Aarathi

Director/Actress/Producer

Biography

Aarathi is an Indian actress and producer of Kannada movies. She first became popular during the late 1970s and 1980s, and was recognised for her roles in movies such as Naagarahaavu, Edakallu Guddada Mele, Bili Hendthi, Dharmasere, Paduvaaralli Pandavaru, Ranganayaki, Hombisilu, Upasane and Shubhamangala. She has won the State Award several times, and is only the second actress to be nominated to the Vishana Parishat. The movie Mithayi Mane won the Best Children's Film award for the year 2004-2005 issued by the Government of Karnataka. She has acted in Tamil movies like Gumasthavin Magal. She has also acted as a heroine alongside Rajinikanth and Kamal Hassan where they acted as villains in the respective movies. She does a great deal of charity work. She was the second wife of Puttanna Kanagal. She left the film industry in 1987, and married to Chandrashekar Desaigoudar and moved to the USA. She has lived in the USA ever since, and has two daughters.