Aarathi

Beginnings and breakthrough

Aarathi made her film debut with the film Gejje Pooje (1969) directed by Puttanna Kanagal. She played a short role as the sister of lead actor Gangadhar. Her first lead role came with the Sameulla directed comedy film, Takka Bitre Sikka (1970), where she played the love interest of actor Srinath. Following this, she featured in supporting roles in several films including the Rajkumar starrers Kasturi Nivasa (1971), Sri Krishna Rukmini Satyabhama (1971), Sipayi Ramu (1972), Bangarada Manushya (1972) and later played lead roles opposite him in Bhale Huchcha (1972), Bahaddur Gandu (1976), Premada Kanike (1976) and Raja Nanna Raja (1976) .

Her first breakthrough came when Puttanna Kanagal cast her as Alamelu in the action drama Naagarahaavu (1972). She gained widespread recognition and accolades for playing a soft spoken girl who ends up living a tragic life post her marriage. Actor Vishnuvardhan made his debut with this film and gained instant popularity and the pair went on to star in several films together in future. Aarathi won her first Karnataka State Film Award for her portrayal of the character. The film ran for over 20 weeks across theaters in Karnataka and was remade in several other languages.^[7]

Collaboration with Puttanna Kanagal

Kanagal introduced and brought Aarathi to the limelight by offering her to star in his films back to back right from Gejje Pooje in 1970 up until their final association in Ranganayaki in 1981. During the making of Bili Hendthi (1975), the duo secretly married even though Kanagal was already married.^[8]Kanagal wrote several author-backed character roles for Aarathi and cast her in female-centric films throughout the 1970s. Their combination produced successful films such as Naagarahaavu (1972), Edakallu Guddada Mele (1973), Upasane (1974), Bili Hendthi (1975), Shubhamangala (1975), Paduvaaralli Pandavaru (1978), Dharmasere (1979) and Ranganayaki (1981). After Ranganayaki, they both fell apart and their divorce ended any more future collaborations. She won all her eight awards (four Karnataka State awards and four Filmfare South awards) for her projects collaborated with Kanagal.

Widespread success and retirement

Besides her successful films with Kanagal, Aarathi found success in her other collaborations with actors Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan, Srinath, Ambareesh, Anant Nag and Tiger Prabhakar. Starting from the supporting role in magnum opus Kasturi Nivasa (1971), she was repeatedly cast opposite Rajkumar in as many as 12 films which were successful at the box-office and also critically acclaimed. Her second successful pairing was with Vishnuvardhan with whom she worked in multiple films including Hanthakana Sanchu (1980), Bangarada Jinke (1980), Pedda Gedda (1982), Kalluveene Nudiyithu (1983), Khaidi (1984) and Madhuve Madu Tamashe Nodu (1986).

Aarathi featured in several female-centered critically acclaimed films such as Manini (1979), Vasantha Lakshmi (1978), Shubhamangala (1975), Anurakthe (1980), Archana (1982), Kannu Theresida Hennu (1982) and Sati Sakkubai (1985). She retired from acting after her second marriage in 1986 and Tiger was her last film to release.

As director

As actress