In the glittering world of cinema, fame often comes at a heavy price. Shoba’s story is one such tale — one of extraordinary talent, suffering and a heartbreak that ended too soon. She was only 17 when she allegedly died by suicide, just weeks after winning the National Award for Best Actress. Behind her success lay a lonely, turbulent life.

A child artist born to act

Born as Mahalakshmi on September 23, 1961, Shoba was destined for the movies. Her mother, Prema, a character actor who couldn’t fulfill her own dreams, introduced her daughter to films when she was just four. Shoba made her debut in Thattungal Thirakkapadum (1966) and was soon known as “Baby Shoba."

Despite her father’s disapproval, Prema continued to push her career forward. By the age of ten, Shoba was a known face in Mal

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