Saranya Ponvannan - Favorite Mummy in TAMIL NADU

Saranya Ponvannan is an Indian film actress who has predominantly appeared in Tamil language films. Saranya made her debut in a lead role in Director Maniratnam’s Nayagan and went on to play lead roles in a few films during the late 1980s. Following an eight-year Sabbatical , she returned to feature films as a Character artist  essaying supporting roles particularly playing mother characters to lead artists. 

She is Favorite MOM in TAMIL NADU. For her performances in films including Ram, Thavamaai Tahavamirunthu, Emmagan and Kalavani. She has received notable critical praise and several accolades, including three Filmfare award for Best supporting Actress  while her performance in Thenmerku paruvakkaarru  fetched her the National film award for Best Actress in 2011

Saranya is the daughter of famous Malayalam film director A.B.Raj. She is married to a fellow  Actor cum Director Ponvannan. Saranya made her debut in Maniratnam’s Godfathersque production Nayagan opposite Kamal haasan  in which she performed the lead female character. The film, which went on to become a titanic success, became one of the only few films where she had essayed the lead female role.

After marriage in 1995, she settled down to domestic bliss, refusing to take up any film offers. In 2000, however, she was offered the lead role in the comedy Television series, Veettukku veedu lootty, which she accepted. 

Subsequently, she decided to accept some good offers, enacting supporting roles.  Since then she has appeared in many films in supporting roles most notably Ram, Thavamaai Tahavamirunthu, Emmagan and Kalavani.

 Her performance as Veerayi, a widowed mother torn between love and possessiveness,  in the 2010 film Thenmerku paruvakkaarru   - incidentally her 100th release - ultimately fetched her the  National film award for Best Actress.  She acted as mothers to all heroes including actor surya and actor vijay. she is a relative to actor vikram. she has 2 daughters.