Shakeela

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title: "Shakeela" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["living-people", "actresses-from-chennai", "actresses-in-tamil-cinema", "actresses-in-telugu-cinema", "actresses-in-malayalam-cinema", "actresses-in-kannada-cinema", "20th-century-indian-actresses", "indian-film-actresses", "21st-century-indian-actresses", "actresses-in-malayalam-television", "indian-women-film-directors", "malayalam-film-directors", "telugu-film-directors", "actresses-from-andhra-pradesh", "people-from-nellore", "1973-births", "cooku-with-comali-contestants", "pornography-in-india"] description: "Indian actress and politician" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakeela" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Indian actress and politician ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

Field	Value
name	Shakeela
image	Shakeela.jpg
caption	Shakeela in 2018
birth_place	Madras, Tamil Nadu, India
birth_date
birth_name	Shakeela Begum
occupation
party	Indian National Congress
yearsactive	1994–present
other_names	Shakila
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| name = Shakeela | image = Shakeela.jpg | caption = Shakeela in 2018 | birth_place = Madras, Tamil Nadu, India | birth_date = | birth_name = Shakeela Begum | occupation = | party = Indian National Congress | children = | yearsactive = 1994–present | other_names = Shakila C. Shakeela, known mononymously as Shakeela, is an Indian actress and politician who has predominantly acted in Malayalam cinema, in addition to Tamil, Telugu and Kannada language films. She is a member of Indian National Congress.

Shakeela debuted in the softcore pornographic film Playgirls (1995) at the age of 18. She became a popular figure in Kerala with the release of Malayalam softcore film Kinnara Thumbikal in 2000. This film would go on to pioneer a new wave of low-budget softcore porn films in the state, with Shakeela starring in many of them. In Kerala's hero-centric mainstream industry of her time, Shakeela's emergence as a liberated woman, who displays her sexuality in defiance of social norms led to what became known as Malayalam cinema's Shakeela tharangam (Shakeela wave).

Early life

Shakeela was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu in a Muslim family. Her mother was from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. She could not complete her school leaving certificate examination, eventually making her foray into films.

Career

From the beginning of her career, she acted in B movies and softcore pornography. One of her big hits was the 2000 Malayalam film Kinnarathumbikal, which brought her into limelight. Kinnarathumbikal was dubbed in more than six Indian languages and was a major commercial success, grossing ₹4 crore at the box office against a budget of ₹12 lakhs. She did a few controversial topless scenes in her initial movies until she got noticed. Her B movies were dubbed and released in almost all Indian languages. Her films were dubbed into foreign languages like Nepalese, Chinese, and Sinhala. After she acted in several movies, the soft-porn movies in India were colloquially called as "shakeela films". Shakeela hired a body double Surayya Banu to do her topless scenes.

Shakeela started appearing in family character roles in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada language movies since 2003. She wrote her autobiography in Malayalam, which covered her family, her background, as well as her acquaintance with notable film personalities, politicians and childhood friends.

In January 2018, she announced her 250th film as an actor, Sheelavathi, would begin production.

Personal life

In 2002, Shakeela announced that she will no longer act in B grade movies.

Politics

Shakeela joined the Indian National Congress in March 2021.

Partial filmography

Shakeela has featured in over 250 in Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada language films in various roles.

Malayalam films

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Year	Film	Role	Notes
1997	Sobhanam
1998	Kulirkaattu
1999	Captain
2000	Raakkilikal
Thankathoni
Nishasurabhikal
Kaathara
Manjukaalappakshi
Neela Thadakathile Nizhal Pakshikal
Kinnara Thumbikal	Dakshyani
2001	Koumaram
Agrahaaram
Yaamini
Vezhambal
Pranayaaksharangal
Naalam Simham
Laya Thalangal
Kaadambari
Agnipushpam
Naalaam Simham
Driving School
Ee Raavil
Kinnaaram Chollicholli
Nimishangal
Maami
Romance
Kalluvaathukkal Kathreena
Premaagni
Chaarasundari
Mohanayanangal
Laasyam
Swargavaathil
Aalilathoni
2002	Sneha
Soundarya Lahari
Pushpasharam
Randu Penkuttikal
Niramulla Swapnangal
Eden Thottam
Aalinganam
Uff Yeh Jawani
Sisiram
Mohaswapnam
Pranaya Shalabhangal
Miss Suvarna
Namukkoru Koodaram
Thirunelliyile Penkutty
2003	Ananthapuram Raajakumaari
Veendum Thulabharam
2004	Sandra
2007	Chotta Mumbai	Herself
2011	Teja Bhai & Family
2012	Iniyum Oru Janmam
2013	Neelakurinji Poothu
2015	Six
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Other language films

