Silk Smitha had a chair kept away from everyone else, recalls Urvashi: ‘She hardly spoke’

Silk Smitha, a prominent actress in Tamil cinema, was known for her glamorous and bold roles, which often led to her being treated differently on film sets. Colleague Urvashi recalled that Smitha rarely spoke to others and preferred sitting alone during shoots. Despite this, Smitha was known for her impeccable sense of style and had a keen interest in costume design.

She even expressed a desire to design costumes for Urvashi, believing that she would look good in the clothes she created. Film historian Randor Guy noted Smitha's ability to enhance the sensuality of even the most ordinary scenes. Over her 18-year career, Smitha appeared in over 450 films in southern Indian languages and Hindi.

While she was popular and could command a high fee for her performances, she was rarely given substantial roles and was often cast in glamorous song sequences. Tragically, Smitha died by suicide in 1996 at the age of 35, a life of immense fame juxtaposed with deep personal isolation.