Rishi Kapoor’s family drama Naseeb Apna Apna, directed by T Rama Rao, was released in 1986. Apart from Rishi and Farah Naaz, Radhika Sarathkumar also plays an important role in the film. The latter spent the next few years gaining recognition from Southern industry before turning to active politics. (Also Read: Varalaxmi Sarathkumar reacts to fiancé’s negative comments: ‘I don’t care about others, even my father was married twice’)
About Radhika Sarathkumar
Radhika is the daughter of Tamil actor and politician Mr Radha. As her mother Geeta was a Sri Lankan Tamil, she was educated in India, Sri Lanka and the UK. In 1985, Radhika married Malayalam actor and producer Pratap Pothen. Later, the couple parted ways until Radhika remarried British national Richard Hardy.
In 2001, she tied the knot with former bodybuilder, actor and film producer-turned-politician Sarathkumar Ranganathan. The couple starred together in two Tamil films: “Namma Annachi” (1994) and “Suryavamsam” (1997). They have an eldest son named Rahul and a daughter Rayane who is married to cricketer Abhimanyu Mathur. Abhimanyu plays for Virat Kohli-led IPL team – Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Radhika Sarathkumar’s acting career
Radhika made her acting debut with the 1978 Tamil film Kizhakke Pogum Rail. She has worked in many other regional films in Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. The veteran also produced a Tamil film titled Meendum Oru Kaathal Kathai, which won the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Directorial Debut. Radhika has also won several Filmfare awards. She won the Best Telugu Actress Award for Nyayam Kavali (1981). Radhika later won the Best Tamil Actress Award for “Dharma Devathai” (1986), “Neethikku Thandanai” (1987) and “Keladi Kanmani” (1990).
Although she starred in Naseeb Apna Apna with Rishi and Farah, Hindi films did not do much for her career. Despite working with Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Shatrughan Sinha and Jeetendra, her Baolai The dock business failed to take off. She later returned to Southern cinema and won acclaim.
Radhika Sarathkumar’s political career
Radhika joined the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) along with her husband ahead of the 2006 Assembly elections. She was later expelled from the party in October 2006. Radhika served as All India Vice President Samathuva Makkal Katchi from 2007 until recently when she resigned. She will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Virudhunagar Lok Sabha constituency as a BJP candidate.
As a Hindi film actor, Radhika has also appeared in films such as “Aaj Ka Arjun”, “Himmatwala” and “Lal Badshah”.