Biographie

Smitha continued to give sizzling performances during two decades, wooing the ever-hungry audience, thus becoming the most sought-after sex siren in the 1980s movie industry.

Despite the fame, Silk was a lonely introvert surrounded more by fake people who wanted to take advantage of her than genuine well-wishers. After multiple failed relationships, Silk sought comfort in alcohol and drugs and soon drowned in depression.

She was often known for her short temperedness, determination and straightforwardness, which some mistook for arrogance. She was punctual (arriving in movie sets well before the shooting commences), responsible, and ambitious (having learned to speak the English language fluently despite her limited education). She was also described as having a "soft" and "child like" personality by her friends and fans. She was skilled with makeup and made it her profession before entering the industry.

The 1980s movie industry was patriarchal, with women given only two types of roles: the "good" woman and the "bad" woman. The good woman was family-loving, pious, and chaste, living to support her husband and many sons. On the other hand, the bad woman was a homewrecker, wore revealing clothes, and was unapologetic about her body or her actions. Silk played the bad woman and played it with such finesse that the chauvinistic industry became putty in her hands. She accepted that she would be treated as a sex object, but nobody but her would dictate the rules of the game.

Silk Smitha was discovered by the director Vinu Chakravarthy. Chakravarthy's wife taught Smitha English and arranged for her to learn dance.