The Biography

Srivaikundam Duraisamy Subbulakshmi (or S. D. Subbulakshmi) was a Tamil film actress and singer who was active in the 1930s and 1940s. She was the wife of film director K. Subramanyam. She is credited with having introduced the singer and family friend of hers, M. S. Subbulakshmi to Tamil cinema and mentored her in her early days. S. D. Subbulakshmi was born in Srivaikundam to Duraisamy and Janaki Ammal. Since childhood, S. D. Subbulakshmi had shown keen interest in stage dramas. The family moved to Madurai, where she learned carnatic music and dance. Her parents took photos of her in various makeups and showed them to a number of drama companies. This had assisted her to start as a child actress in stage plays. She grew up acting in stage dramas and managed to act in a number of dramas with well-known artists such as M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, K. B. Sundarambal and T. R. Mahalingam and earned a very good name. Pavalakkodi was one such drama where she had acted with M. K. Thiagaraja Bhagavather and became very famous.