Pooja Umashankar

Pooja Gauthami Umashankar is an Indian-Sri Lankan former actress who has primarily appeared in Indian Tamil and Sri Lankan Sinhala cinema.

Pooja Umashankar
Pooja G Umashankar in 2012
Born
Pooja Gauthami Umashankar

Colombo, Sri Lanka
EducationBaldwin Girls' High School, Bangalore
Mount Carmel College, Bangalore
Occupation(s)Model, actress
Years active2003–2016
Spouse
Prashan David Vethakan
(m. 2016)

Early and personal life

Pooja's mother, Sandhya, is a Sri Lankan Sinhalese and her father, H. R. Umashankar, is an Indian Kannadiga Brahmin from Sringeri, in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka.[1] Umashankar was at Valparai, working with Hindustan Unilever Limited, as a manager. Pooja can speak Kannada, Sinhala, Tamil, and English.[2] After she did her pre-schooling in Sri Lanka, she came to India and went to Poornapragnya in Aldur, Chikmagalur and then to Nirmala Convent in Mysore.[2] Later she continued her education at Baldwin Girls' High School in Bangalore and did graduation (B.Com.) and Post Graduation (MBA) at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore.[2]

In December 2016, she married Prashan David Vethakan, who is a Sri Lankan businessman.[3]

Career

Pooja was introduced by a friend of her to cinematographer-turned-director Jeeva, who signed her for the role of Anglo-Indian girl in his Tamil venture Ullam Ketkumae.[4] Pooja said that at that time she planned to finish that film and return to her original job and did not take an acting career into consideration. She stated: "I said to myself I'd act in just this film, see what it's like, make good use of the money and get back to studying".[4] She was soon offered a role opposite R. Madhavan, which she could not decline and made her rethink her decision.[4] Ullam Ketkumae's massive delay meant that her second film, the romantic comedy Jay Jay (2004), directed by Saran, became her first official release.[5] Pooja received favorable reviews for her performance in Jay Jay;[6] G. Ulaganathan from Deccan Herald wrote: "Spirited, lively, Pooja's sparkling eyes and smile do leave an impression". She next played the romantic interest of Ajith Kumar in another Saran film, Attahasam, which, in spite of mixed critical response, went on to become a financial success.[7] Pooja, too, met with criticism, with critics citing that she had "only limited role" and was "wasted [...] in an insignificant and half-baked role".[8] Pooja's subsequent release happened to be Ullam Ketkumae that featured her in one of the five leading roles alongside Shaam, Laila, Arya and Asin. The film fetched positive remarks and emerged as a sleeper hit.[9] She went to appear in commercial Tamil films such as Thambi and Pori. In 2007, Pooja also appeared in a Malayalam film, Panthaya Kozhi, before landing the lead female role in Bala's Naan Kadavul. Her portrayal of Hamshavalli, a blind beggar, was critically appreciated and earned her several accolades, including the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil and Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Female Character Artiste. Following Naan Kadavul, Pooja went on a sabbatical, appeared just in cameo roles in TN-07 AL 4777, Drohi and the Telugu film Orange.

Her big budget film Kusa Pabha released in early 2012 and became the highest grosser ever in the history of Sri Lankan film industry. Critics praised Pooja for her role of Pabawathi.

Filmography

YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes
2003Jay JaySeemaTamil
2004AttahasamSapnaTamil
2005Ullam KetkumaeIreneTamil
2005JithanPriyaTamil
2006AnjalikaAnjalika,
Uththara
Sinhala
2006PattiyalSandhyaTamil
2006ThambiArchanaTamil
2006ThagapansamyMarikozhundhu ShanmugamTamil
2007PoriPoojaTamil
2007Panthaya KozhiShenbagamMalayalam
2007Asai Man PiyabannaRanmalee / MaleeshaSinhala
2007Oram PoRaniTamil
2007YahaluvoManoraniSinhala
2009Naan KadavulHamshavalliTamil
2009TN-07 AL 4777TamilGuest appearance
2010Suwanda Denuna JeewitheRashmiSinhala
2010DrohiRojaTamilGuest appearance
2010OrangeMeenakshiTeluguGuest appearance
2011Smoking KillsPoojaEnglishShort film
2012Kusa PabhaPabawathiSinhala
2012MiragePriyaEnglishShort film
2013Vidiyum MunnRekhaTamil
2015Kadavul Paathi Mirugam PaathiTamilGuest appearance
2016PaththiniKannagi (Paththini)Sinhala
2016SarigamaMariyaSinhala
2023 Sihinayaki Adare Jennifer Sinhala Upcoming Movie (Scheduled in November)

Television

ShowRoleLanguageNotes
Daskon Princess Pramila Sinhala Teledrama
Derana city of dance session 5 Judge Reality show
Aatam Paatam Kondatam Judge Tamil Reality show
Derana city of dance session 6JudgeSinhalaReality show
Dance Jodi DanceJudgeTamilReality show

Awards

Year Award Category Work Result Achievements
2006 Sarasaviya Awards Most Popular Actress Anjalika Nominated
Best Actress Nominated
2007 Asai Man Piyabanna Nominated
Most Popular Actress Nominated
2009 Tamil Nadu State Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Naan Kadavul Won
2010 Filmfare Awards South Best Actress Won
Vijay Awards Best Actress Won
World Malayalee Council Best Actress Won
2013 Derana Film Awards Most Popular Actress Kusa Pabha Won
Best Actress Nominated
Hiru Golden Film Awards Most Popular Actress Nominated
Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards Best Actress Vidiyum Munn Won
Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards Won
2014 Filmfare Awards South Nominated
Vijay Awards Nominated
SIIMA - Tamil Nominated
BehindWood Gold Medals Best Actress Won
2016 SLIM-Nielsen Peoples Awards Most Popular Actress Won
Sarasaviya Awards Best Actress Sarigama Won
2017 Derana Film Awards Most Popular Actress Paththini Won
Janabhimani Honorary Award Won Honor From Sri Lankan Government[10]
2018 Hiru Golden Film Awards Most Popular Actress Won
2019 SLIM-Nielsen Peoples Awards Most Popular Actress Won
2020 SLIM-Nielsen Peoples Awards Most Popular Actress Won
2021 SLIM-Nielsen Peoples Awards Most Popular Actress Won

References

  1. "Pooja Umashanker: About Me". Pooja Umashankar. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  2. "I am enjoying every moment of acting". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 30 May 2007. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
  3. "Actress Pooja gets married". The Times of India. 16 January 2017.
  4. "Screen presence". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 27 April 2007. Archived from the original on 27 May 2007.
  5. "Oram Po… here she comes". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 30 November 2007. Archived from the original on 2 December 2007.
  6. "Jay Jay – Tamil Movie Review". thiraipadam.com
  7. "Ajith tastes success!". Ia.rediff.com. 23 November 2004. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  8. "Movie Review:Attakasam". Sify. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  9. "'Ullam Ketkume' – A sleeper hit!". Sify. 7 June 2005. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  10. "Honorary Award". poojaumashankar.tumblr.com.
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