Veerappan’s single TV interview derailed 90s star Sukanya’s soaring film career

The ‘defamatory’ 1996 interview that sparked a 30-year legal war

A few days ago, the Madras High Court upheld a Rs 10.01 lakh damages award against Sun TV over a televised interview with Veerappan that Sukanya claimed damaged her reputation. The court noted that the broadcaster failed to verify and remove defamatory and scandalous allegations made against her by him, then India’s most wanted fugitive, despite having the power to do so.

Sun TV Network aired the interview, conducted by journalist and Nakkheeran editor R Rajagopal (better known as Nakkheeran Gopal), in 1996, while Sukanya’s career was at its peak. During the conversation, Veerappan linked her to an alleged political scandal involving the son of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. Asserting that the claims were entirely false, Sukanya argued that the allegation was “offensive to plaintiff’s dignity” and lowered her image among “friends, family and the general public.”

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The legal battle began in 1996. In April 2015, a trial court ruled in her favour and directed Sun TV to pay damages, after which the broadcaster moved the High Court, which has now upheld the trial court’s order.

Sukanya’s meteoric rise: Ruling 90s Tamil and Malayalam cinema

Sukanya made her film debut by playing the female lead in legendary Tamil director Bharathiraja’s Pudhu Nellu Pudhu Naathu (1991). The same year, she also played the central role in MGR Nagaril — helmed by Malayalam producer-director Alleppey Ashraf — a Tamil remake of the blockbuster comedy thriller In Harihar Nagar (1990) by the Siddique-Lal duo.

In 1992, her career saw a significant boom. Not only did she earn the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in the Vijayakanth-led Chinna Gounder, but Sukanya also made her foray into Malayalam, Telugu, and Kannada films that same year with Rahman’s Apaaratha, Jagapathi Babu’s Peddarikam, and V Ravichandran’s Guru Brahma, respectively.

Sukanya with Sathyaraj in the Tamil film Udan Pirappu. (Express archive photo)

Sukanya’s career soared after that, leading her to play significant roles in notable movies such as Kamal Haasan’s Mahanadhi and Indian; Mohanlal’s Chandralekha and Rakthasakshikal Sindabad; Mammootty’s Sagaram Sakshi; Vijayakanth’s Sakkarai Devan; Jayaram’s Thooval Kottaram; Kottai Vaasal; Prabhu’s Senthamizh Paattu, Mr Madras, and Chinna Mapillai; R Sarathkumar’s Ilavarasan, Mahaprabhu, and Raja Pandi; Sathyaraj’s Walter Vetrivel, Vandicholai Chinraasu, Senathipathi, and Udan Pirappu; and Rahman’s Karuppu Vellai.

During this period, she also earned the Kalaimamani Award, the highest civilian honour in the state of Tamil Nadu.

How Sukanya’s career nosedived

Nevertheless, following Veerappan’s allegations, Sukanya’s career evidently nosedived, and she was no longer playing the female lead in movies headlined by A-listers.

Sukanya with R Sarathkumar in the Tamil movie Raja Pandi. (Express archive photo)

Although she gradually returned to movies, she mostly appeared in smaller projects. Despite a handful of appearances in the early 2000s, none catapulted her back to fame.

Sukanya’s personal struggles and beyond

In the meantime, Sukanya married R Sridhar, a software engineer based in New Jersey, in April 2002, after which she briefly moved to the US. However, she returned to India in January 2003, as reported by NDTV, and later filed for divorce, alleging domestic abuse from Sridhar. She never remarried.

Both Sukanya and her sister, Geetha Sridhar, are trained in Bharatanatyam. Having received an Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship, Sukanya completed her dance training under eminent tutors at the Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai. Geetha runs the UK-based dance company Natyasri.

Disclaimer: This article covers historical litigation, defamatory claims from past broadcast footage, and personal hardships that are presented solely for biographical and informational purposes. It does not provide legal counsel, professional advice, or formal advocacy regarding domestic disputes or legal matters.