Sudha Chandran, A tribute!

Sudha Chandran, a woman who crossed all the difficulties in the life with her will power. A woman who bounced back to the normal dance life with a Jaipur foot after a tragic accident which cost her right leg. Sudha Chandran is Bharatanatyam and Kathak dancer. She known actress both in silver screen and Television. She has acted in more than 30 movies in different languages like Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam.

EARLY LIFE

Sudha is born in Tamil family in 1964. Mr. K. D. Chandran and Mrs. Thangam are her father and mother. She had done her schooling in Mumbai and is a post graduate holder in Economics. She started her dance education in Kala Sadan, Mumbai, at the age of 5 and managed both her study and dance aswell. When she was 17, she has completed 75 stage performances. She has received two important awards ' Nritya Mayuri from the Dance Academy and Bharatnatyam and Nav Jyoti from the Telugu Academy . Both these awards were received prior to the accident and considered outstanding in the field of dance.

TRAGEDY

The tragedy hit her on May 2, 1981 in the form of a bus accident while she was travelling with her parents to a temple in Tamilnadu. In the accident, her right leg was severely injured and the doctor who attended her made a mistake which led to the amputation of her right leg, 71/2 inches below the knee.

WILL POWER

She was not willing to confined to a wheel chair even after the amputation of her and she made all the possible efforts to walk. After six months since the amputation, Sudha read in a magazine about Dr. Sethi, a specialist in artificial limbs and recipient of the Raman Magasassay Award, from Jaipur. Sudha wrote to him. Meanwhile her family visited a company in the Opera House in Mumbai where they saw this artificial leg (Jaipur foot) in a showcase. Her confidence and desire for dance was again revived. Dr. Sethi made all the possible efforts to make an artificial foot according to her dancing requirement.

BACK IN ACTION

On January 28, 1984 , Sudha Chandran performed a dance program with another dancer, Preeti, at the "South India Welfare Society" of Mumbai. The programme was a grand success and Sudha had become a star over night. The famous producer Ramoji Rao, not only praised her but also decided to produce a film based on her life story. The film was titled as Mayuri, a Telugu film, and released in 1984. Sudha won a special award-Silver Lotus and Rs.5,000 for her acting in this film. This award was presented by the then President of India , Gyani Zail Singh at the 33 rd National Film Festival on the recommendation of members of the jury.

SUCCESS

In 1986, on seeing the outstanding success of the film, Ramoji Rao re-made the film in Hindi and named as Nache Mayuri, where she played the lead role. With its release, Sudha became known to people in India as well as abroad and she proved that she is not only a dancer but an actress too On 4 September, 1995 Sudha Chandran got married to Ravi Dang, a Punjabi, after a brief courtship.

DANCE SCHOOL

Now, Sudha is considered to be one of the more flamboyant stars on Indian television and her characters are making us either to hate or admire her viciousness she portrayed on screen. Not only she is giving stage performances, but running a dance school in Mumbai, Natya Mayuri Sudha Chandran Dance Academy.

Heal deal

My parents were heart-broken as I was their only child. They had big dreams for me. I didn't want them to feel that life had played dirty with them. So we hid our sadness from each other. We sat, talked and laughed as though nothing had happened. But often I'd go to the bathroom and cry. This was my defence mechanism. But I learnt to draw strength from my failures.

BEST FOOT FORWARD

I had decided that I would not go back to Mumbai with crutches. Eventually, I got a Jaipur (made of vulcanised rubber) foot fixed by Dr P K Sethi of Jaipur. Often, the line between gaining sympathy and getting hurt is very thin. After I had got the Jaipur foot fixed, my three close friends - Medha, Uma and Geeta had come to the airport to receive me. They had tears in their eyes. But I refused to take sympathy. Instead I asked cheerfully, 'Hey, how are you'll?' That diffused the atmosphere. I began dancing once again, after two years on January 28, 1984.

MY SUPPOSE, MY SUPPORT

It's been 13 years since I have been married. I met my husband Ravi Dang, a Punjabi on the sets of the film 'Seeta Salma Suzie'. He was the assistant director then. He was emotionally supportive. We got together because we realised that we had more than just affection for each other. Today, my husband is handling my dance academy where I teach every Sunday.

GAIN IN PAIN

I view the accident as a blessing because without it I would be one amongst the million women who dance. But dancing with the Jaipur foot makes me one of a kind. We come in this life with a purpose. I have been a ray of inspiration to not only the disabled but also the able. I am a real life heroine.

CONCLUSION

Sudha was born in 21 September 1964. So let us wish her some belated birthday wishes and Salute to her will power. She indeed is a role model and for a serial which talks about women and how they should stand on their own legs, no one could fit in better.

Word Count: 1