Soundarya was at the height of her career when tragedy struck. On April 17, 2004, the acclaimed actress lost her life in a plan crash along with her brother, Amarnath.

Soundarya was a prominent actress in the late 90s and early 2000s, delivering several blockbuster hits. Over her 12-year film career, she appeared in more than 100 films across multiple languages, including Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam that garnered her widespread popularity. However, not many are aware that before she made her debut in the Indian entertainment industry, Soundarya was studying MBBS. She discontinued her studies in 1992 to try her luck in the entertainment industry.

Soundarya’s debut and tremendous career in films

The actress made her debut in India cinema with the 1992 Kannada film Baa nanna preethisu. She entered the Tamil film industry in 1993 with Ponnumaniin which she portrayed the role of a mentally disable person. Her performance in the film received widespread appreciation from both audience and critics.

In the late 90s, Soundarya starred in several box office hits, including Arunachalam alongside superstar Rajinikanth and CHOODALANI VUNDI alongside Chiranjeevi. The film Arunachalam went on to become the highest-grossing film of 1997. She also starred in the popular 1999 Bollywood film Sooryavansham opposite Amitabh Bachchan. The actress portrayed his on-screen wife, and received widespread recognition for her performance.

Soundarya’s tragic death

Soundarya was at the height of her career when tragedy struck. On April 17, 2004, the acclaimed actress lost her life in a plan crash along with her brother, Amarnath. They were reportedly travelling  to Karimnagar from Bengaluru for election campaigns on behalf of Bharatiya Janata Party. She died at the age of 31, leaving the entire film fraternity in shock.

Soundarya, who was 31 years old and pregnant at the time, suffered severe burns in the crash, leaving her body charred beyond recognition. According to reports, Soundarya had properties worth Rs 100 crore when she died. Her assets were a point of discussion for years, as her family was reportedly involved in legal disputes to claim their ownership. Reportedly, the actress possessed multiple properties, including a building in Hanumantha Nagar, with two houses and three shops, as well as office space in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, as per reports.