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{{Short description|Indian actress (disappeared in 2008)}}
{{Short description|Indian actress (disappeared in 2008)}}
{{for|other actresses named "Reshma"|Reshma (disambiguation)#People}}
{{for|other actresses named "Reshma"|Reshma (disambiguation)#People}}
{{distinguish|Reshma (actress)}}{{Copy edit|date=December 2023}}
{{distinguish|Reshma (actress)}}
{{Copy edit|date=December 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Reshma
| name = Reshma
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'''Reshma''' (born '''Asma Bhanu''') is an Indian former B-grade film actress from [[Karnataka]], who is known for her works in the South Indian B-grade or [[Softcore pornography|softcore porn]] films, especially in the [[Malayalam cinema|Malayalam language]]. Reshma was one of the most sought-after erotic actresses in the South Indian softcore porn industry during her time. She was also a key figure in the [[Malayalam softcore pornography|Malayalam softcore film]] genre in the early 2000s. Reshma has also appeared in few mainstream Kannada films. Her career came to an end in between 2003–2005 period, after the rapid surge of internet in India among many other reasons. Reshma disappeared in 2008 and is reportedly living in Karnataka with her family.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-21 |title=ഷക്കീലയ്ക്കും മറിയയ്ക്കുമൊപ്പം തരംഗം സൃഷ്ടിച്ച രേഷ്മ ഇന്ന് എവിടെ ? സിനിമ ജീവിതം യഥാര്‍ഥ ജീവിതത്തിലേക്കും പകര്‍ത്തിയപ്പോള്‍ സംഭവിച്ചത്... |url=https://www.rashtradeepika.com/reshma-3/ |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=RashtraDeepika |language=en-US |archive-date=26 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426110641/https://www.rashtradeepika.com/reshma-3/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
'''Reshma''' (born '''Asma Bhanu''') is a former Indian film actress from [[Karnataka]], known for her work in South Indian B-grade or [[Softcore pornography|softcore porn]] films, particularly in the [[Malayalam cinema|Malayalam language]]. She was one of the most sought-after erotic actresses in the South Indian softcore porn industry during her time and was a key figure in the [[Malayalam softcore pornography|Malayalam softcore film]] in the early 2000s. Reshma also appeared in a few mainstream Kannada films. Her career ended between 2003 and 2005, due to the rapid surge of the internet in India among other reasons. Reshma disappeared in 2008 and is reportedly living in Karnataka with her family.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 February 2021 |title=ഷക്കീലയ്ക്കും മറിയയ്ക്കുമൊപ്പം തരംഗം സൃഷ്ടിച്ച രേഷ്മ ഇന്ന് എവിടെ ? സിനിമ ജീവിതം യഥാര്‍ഥ ജീവിതത്തിലേക്കും പകര്‍ത്തിയപ്പോള്‍ സംഭവിച്ചത്... |url=https://www.rashtradeepika.com/reshma-3/ |access-date=1 September 2023 |website=RashtraDeepika |language=en-US |archive-date=26 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426110641/https://www.rashtradeepika.com/reshma-3/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==
A native of [[Mysore]], [[Karnataka]], Reshma entered into acting with the Kannada film Asai Noor. In the late 90's, the [[Softcore pornography|soft-porn]] or B-grade films started appearing in Malayalam film industry. It was at that time that Reshma's dubbed film ''Mayoori'' (2000) was released in [[Kerala]] in [[Malayalam]]. Reshma made her debut in Malayalam with the role of Damayanthi in the film ''Kaumaram'' directed by A. T. Joy. After that, she played the titular role in AT Joy's movie ''Lovely''. This movie was commercially successful and gave her a break in Malayalam. After that, she starred in another film titled ''Nalam Simham''. This movie's title was similar to the Malayalam film [[Narasimham (film)|Narasimham]], starring [[Mohanlal]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=ബി ഗ്രേഡ് സിനിമയിലെ വിപ്ലവ നായിക രേഷ്മ ഇപ്പോൾ ഇവിടെയുണ്ട്! |url=https://malayalam.samayam.com/malayalam-cinema/celebrity-news/b-grade-movie-heroine-reshma-smiled-painfully-even-when-she-was-raided-and-caught-for-immorality/articleshow/95422086.cms |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=Samayam Malayalam |language=ml |archive-date=29 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129135901/https://malayalam.samayam.com/malayalam-cinema/celebrity-news/b-grade-movie-heroine-reshma-smiled-painfully-even-when-she-was-raided-and-caught-for-immorality/articleshow/95422086.cms |url-status=live }}</ref>
A native of [[Mysore]], [[Karnataka]], Reshma began her acting career with the Kannada film ''Asai Noor''. In the late '90s, [[Softcore pornography|soft-porn]] or B-grade films started appearing in the Malayalam film industry. It was during this time that Reshma's dubbed film ''Mayoori'' (2000) was released in [[Kerala]] in [[Malayalam]]. Reshma made her Malayalam debut with the role of Damayanthi in the film ''Kaumaram'', directed by A. T. Joy. She then played the titular role in A. T. Joy's movie ''Lovely'', which was commercially successful and marked her breakthrough in Malayalam cinema. Following this success, she starred in another film titled ''Nalam Simham'', whose title was similar to the Malayalam film [[Narasimham (film)|''Narasimham'']], starring [[Mohanlal]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=ബി ഗ്രേഡ് സിനിമയിലെ വിപ്ലവ നായിക രേഷ്മ ഇപ്പോൾ ഇവിടെയുണ്ട്! |url=https://malayalam.samayam.com/malayalam-cinema/celebrity-news/b-grade-movie-heroine-reshma-smiled-painfully-even-when-she-was-raided-and-caught-for-immorality/articleshow/95422086.cms |access-date=22 September 2023 |website=Samayam Malayalam |language=ml |archive-date=29 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129135901/https://malayalam.samayam.com/malayalam-cinema/celebrity-news/b-grade-movie-heroine-reshma-smiled-painfully-even-when-she-was-raided-and-caught-for-immorality/articleshow/95422086.cms |url-status=live }}</ref>


