MADURAI: The real and reel lives are worlds apart. In the reel life, Chinna Pandi’s ‘paatima’ (played by Kolangudi Karupayee) in the flick Aanpavam is having a good time, sharing some tongue-in-cheek moments with her grandchildren. But, when she steps out of the tinsel world, there is no glitter in her life as Karuppayee doesn’t have a family to depend on and to support her.Beginning her career with the All India Radio as a folk artist some 30 years ago, she later stepped on to the world of cinema, but now Karupayee is struggling to eke out a living. The exhaustion of sufferings lie hidden behind the wrinkles on her face.
Years ago, when she was on her way to Madurai with her husband, they met with an accident, leading to her husband’s death. A few years later, she also lost her daughter to a tragic accident. Since then, she confined herself into a shell and is spending her days at the age-old ancestral house in Kolangudi village in Sivaganga district. Residents say, Karuppayee became the talk of the town after her grandmother role in Aanpavam that earned her fame. Despite having no formal training in music, she made her mark as a singer. Her neighbours stated that she used to sing folk songs while going to farms and at festivals. They claim that many of her songs, lyrics and tunes were used in film songs and poems as she did not have any copyright over her creation.
She says that her acting talents were identified by radio persons in her late 50s’ in a show that was broadcast for encouraging rural talents. Hearing her talent in radio, she started getting invitations from television as well as film worlds. Till 2016, she did not have a membership card in the Nadigar Sangam. However, actor Vishal, during his tenure as general secretary, issued one to Karuppayee. The villagers expect some financial aid from the government considering her contribution in the field of music.
Meanwhile, the district administration officials, while speaking to Express, said that they were planning to reconstruct her ancestral house with the help of government schemes. Collector G Latha, on Saturday, sanctioned `2.1 lakh under Solar Green House scheme to Kolangudi Karuppayee.