer with one question. But we are not separate; we believe everyone is one. It is those who don’t know the harmony of this family who worry about such things. They are both mothers to us. They love us equally, and we feel the same in return. There is no distinction of who belongs to whom. Is there any need to bring bias there?”
Shruthi Krishna, who also emerged as the winner of Bigg Boss Kannada Season 3, was most recently seen in the Kannada movies Surya: The Power of Love and Majestic 2.
Actor Shruthi Krishna in Kottaram Veettile Apputtan. (Screenshot: YouTube/CentralTalkiesmovies; enhanced using AI)
Actor Shruthi Krishna with her family. (Credit: Instagram/@shruthi__krishnaa)
Actor Shruthi Krishna with her two mothers. (Credit: Instagram/@shruthi__krishnaa)