Kanchana

Kanchana was born as Vasundhara Devi on 16 August 1939 in Madras (now Chennai). She is the daughter of Ramakrishna Sastri, a civil engineer. From a young age, Kanchana exhibited a strong artistic inclination, which was nurtured alongside her academic pursuits. She learned Bharatanatyam at an early age and performed her Arangetram at the Museum Theatre when she was just nine years old. Kanchana pursued her education at Good Shepherd Convent, where she excelled in her studies. She later attended Ethiraj College for Women, where she continued to distinguish herself as a talented student. During her college years, she began participating in stage plays, notably portraying Celia in As You Like It and Sita in Manohar’s popular play Lankeswaran. Initially interested in a career as an air hostess, Kanchana left college during her Intermediate studies to join Indian Airlines. However, her artistic aspirations soon led her to the film industry. While on a trip to Bombay, director Mahesh Kaul noticed her and offered her a screen test. Around the same time, producer Chezhian introduced her to director C. V. Sridhar at the Madras airport. Sridhar recognized her potential and offered her a role, which she accepted, preferring to start her film career in her hometown.