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Year	Film	Role	Language	Notes
1994	Playgirls		Tamil
Jallikattu Kaalai	Pushpavanam
1996	Vasantha Vaasal	Sunitha
1998	Ponnu Velayira Bhoomi		Tamil
Udhavikku Varalaamaa	item number
Marumalarchi
2001	Nayeem And Shakeela		Telugu
Sneha		Tamil
Sagara		Kannada
Agniputhri		Telugu
2002	Soundharyalahari
Thotti Gang	Matasri
Penmanassu		Telugu
2003	Duppatlo Dhada Dhada
Jayam	Gnana Saraswathi
Jayam	Gnana Sarawathi	Tamil
Nijam		Telugu
Dongodu
Dhool	Herself	Tamil
2004	Puttintiki Ra Chelli		Telugu
Monalisa	College principal	Kannada
Singara Chennai		Tamil
Loves	Herself
2005	786 Khaidi Premakatha		Telugu
Keelu Gurram
Thaka Thimi Tha	Rama	Tamil
Sorry Enaku Kalyanamayidichu	Baby
2006	Shri		Kannada
Bangaram	Ammukutty	Telugu
Thodamaley		Tamil
Vathiyar	Item number
2007	Viyabari	Minister Dairy Development	Tamil
Azhagiya Tamil Magan	Shakeela
Pazhaniappa Kalloori	Chechi
2008	Vambu Sandai
Lakshmi Putrudu		Telugu
Paape O Parupu
Nadigai	Herself	Tamil
Dongala Bandi		Telugu
2009	Kempa	Bindu's mother	Kannada
Current		Telugu
Siva Manasula Sakthi	Sakthi	Tamil
Malai Malai
2010	Boss Engira Bhaskaran	Parimala teacher
Maanja Velu	Mathangi
Vallakottai	Saleswoman
2011	Guru Sishyan
Ninety		Kannada
2012	Kai		Tamil
2013	Ragalaipuram
Ade Baaja		Telugu
2014	Adhu Vera Idhu Vera		Tamil
2015	Romantic Target		Telugu
Patharagitthi		Kannada
Vasuvum Saravananum Onna Padichavanga	Akila Cheichi	Tamil
Luv U Alia		Kannada
Sakalakala Vallavan	Herself	Tamil
2017	Sevili
2019	Pottu	Biochemistry Professor
Kobbari Matta	Pandu	Telugu
2020	Kanni Raasi	Chechi	Tamil
2021	Engada Iruthinga Ivvalavu Naala	Shakeela
2023	Kick	Ad Council
2025	Madha Gaja Raja	Marriage attendee
Mrs & Mr	Shakeela
Sareeram
Pagal Kanavu
Madharas Mafia Company
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Television

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Year	Title	Role	Channel	Language	Notes
2014	Bigg Boss Kannada (season 2)	Contestant	Star Suvarna	Kannada	Evicted Day 27
2016	Health Education	Host	YouTube	Tamil	Telecasted on Interactive TV Channel
Comedy Super Nights 2	Herself	Flowers TV	Malayalam	Episode 5
2018	Adhu Idhu Yedhu	Participant	Star Vijay	Tamil
2019	Comedy Stars	Herself	Asianet	Malayalam	Guest
Janakeeya Kodathi	Guest speaker	24 News
2020	Funny Nights with Pearle Maaney	Herself	Zee Keralam	Guest
2020-2021	Cooku With Comali (Season 2)	Contestant	Star Vijay	Tamil	1st Runner-Up
2021	Alitho Saradaga	Herself	ETV	Telugu	Episode 211
Start Music (Season 2)	Contestant	Star Vijay	Tamil	Winner
Kanni Theevu Ullasa Ulagam 2.0	Raja Mata	Colours Tamil
Singapenney	Participant	Star Vijay
Cash	E TV	Telugu
2023–2025	Surabhiyum Suhasiniyum	Urmila	Flowers TV	Malayalam	TV serial
2023	Flowers Oru Kodi	Participant	Gameshow
Star magic	Mentor
Bigg Boss (Telugu season 7)	Contestant	Star Maa	Telugu	Evicted Day 14
::

Popularity and reception

Shakeela, who rose to fame quickly, served as her movies' main character and the centre of its story. According to film industry analyst Sreedhar Pillai, Shakeela's stardom extended beyond state boundaries as well, with these films getting their own dubbed versions across the country. As a result, for thousands of that generation, their only access to Malayalam cinema was the kind that would star Shakeela. According to critic and film historian C. S. Venkiteswaran, Shakeela became known as the promiscuous Malayali woman in nearby areas like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, where words like "chechi" or "aunty" were sarcastically used to refer to them. The prejudice that these films appealed to in other states was furthered by the fact that Kerala had a distinctive sartorial culture where ladies wore a lungi and a blouse. And it added yet another depth to their fantasies about these ladies when they included yet another widely held stereotype of the missing Malayali males employed in the Gulf.

