Meet Padma Bhushan awardee Shobana Chandrakumar as she reunites with Mohanlal for Thudarum after 15 years

Here’s everything you need to know about Shobana Chandrakumar Pillai, who was recently honored with Padma Bhushan.

By Anjali Choudhury

Published on Jan 30, 2025 | 01:57 PM IST | 17.1K

Meet Padma Bhushan awardee Shobana as she reunites with Mohanlal for Thudarum after 15 yrs (PC: Shobana Instagram)

Shobana Chandrakumar Pillai is a renowned Indian actress who was recently honored with the Padma Bhushan alongside Nandamuri Balakrishna, Ajith Kumar, and others. She has also reunited with Mohanlal after 15 years for their upcoming film, Thudarum. Before diving into her achievements and the project, let’s take a look at who Shobana is.

Meet Shobana Chandrakumar

Shobana is not just an Indian actress, but also a popular Bharatanatyam dancer. She has worked across multiple industries including Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu. Over four decades ago, she made her debut as a child artist and has since appeared in more than 200 movies.

She has won two National Film Awards for Manichitrathazhu (1993) and Mitr, My Friend (2001). Shobana has also received a Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress.

Trained in Bharatanatyam under Chitra Visweswaran and Padma Subrahmanyam, Shobana later established her dance school, Kalarpana, in Chennai. In recognition of her contributions, she was honored with the Padma Shri in 2006 and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship in 2013. She has also received honorary doctorates from various institutions. In 2025, she was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honor.

Talking about her personal life, Shobana has chosen to remain unmarried and embraced motherhood by adopting a daughter in 2011.

Shobana and Mohanlal's dynamic combo returns to big screens

Mohanlal and Shobana reunited on the big screens after a gap of 15 years for Thudarum. They have worked together in several films over the years including Pakshe, Minnaram, Pavithram, Azhiyatha Bandhangal, Abhayam Thedi, Vellanakalude Naadu, Manichitrathazhu and more.

Directed by Tharun Moorthy, Thudarum has released in theaters today, January 30. The film is produced by M. Renjith and features Mohanlal and Shobana in the lead roles. Cinematography is handled by Shaji Kumar, while editing is done by Nishadh Yusuf and Shafeeque V. B. The music for the film is composed by Jakes Bejoy.

Have you watched Thudarum in theaters? If yes, share your thoughts with us in the comments below.