Reshama tried to change the direction of her career by playing a non-glamorous character in Natar Raghu's film ''Love Letter''. But the film stalled midway. After that, she returned to the old path. In 2002, she acted in the films ''Nirappakittu'' and ''Asura Yugam''. But Reshma soon faced a sudden downfall in her career due to the rapid internet surge in India, because of which the sale of B-grade movie [[Compact disc|CDs]] decreased. This was a major setback to the whole South Indian soft porn industry as well, and many B-grade actress including Reshma was forced to leave the industry in 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Rise of Soft Porn in Malayalam Cinema and the Precarious Stardom of Shakeela |url=https://online.ucpress.edu/fmh/article-abstract/5/2/49/109555/The-Rise-of-Soft-Porn-in-Malayalam-Cinema-and-the?redirectedFrom=fulltext |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=online.ucpress.edu |archive-date=22 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322010755/https://online.ucpress.edu/fmh/article-abstract/5/2/49/109555/The-Rise-of-Soft-Porn-in-Malayalam-Cinema-and-the?redirectedFrom=fulltext |url-status=live }}</ref>
Reshma tried to change the direction of her career by playing a non-glamorous character in Natar Raghu's film ''Love Letter''. However, the film stalled midway. Following this, she returned to her previous path. In 2002, she acted in the films ''Nirappakittu'' and ''Asura Yugam''. Reshma soon faced a sudden downfall in her career due to the rapid internet surge in India, which led to a decrease in the sale of B-grade movie [[Compact disc|CDs]]. This was a major setback for the entire South Indian soft porn industry, and many B-grade actresses, including Reshma, were forced to leave the industry in 2005.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=The Rise of Soft Porn in Malayalam Cinema and the Precarious Stardom of Shakeela |url=https://online.ucpress.edu/fmh/article-abstract/5/2/49/109555/The-Rise-of-Soft-Porn-in-Malayalam-Cinema-and-the?redirectedFrom=fulltext |access-date=22 September 2023 |journal=Feminist Media Histories | date=2019 | doi=10.1525/fmh.2019.5.2.49 |archive-date=22 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322010755/https://online.ucpress.edu/fmh/article-abstract/5/2/49/109555/The-Rise-of-Soft-Porn-in-Malayalam-Cinema-and-the?redirectedFrom=fulltext |url-status=live | last1=Mini | first1=Darshana Sreedhar | volume=5 | issue=2 | pages=49–82 | s2cid=181897151 }}</ref>


