Sathyam Babu Dixithulu, known by his stage name Sarath Babu, was an Indian actor who worked predominantly in Tamil and Telugu cinema. He appeared in more than 200 films, including in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and a few Malayalam and Hindi films. He has received eight state Nandi Awards.

Babu was noted for his height, handsome looks, and charming smile throughout his acting career, which spanned for around five decades. He was known for his compelling screen presence, especially known for his camaraderie with Rajinikanth in the films where the duo acted together. He had also shared screen space with Kamal Haasan, Vijay, and Vikram as he did with almost all the lead actors of Kollywood and Tollywood industries.

Personal life

Sarath Babu was born as Sathyam Babu Dixithulu on 31 July 1951. He was in a live-in relationship with Telugu actress Rama Prabha during the 1980s. The duo separated themselves from the living together lifestyle in 1988, and Rama slammed Babu by making allegations that he had cheated her and snatched all of her properties in Chennai. Babu denied the allegations and accepted that he was in a relationship with Rama but revealed that he had no intentions whatsoever to claim others' properties unlawfully. Babu himself confirmed that he was too younger than Rama when he got into a relationship with her.

Career

Babu entered the film industry in 1973 through the Telugu film Rama Rajyam. He made his Tamil film debut with Pattina Pravesam (1977), directed by K. Balachander. He later became popular through the Tamil film Nizhal Nijamagiradhu (1978), which was also directed by Balachander. Balachander would eventually become Babu's guru in film career.

Babu's maiden collaboration with Rajinikanth, Mullum Malarum (1978), which was the directorial debut for Mahendran, became an evergreen cult classic hit in Tamil cinema, and the film also marked an important milestone in Tamil cinema. His supporting role with Rajinikanth was critically acclaimed, and his performance in the film's song Senthazham Poovil became talk of the town across Tamil Nadu. He later developed a deep rooted friendship with Rajinikanth following the success of Mullum Malarum.

Babu's other collaborations with Rajinikanth, such as Annamalai and Muthu, also stamped his authority as a go-to supporting actor and was also praised for his onscreen chemistry with Rajinikanth, which was fueled by his characterization in those films. Babu played the role of a friend for Rajinikanth before becoming his foe in Annamalai and for Babu's performance in Annamalai as a villain, it stirred memes in social media even several years after the release of the film. His role in the film, Ashok, became iconic when he locked horns with Rajinikanth's titular role following a land dispute, although they were initially friends.[10] Annamalai also had a scene where Babu eventually slaps Rajinikanth, although the former escaped the wrath of hardcore fans due to the offscreen friendship between Rajinikanth and Babu. One of the iconic notable scenes in Annamalai, where title character played by Rajinikanth challenges Ashok by saying, "Ashok, intha naal un diaryla kurichi vechikko" (transl. Ashok, mark this day in your diary).

Babu played the role of a Jamindar in Muthu, and Rajinikanth played the role as his charioteer in the film. Rajinikanth's titular role, Muthu, depicted as being the respectful of his Jamindar Raja, and Raja too is fond of Muthu. Raja even listens to Muthu in some aspects, which portrayed the affection between both characters. However, things change when both of them fall in love with the same woman and Raja orders his servant to beat up Muthu.

Babu also collaborated with Vijay in the early part of his film career, including playing the role as Vijay's mentor in Vijay's debut film Naalaiya Theerpu (1992), which was directed by Vijay's father S. A. Chandrasekhar. Babu also joined hands with Vijay in Puthiya Geethai (2003), where the former played the role of an astrologer who eventually had the say on deciding the fate of Vijay's life by driving it to the climax part with suspense.

Babu's last film acting role came in Vasantha Mullai, which released in 2023. Films such as Malli Pelli and Por Thozhil are set to be posthumous releases of him.

Babu was reported to have said that:
My dad was a hotelier, he wanted me to handle his business but I wanted to be a police officer. During college days, I developed shortsight and my dreams crashed as clear eyesight was a pre-requisite to join the police. People told my mother that her son was good looking and he should get into films. My lecturers in college said the same. All this played on my mind. My father was against it but my mother supported me. I knew in my heart that I would not fit into business. Even if I failed I could fall back on the family business, that is what I thought though I knew in my heart that I would not fit into business. I responded to an advertisement in the paper for fresh faces for a film and I got through the audition more easily than I had expected. My first break was in a Tamil film, directed by K. Balachander. The same was remade in Telugu as Idi Katha Kaadu, with me, Kamal Haasan and Chiranjeevi and the film was a hit.

Illness and death

In April 2023, it was reported that Babu was suffering from sepsis. He died from multiple organ failure on 22 May 2023, after being admitted in a ventilator at a private hospital in Hyderabad, Telangana. He was 71. Sarath Babu's final rites were performed in Chennai.

Filmography

Television

Awards

Nandi Awards
Best Supporting Actor – Seethakoka Chilaka (1981)
Best Supporting Actor – O Bharya Katha (1988)
Best Supporting Actor – Neerajanam (1989)
Other Awards
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Character Artiste (Male) for the film Malayan in 2017.