Sudha Chandran is an Indian classical dancer and actress known for her work in Bharatanatyam and in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Marathi cinema and television. She gained widespread recognition after returning to dance with a prosthetic leg following the amputation of her right leg, an episode that was dramatised in the Telugu film Mayuri (1985) and its Hindi remake Naache Mayuri (1986), in both of which she played herself.
| Name | Sudha Chandran |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 September 1965, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Profession | Classical dancer, film and television actress |
| Dance form | Bharatanatyam |
| Notable films | Mayuri (1985), Naache Mayuri (1986) |
| Notable television | Kahin Kissi Roz, Kaahin Kissii Roz, Naaginn, Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev, Naagin |
| Major honour | Padma Shri (commonly attributed reports vary; National Film Award – Special Jury Award for Mayuri) |
Sudha Chandran was born in Mumbai to a Tamil family. Her father, K. D. Chandran, encouraged her training in Bharatanatyam from childhood, and she gave her first stage performance at a young age. She studied at Mithibai College, Mumbai, where she pursued higher education alongside her dance career.
In May 1981, while returning from a pilgrimage in Tamil Nadu, Chandran was injured in a road accident near Tiruchirappalli. A minor injury to her right leg developed gangrene due to delayed and inadequate medical attention, and the leg had to be amputated below the knee. She was subsequently fitted with the Jaipur Foot, a prosthetic limb developed by Dr. P. K. Sethi at Sawai Man Singh Hospital, Jaipur. With sustained practice, she resumed performing Bharatanatyam on stage, becoming one of the earliest performers to dance professionally with a prosthetic limb.
Her life story was first adapted in Telugu as Mayuri (1985), directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao and produced by Ramoji Rao under the Usha Kiron Movies banner. Chandran's performance earned her the National Film Award – Special Jury Award. The film was remade in Hindi as Naache Mayuri (1986), again featuring Chandran in the lead role.
She subsequently acted in films across multiple Indian languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi and Hindi, often in supporting and character roles. Her Tamil credits include appearances opposite leading actors of the late 1980s and 1990s.
From the late 1990s, Chandran became a familiar presence on Hindi television, frequently cast in strong negative or matriarchal roles. Notable serials include:
Chandran has continued to perform Bharatanatyam in India and abroad, and has spoken at forums on disability, rehabilitation and the Jaipur Foot. Her career is frequently cited in discussions of disability advocacy in India.
Chandran's career is regarded as a landmark example of rehabilitation through prosthetics in India and as a public endorsement of the Jaipur Foot. Her return to professional Bharatanatyam after amputation is widely cited in Indian media as an example of perseverance, and her sustained career across cinema and television over four decades has made her a recognisable figure in popular culture.
Sudha Chandran is married to Ravi Dang, a television director. The couple are based in Mumbai.