==Filmography==
==Filmography==
Line 30: Line 31:
! Year !! Title !! Role
! Year !! Title !! Role
!'''Ref.'''
!'''Ref.'''
|-
⚫
| 1999
⚫
|''Bas Karo Tum''
|
|
|-
⚫
| 2000
⚫
| ''Bali Umar''
|
|
|-
|-
|-
| rowspan="10" |2001
| rowspan="10" |2001
|-
|-
| Kinavu Pole
| ''Kinavu Pole''
| Shibani
| Shibani
|
|
|-
|-
| Layathalangal
|''Layathalangal''
|
|
|
|
|-
|-
| Aalilathoni
| ''Aalilathoni''
|
|
|
|
|-
|-
| Thirunelliyile Penkutty
| ''Thirunelliyile Penkutty''
| Pallavi
| Pallavi
|
|
|-
|-
| Louli
|''Louli''
|
|
|-
|-
| Tharunnyam
| ''Tharunnyam''
|
|
|
|
|-
|-
| Lasyam
| ''Lasyam''
|
|
|
|
|-
|-
| Naalaam Simham
| ''Naalaam Simham''
|
|
|
|
|-
|-
| Mohanayanangal
|''Mohanayanangal''
| Sicily
| Sicily
|
|
|-
|-
| rowspan="18" |2002
⚫
| 2000
|-
⚫
| Bali Umar
|''Qatil Dilruba''
|
|
|
|
|-
|-
| ''Sugandhavally''
⚫
| 1999
|
⚫
|Bas Karo Tum
|
|-
| ''Premasallapam''
|
|
|-
| ''Mohaswapnam''
|
|
|-
| ''Doctor Prema''
|
|
|-
| ''Asurayugam''
|
|
|-
| ''Apsara''
|
|
|-
| ''Adenthottam''
| Reetha
|
|-
| ''Aalolam Kili''
| Aishwarya
|
|-
| ''Nisagandhi''
|
|
|-
| ''Nakhachithrangal''
| Nancy Fernandez
| <ref>{{Cite web |title=Nakhachithrangal was Directed by A.T Joy |url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3h9rro |access-date=26 December 2023 |website=www.dailymotion.com|date=30 October 2017 }}</ref>
|-
| ''Madhuram''
|
|
|-
| ''Diana''
| Reshma
|
|-
| ''Sneha''
| Sneha
|
|-
|'' Yamam''
| Greeshma
|
|-
|'' Kiske Liye Yeh Jawani''
|
|
|-
| ''Soundharyalahari''
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |2003
| ''Vivadam''
| Suma
|
|-
| ''Sundarikutty''
|
|
|}
|}

⚫
==Disappearance==
⚫
In December 2007, the [[Kerala Police|police]] took Reshma along with two other women and two agents into custody from a hotel in [[Kochi]], allegedly for doing sex work. The police allegedly denied Reshma the right to be accompanied by a woman police officer while questioning a woman. The businessmen or the clients who were rounded up in the police raid were allegedly let off by the police immediately. A policeman took her phone, started recording his interrogation on it, and threatened her. The video was later leaked.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prakash |first=Sadhu |date=2022-08-15 |title=Reshma:ഒരു കാലത്ത് യുവാക്കളുടെ ഹരമായിരുന്ന മാദകറാണി രേഷ്മയ്ക്ക് സംഭവിച്ചതെന്ത്? രേഷ്മ ഇപ്പോള്‍ എവിടെ? » Breaking Kerala |url=https://breakingkerala.com/what-happened-to-pornstar-reshma-who-was-once-the-charm-of-youth-where-is-reshma-now/ |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=Breaking Kerala |language=en-US |archive-date=27 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827162405/https://breakingkerala.com/what-happened-to-pornstar-reshma-who-was-once-the-charm-of-youth-where-is-reshma-now/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Reshma was charged under various sections of the IPC, but was granted bail later. After this incident, a year later, she disappeared, reportedly moving to a different city. In 2017, the actress [[Shakeela]], during an interview claimed that she has contact with Reshma and revealed she is living discreetly in a small town in Karnataka.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kottoor |first=Asim |date=2017-11-16 |title=ഷക്കീല,രേഷ്മ,മറിയ: ഇവര്‍ ഇന്നെവിടെയാണ്? |url=https://www.eastcoastdaily.com/movie/2017/11/16/shakkeela-reshma-and-maria-investigation-report/ |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=East Coast Movies & Entertainments News |language=ml |archive-date=22 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922174935/https://www.eastcoastdaily.com/movie/2017/11/16/shakkeela-reshma-and-maria-investigation-report/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


