Chennai: “Behind the success of every man there is a woman”. This saying perfectly fits Seethalakshmi (82), wife of veteran film villain and stage thespian R.S. Manohar, who passed away on December 1.
It was a perfect divine match designed and executed in heaven. They were married as per their family elders’ wish in traditional Brahmin style at Gopalapuram on July 22, 1950, and remained as an enviable couple till Manohar’s death in 2006. The most understanding couple was R.S. Manohar (RSM) and Seethalakshmi.
An intermediate from Queen Mary’s College, Chennai, Seethalakshmi was so good in mathematics that it was she who who managed RSM’s earnings. Although RSM’s normal day started from 4 am and lasted till 11 pm, his wife’s started earlier, from 3.45 am. She married R.S. Lakshminarasimhan (original name of RSM) who was working with the postal department.
“Very few people are aware of the fact that RSM started his film career as a hero in Rajambal but subsequently did villain and powerful character roles (as in Paattum Bharathamum as Selvi J. Jayalalithaa’s father). This credit goes to “better half’s timely advice,” says S. Shivpprasadh, RSM’ s nephew.
“Seethalakshmi was a pillar of immense strength for RSM since 1994 to renovate and perform kumbabishekams (consecration) for the then highly dilapidated Kothandaramar temple and the Kailasanathar-Kalyani Amman temple at our native village Poovanoor, near Needamangalam, under the name and style of Sri Rama Bhaktha Anchaneya Sabha,” adds Shivpprasadh.
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.
