India's unluckiest actress, Rajinikanth, Mohanlal's co-star, was more popular than top heroines, still never became superstar, died at just 35 due to..., name is..

Being successful isn't being loved. Being loved doesn't mean being valued, and being valued don't doesn't make you satisfied if you aren't respected. Every year, there are millions of people who try their luck in films, a very few make it through. The hard work and dedication do take you to places. An artiste achieves success, but there have been instances when they fall from the height of fame, and they perish without any trace. Today, we will talk about an actress, a sex siren who made her way into cinema with her bold attitude. She came, saw, and conquered the masses. But then she suffered heartbreaks, failures, and setbacks, which led to her lonely death. She was successful, but wasn't respected. Not only when she was alive, but even after her death, she was humiliated. 

Silk Smitha: The sex siren from South

Silk, born as Vijayalakshmi in the village of Denduluru in Andhra Pradesh, started her film career as a touch-up artiste. In a few years, she started getting minor roles in movies. This was Silk's first step towards her big dream. 

The big boom in Silk Smitha's career. 

Silk's dreams and her life took a turn when actor and director Vinu Chakravarthy discovered her. He saw a young girl her at a floor mill near the AVM studios, and her sensuality and charming persona left him stunned. In 1980, Chakravarthy launched Silk, giving her the first big break in cinema with the film Vandichakkram. After this film, life never remained the same for Silk. 

When Silk Smitha became more popular than the heroines

From 1980, Silk Smitha made a cult following for herself, particularly among the male audience. Movie posters with her name could draw crowds to theatres. Her popularity was sometimes even more than the lead actors or heroines. Films with her item numbers or brief roles often performed better commercially, despite a weak plot or dull star cast. Masses would come only to enjoy Silk Smitha's song, and leave after it ends. With this popularity, Silk went on to give over 300 movies in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and even Hindi. From Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, to Kamal Haasan, Silk sizzled the screen with almost every superstar. This feat was a far-fetched dream, even for an A-lister heroine. 

Watch the viral song of Silk Smitha with Kamal Haasan from Sadma

The lonely death of Silk Smitha

On September 23, 1996, Silk Smitha ended her life by hanging herself at her apartment in Saligramam, Chennai. She was only 35. The South siren who was loved by the masses died after suffering several heartbreaks. She was financially broke and suffered a lonely death. Years later, her handwritten suicide note went viral on the internet. The translation from Telugu to English says, " Everyone would exploit my work. I have so many desires in life. There is also a desire to fulfil them all. But I have no peace wherever I go. Everyone’s actions were disturbing to me." She further wrote, "Lots of people used my body. Many have taken advantage of my work. I do not thank anyone except Babu (Dr Radhakrishnan)." The life of Silk Smitha inspired Vidya Balan's The Dirty Picture.