==Popularity and legacy==
==Popularity and legacy==
Within a few years of Reshma's entry into the softcore porn industry, the fame of [[Shakeela]], the popular softcore porn actress of that time declined. Even though Reshma completely left the industry in 2005, her videos are still one of the main earner of porn websites in India.<ref>{{Cite web |last=newskairali |date=2017-09-23 |title=രേഷ്മക്ക് എന്ത് സംഭവിച്ചു? ഇപ്പോളെവിടെയാണ്? അറിയാമെന്ന് ഷക്കീല |url=https://www.kairalinewsonline.com/2017/09/23/134194.html |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=Kairali News {{!}} Kairali News Live |language=ml |archive-date=21 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921202141/https://www.kairalinewsonline.com/2017/09/23/134194.html |url-status=live }}</ref> According to the film scholar ''Darshana Sreedhar Mini,'' "Reshma was more daring with her co-stars and more camera friendly. She reportedly received around ₹5 lakhs per film during 1998-99. The remuneration was very high even by today’s standards. But Reshma was riding high on a boom that was propelling the south Indian (especially Malayalam) porn industry at that time".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mini |first=Darshana Sreedhar |date=2016 |title=The Spectral Duration of Malayalam Soft-porn: Disappearance, Desire, and Haunting |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0974927616667971 |journal=BioScope: South Asian Screen Studies |language=en |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=127–150 |doi=10.1177/0974927616667971 |issn=0974-9276 |access-date=22 September 2023 |archive-date=27 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221227041329/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0974927616667971 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Within a few years of Reshma's entry into the softcore porn industry, the fame of [[Shakeela]], the popular softcore porn actress of that time, declined. Even though Reshma completely left the industry in 2005, her videos remain a significant source of revenue for porn websites in India.<ref>{{Cite web |last=newskairali |date=23 September 2017 |title=രേഷ്മക്ക് എന്ത് സംഭവിച്ചു? ഇപ്പോളെവിടെയാണ്? അറിയാമെന്ന് ഷക്കീല |url=https://www.kairalinewsonline.com/2017/09/23/134194.html |access-date=22 September 2023 |website=Kairali News {{!}} Kairali News Live |language=ml |archive-date=21 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921202141/https://www.kairalinewsonline.com/2017/09/23/134194.html |url-status=live }}</ref> According to film scholar Darshana Sreedhar Mini, "Reshma was more daring with her co-stars and more camera-friendly. She reportedly received around ₹5 lakhs per film during 1998-99. The remuneration was very high even by today’s standards. But Reshma was riding high on a boom that was propelling the South Indian (especially Malayalam) porn industry at that time."<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mini |first=Darshana Sreedhar |date=2016 |title=The Spectral Duration of Malayalam Soft-porn: Disappearance, Desire, and Haunting |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0974927616667971 |journal=BioScope: South Asian Screen Studies |language=en |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=127–150 |doi=10.1177/0974927616667971 |s2cid=193768554 |issn=0974-9276 |access-date=22 September 2023 |archive-date=27 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221227041329/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0974927616667971 |url-status=live }}</ref>


According to film analyst ''Sunil Mannannur'', "Reshma is an actress who entered into the privacy of the [[Malayali|Malayalees]] and enlivened their days and nights. She had the reputation of being the most beautiful B-grade actress from South India and the title of lucky star who made most of the films she acted in become super hits. Even when many of the [[superstar]] films failed at the box office, Reshma's B-grade films were money-spinners of those days. Today's audiences have forgotten Reshma, apart from enjoying her movies well. No one would have thought about where that woman is, what she is doing and how she is living. Even so, there is no need to think like that now, because there are porn stars ahead of Reshma at our fingertips today. Not only Reshma but other actresses of that time who sent the audience into a frenzy went into oblivion when the audience wandered in search of differences"; he says.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mannanur |first=Sunil |date=2019-11-04 |title=ബി ഗ്രേഡ്‌ സിനിമകളും ചില കാണാക്കാഴ്ചകളും– Part 2 {{!}} PravasiExpress |url=https://www.pravasiexpress.com/behind-b-grade-movies-detailed-study-part-2/ |access-date=2023-10-06 |language=en-US}}</ref>
According to film analyst Sunil Mannannur, "Reshma is an actress who entered the privacy of [[Malayali|Malayalees]] and enlivened their days and nights. She had the reputation of being the most beautiful B-grade actress from South India and the title of 'lucky star,' as most of the films she acted in became super hits. Even when many [[superstar]] films failed at the box office, Reshma's B-grade films were money-spinners. Today's audiences have forgotten Reshma, apart from enjoying her movies. No one thinks about where she is, what she is doing, or how she is living. There is no need to think about it now, because there are porn stars ahead of Reshma at our fingertips today. Not only Reshma but other actresses of that time, who sent the audience into a frenzy, went into oblivion when the audience wandered in search of differences."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mannanur |first=Sunil |date=4 November 2019 |title=ബി ഗ്രേഡ്‌ സിനിമകളും ചില കാണാക്കാഴ്ചകളും– Part 2 {{!}} PravasiExpress |url=https://www.pravasiexpress.com/behind-b-grade-movies-detailed-study-part-2/ |access-date=6 October 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref>

