Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Saleema in Meghasandesam (1982)



Saleema acts as the grown-up daughter of RavindraBabu (Nageswara Rao). She occurs in the last 30  minutes of the movie. She acts as a bride, has a single scene of dialo
gue with her father, and cries at his death. By all accounts, this is her debut movie. Saleema is thin, beautiful, very akward! She impresses in her crying though!

It must be Saleema's fate to act in two well-regarded and award winning movies, this and Nakhashathangal, and dissapear without a trace.

Telugu sources indicate Girija (Saleema's mother) suffered enormous financial distress towards late 70's from failed movies and reckless spending.  From propserity, Gir
ija is said to have been reduced to near poverty. Her husband is said to have deserted her. All this may have caused Saleema to quit the film scene as soon as she got a
 stable job.

My gut feeling is that Saleema is leading a peaceful, contended life and doesnt wish to acknowledge her film past.
Some info about Girija-Saleema's mother of relevance from Tamil sources:

Girija was born as Kareema Begum in 1938. Her mother SairaBanu was also a Telugu film actress, with the stage name Thilakam. Girija's  role in the 1951 film Pathala Bha
iravi made her famous.  Married Producer Sanyasi Raju* and their only daughter is Saleema.

Source seems to be the respected Tamil newspaper Dinathanthi  dated 9.7.1994. **

* One source has it as Saleem. ** May have been her obituary.  Tallies well with what Saleema told Vineeth during the shooting of Kadhal Desam (1996).

In Tamil forums, Saleema is universally recognized as Girija's Daughter. There is no mention of "Sriranga" as in some Telugu sources. Saleema is said to have acted in t
he 90's Tamil serial. "Ladies Hostel".