Manorama is a veteran Tamil actress who has acted in more than 1500 films, 1000 stage performances, and a few television serials. She is affectionately called as Aachi by Tamil people. She holds a Guinness World Record for acting in most number of films. Manorama was born as Gopi Shantha to Arumuga Clockudaiyar and Ramamitham on 26 May 1943 at Mannargudi, Tiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu. Later her family moved to Pallathur near Karaikudi owing to poverty.
She started her acting career as a drama artist. When she started her stage performances she was rechristened as Manorama by the drama director Thiruvengadam and the harmonist Thiayagarajan. She continued to act in plays and also performed on stage as a playback singer. Manorama slowly migrated from dramas to the silver screen with the role of a comedienne in Tamil film Malayitta Mangai.
During her initial days in the cine field, she concentrated more on comedy. She was given equally challenging roles alongside the well known comedian Nagesh. They made an excellent pair and acted in many praiseworthy comedies. Manorama's role in the film Thillana Mohanambal was much appreciated and noticed even with the presence of great stalwarts like Sivaji Ganesan and Natiya Peroli (Danseuse) Padmini in the movie. Ever since, she was provided with more scope in varied roles in addition to comedy. She took each responsibility with such an ease which made the Tamil industry recognize her immense talent.
She has the distinction of having acted with five chief ministers of South India. She was the female lead in the stage plays written, directed and acted by Mr C. N. Annadurai, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. She has also acted in stage plays with another Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Dr M Karunanidhi. She has acted in films with Dr M G Ramachandran and Dr Jayalalitha Jayaram who both became Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu later. She has also acted in Telugu films with Dr N T Rama Rao, who became the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
She was awarded Padma Shri in the year 2002.She won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for the movie Pudhiya Pathai in the year 1989. She holds a guinness world record for acting in most number of films.
She breathed her last on 10th October 2015, Saturday Night at Apollo hospital in Chennai