⚫
==Disappearance==
⚫
In December 2007, the [[Kerala Police|police]] took Reshma, along with two other women and two agents, into custody from a hotel in [[Kochi]], allegedly for sex work. The police allegedly denied Reshma the right to be accompanied by a woman police officer during questioning. The businessmen or clients who were rounded up in the police raid were allegedly let off immediately. A policeman took her phone, started recording his interrogation on it, and threatened her. The video was later leaked.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prakash |first=Sadhu |date=15 August 2022 |title=Reshma:ഒരു കാലത്ത് യുവാക്കളുടെ ഹരമായിരുന്ന മാദകറാണി രേഷ്മയ്ക്ക് സംഭവിച്ചതെന്ത്? രേഷ്മ ഇപ്പോള്‍ എവിടെ? » Breaking Kerala |url=https://breakingkerala.com/what-happened-to-pornstar-reshma-who-was-once-the-charm-of-youth-where-is-reshma-now/ |access-date=22 September 2023 |website=Breaking Kerala |language=en-US |archive-date=27 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827162405/https://breakingkerala.com/what-happened-to-pornstar-reshma-who-was-once-the-charm-of-youth-where-is-reshma-now/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Reshma was charged under various sections of the IPC but was later granted bail. After this incident, she disappeared a year later, reportedly moving to a different city. In 2017, the actress [[Shakeela]] claimed during an interview that she has contact with Reshma and revealed that she is living discreetly in a small town in Karnataka.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kottoor |first=Asim |date=16 November 2017 |title=ഷക്കീല,രേഷ്മ,മറിയ: ഇവര്‍ ഇന്നെവിടെയാണ്? |url=https://www.eastcoastdaily.com/movie/2017/11/16/shakkeela-reshma-and-maria-investigation-report/ |access-date=22 September 2023 |website=East Coast Movies & Entertainments News |language=ml |archive-date=22 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922174935/https://www.eastcoastdaily.com/movie/2017/11/16/shakkeela-reshma-and-maria-investigation-report/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
Line 97: Line 178:
* {{IMDb name|id=nm1332584|name=Reshma}}
* {{IMDb name|id=nm1332584|name=Reshma}}


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{{DEFAULTSORT:Reshma (B-grade actress)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reshma (B-grade actress)}}
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{{authority control}}

[[Category:Actresses in Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:Actresses in Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:Actresses in Telugu cinema]]
[[Category:Actresses in Telugu cinema]]
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[[Category:Missing people]]
[[Category:Missing people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Pornography in India]]
[[Category:Actresses from Mysore]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Latest revision as of 23:29, 9 November 2024

For other actresses named "Reshma", see Reshma (disambiguation) § People.
Not to be confused with Reshma (actress).

Reshma
Born
Asma Bhanu

Karnataka, India
OccupationActress
Years active1996–2005

Reshma (born Asma Bhanu) is a former Indian film actress from Karnataka, known for her work in South Indian B-grade or softcore porn films, particularly in the Malayalam language. She was one of the most sought-after erotic actresses in the South Indian softcore porn industry during her time and was a key figure in the Malayalam softcore film in the early 2000s. Reshma also appeared in a few mainstream Kannada films. Her career ended between 2003 and 2005, due to the rapid surge of the internet in India among other reasons. Reshma disappeared in 2008 and is reportedly living in Karnataka with her family.[1]

Career

[edit]