According to film director Venkiteswaran, Shakeela eventually became highest paid employee on the set, and the production of the movie was planned around her comfort. She has said in many interviews that how these production teams would trick her into acting as many as three films at once without her knowledge, flooding the market with her films. The fly-by-night studios made more money during this time, more so than the actors who played the leads in these films. According to film scholar Darshana Sreedhar Mini, during the Malayalam cinema industry's crisis in the early 2000s, Shakeela films' success became essential to the industry's existence because her presence guaranteed profit and, thus, the survival of these personnel. In 2001, more than 70% of Malayalam films were of the soft porn genre, and she appeared in many of them. Popular Malayalam films at the period focused on showing heroic masculinity and completely muted the agential role of women. Shakeela's films, in contrast, stood out because they emphasised her presence to the point where the male roles served as functional filler. In actuality, the majority of Shakeela's male co-stars were little more than "extras," with unimpressive careers. Shakeela's presence during a period of economic crisis temporarily destabilised Kerala's hero-centric mainstream business, giving rise to the Shakeela tharangam (wave of Shakeela).

In popular culture

Indrajit Lankesh directed her biopic Shakeela (2020) based on her life in which Richa Chadda portrays the title character. On 22 September 2023, a 5-minute sketch featuring Shakeela was released by Netflix on YouTube to promote the concluding season of their series Sex Education, among the Malayali audience. The sketch titled "'Shakeela's driving school" was also a reminiscent of her successful film Driving School.

References

References

1. Methil Renuka. (29 December 2020). "From the archives: Who is Shakeela Khan?".
2. (22 December 2008). "Outlook". Outlook Publishing.
3. (8 June 2005). "The soft porn queen of India Shakeela decides to tell her life story – many bombshells worried what she may reveal!". India Daily.
4. Mini, Darshana Sreedhar. (2019-04-01). "The Rise of Soft Porn in Malayalam Cinema and the Precarious Stardom of Shakeela". Feminist Media Histories.
5. 24 News Live]]''. [[YouTube]]. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
6. Nathan, Archana. (14 March 2018). "After turning softcore films into hits, Southern actress Shakeela gets a biopic of her own".
7. (8 August 2002). "Smut glut". [[The Hindu]].
8. (11 February 2014). "A Soft Porn Star's Life".
9. (13 January 2003). "Providing a political platform". [[The Hindu]].
10. (26 May 2003). "Promises and lies". [[The Hindu]].
11. (14 June 2018). "Why can't a Shakeela film be called 'Sheelavathi' ?".
12. [http://www.apnewscorner.com/en/film-news/actress-shakeelas-250th-movie-titled-seelavathi-virgin Actress Shakeela's 250th movie titled Seelavathi – Virgin] {{Webarchive. link. (14 February 2020 ''AP News Corner''. 28 January 2018)
13. (9 August 2015). "Shakeela, the woman who inspired genres without ever doing porn".
14. (28 March 2021). "Shakeela Joins Congress in Kerala".
15. "Yesteryear actress Shakeela joins Congress".
16. Jeevi. (4 February 2005). "Movie review - 786 (Khaidi Premakatha)". [[Idlebrain.com]].
17. "Alitho Saradaga: సావిత్రి అన్నీ పుణ్యాలే చేస్తే అలా ఎందుకు పోయింది.. ఆత్మకథలో అబద్ధాలు చెప్పాలా? షకీలా సంచలన కామెంట్స్".
18. Menon, Vishal. (2020-05-16). "Shakeela, Superstardom And A Softporn Wave That Threatened The Survival Of Malayalam Cinema".
19. Shilpa. (2019-07-31). "Malayalam Cinema's Other: Soft-porn and the Stardom of Shakeela".
20. Mini, Darshana Sreedhar. (2016). "The Spectral Duration of Malayalam Soft-porn: Disappearance, Desire, and Haunting". BioScope: South Asian Screen Studies.
21. (31 December 2020). "Shakeela lauds her biopic that stars Richa Chadha". [[The Times of India]].
22. (30 November 2020). "Richa Chadha's 'Shakeela' to release theatrically on Christmas". The Hindu.
23. Staff, T. N. M.. (2023-09-05). "Shakeela offers sex ed tips while promoting Netflix's popular show Sex Education".

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