Gandhimathi
Biography
Gandhimathi (30 August 1940 – 9 September 2011) was an Indian stage and film actress who appeared in over 500 films, primarily in Tamil cinema.
Early life
Born as Kanthimathi in Manamadurai, in what was then the Ramanathapuram district, she began acting in stage dramas and made her entry into films at the age of eleven.
Career
She gained widespread recognition for her role as Mayil’s mother in 16 Vayathinile. Some of her other notable Tamil films include Mann Vasanai, Muthu, and Karagattakaran. In recognition of her significant contribution to Tamil cinema, she was honoured with the Kalaimamani Award by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
Throughout her career, Gandhimathi frequently portrayed mother and grandmother roles to several generations of leading actors, including M. G. Ramachandran, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Vijayakanth, Sathyaraj, Prabhu, Vijay, Revathi, Radha, Ambika, and Radhika. She was especially admired for her natural delivery of colloquial dialogue and folk expressions, particularly proverbial and non-lexical filler phrases that became a hallmark of her performances.
