Samuel Robinson remembers ‘Sudani’ co-star Savithri Sreedharan

Dubai: Actor Samuel Abiola Robinson has paid an emotional tribute to veteran Malayalam actress and theatre artiste Savithri Sreedharan, his co-star in the acclaimed film Sudani from Nigeria.

Robinson, who played the titular Nigerian footballer Sudo in the 2018 Malayalam film, shared a still from the movie featuring Sreedharan and remembered her as a remarkable person and actress.

“She is now an angel in heaven. Rest in peace, Savithri Madam,” Robinson wrote on Instagram.

In a separate Instagram Story, the actor expressed his heartbreak after learning of her death.

“I only just heard about Savithri’s passing. I am heartbroken to hear the news. Savithri was a wonderful person and an exceptional actress. She is now an angel in heaven,” he wrote.

Sreedharan died at her home in Mankavu, Kozhikode, on September 23 after suffering from age-related ailments.

For film audiences, Sreedharan was best remembered as Jameela, affectionately known as Umma, in Sudani from Nigeria, directed by Zakariya Mohammed. The film, set against the backdrop of sevens football in Malappuram, followed the story of a Nigerian footballer who is injured while playing in Kerala.

Her scenes with Robinson became some of the film’s most memorable and emotional moments. Sreedharan’s performance earned her the Kerala State Film Award for Best Character Actress and a Special Mention at the National Film Awards.

But Sreedharan’s artistic journey began long before her breakthrough in cinema. She spent more than four decades — and according to some accounts nearly five decades — in Malayalam theatre, working with prominent theatre groups and earning recognition for her stage performances. She won the Kerala State Award for Best Theatre Actress and was also honoured by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi for her contributions to theatre.

Although she made her film debut in MT Vasudevan Nair’s Kadavu in 1991, it was Sudani from Nigeria that brought her widespread recognition among a new generation of viewers.

She later appeared in films including Dakini, Virus, Mera Naam Shaji, Ittymaani: Made in China, Pada and Paappan. Her most recent film appearance was reported to be Vayasethrayaayi Muppathiee in 2024.

For Robinson, however, Sreedharan remained more than an award-winning performer. His tribute reflects the affection they developed through their work together on Sudani from Nigeria — a film in which her quiet, heartfelt performance became one of its defining strengths.

“Savithri was a wonderful person and an exceptional actress,” Robinson wrote, bidding farewell to his co-star.