Bio:

Shobana Chandrakumar, a prominent Indian artist, is celebrated as a Bharatanatyam dancer and leading actress in South Indian cinemaShe acts predominantly in Malayalam films along with Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and English films.. Originating from a Malayalam-speaking family in Kerala, she has starred in over 200 films across five languages. Her film debut was in "April 18" (1984), followed by notable roles like in "Kanamarayathu" with Mammootty. Shobana received the National Film Award for Best Actress for "Manichitrathazhu" (1994) and "Mitr, My Friend" (2001). Trained in Bharatanatyam at Chennai's Chidambaram academy, she founded the Kalarpana school in Chennai, promoting classical dance. Known for her beauty and dance skill, she also participated in Mani Ratnam's "Netru, Indru, Naalai" and the Telugu film "Rudra Veena." In 2006, she was honored with the Padma Shri for her contributions to the arts.