A native of Mysore, Karnataka, Reshma began her acting career with the Kannada film Asai Noor. In the late '90s, soft-porn or B-grade films started appearing in the Malayalam film industry. It was during this time that Reshma's dubbed film Mayoori (2000) was released in Kerala in Malayalam. Reshma made her Malayalam debut with the role of Damayanthi in the film Kaumaram, directed by A. T. Joy. She then played the titular role in A. T. Joy's movie Lovely, which was commercially successful and marked her breakthrough in Malayalam cinema. Following this success, she starred in another film titled Nalam Simham, whose title was similar to the Malayalam film Narasimham, starring Mohanlal.[2]

Reshma tried to change the direction of her career by playing a non-glamorous character in Natar Raghu's film Love Letter. However, the film stalled midway. Following this, she returned to her previous path. In 2002, she acted in the films Nirappakittu and Asura Yugam. Reshma soon faced a sudden downfall in her career due to the rapid internet surge in India, which led to a decrease in the sale of B-grade movie CDs. This was a major setback for the entire South Indian soft porn industry, and many B-grade actresses, including Reshma, were forced to leave the industry in 2005.[3]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Ref.
1999 Bas Karo Tum
2000 Bali Umar
2001
Kinavu Pole Shibani
Layathalangal
Aalilathoni
Thirunelliyile Penkutty Pallavi
Louli
Tharunnyam
Lasyam
Naalaam Simham
Mohanayanangal Sicily
2002
Qatil Dilruba
Sugandhavally
Premasallapam
Mohaswapnam
Doctor Prema
Asurayugam
Apsara
Adenthottam Reetha
Aalolam Kili Aishwarya
Nisagandhi
Nakhachithrangal Nancy Fernandez [4]
Madhuram
Diana Reshma
Sneha Sneha
Yamam Greeshma
Kiske Liye Yeh Jawani
Soundharyalahari
2003 Vivadam Suma
Sundarikutty

Popularity and legacy

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Within a few years of Reshma's entry into the softcore porn industry, the fame of Shakeela, the popular softcore porn actress of that time, declined. Even though Reshma completely left the industry in 2005, her videos remain a significant source of revenue for porn websites in India.[5] According to film scholar Darshana Sreedhar Mini, "Reshma was more daring with her co-stars and more camera-friendly. She reportedly received around ₹5 lakhs per film during 1998-99. The remuneration was very high even by today’s standards. But Reshma was riding high on a boom that was propelling the South Indian (especially Malayalam) porn industry at that time."[6]

According to film analyst Sunil Mannannur, "Reshma is an actress who entered the privacy of Malayalees and enlivened their days and nights. She had the reputation of being the most beautiful B-grade actress from South India and the title of 'lucky star,' as most of the films she acted in became super hits. Even when many superstar films failed at the box office, Reshma's B-grade films were money-spinners. Today's audiences have forgotten Reshma, apart from enjoying her movies. No one thinks about where she is, what she is doing, or how she is living. There is no need to think about it now, because there are porn stars ahead of Reshma at our fingertips today. Not only Reshma but other actresses of that time, who sent the audience into a frenzy, went into oblivion when the audience wandered in search of differences."[7]

Disappearance

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In December 2007, the police took Reshma, along with two other women and two agents, into custody from a hotel in Kochi, allegedly for sex work. The police allegedly denied Reshma the right to be accompanied by a woman police officer during questioning. The businessmen or clients who were rounded up in the police raid were allegedly let off immediately. A policeman took her phone, started recording his interrogation on it, and threatened her. The video was later leaked.[8] Reshma was charged under various sections of the IPC but was later granted bail. After this incident, she disappeared a year later, reportedly moving to a different city. In 2017, the actress Shakeela claimed during an interview that she has contact with Reshma and revealed that she is living discreetly in a small town in Karnataka.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "ഷക്കീലയ്ക്കും മറിയയ്ക്കുമൊപ്പം തരംഗം സൃഷ്ടിച്ച രേഷ്മ ഇന്ന് എവിടെ ? സിനിമ ജീവിതം യഥാര്‍ഥ ജീവിതത്തിലേക്കും പകര്‍ത്തിയപ്പോള്‍ സംഭവിച്ചത്..." RashtraDeepika. 21 February 2021. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  2. ^ "ബി ഗ്രേഡ് സിനിമയിലെ വിപ്ലവ നായിക രേഷ്മ ഇപ്പോൾ ഇവിടെയുണ്ട്!". Samayam Malayalam (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  3. ^ Mini, Darshana Sreedhar (2019). "The Rise of Soft Porn in Malayalam Cinema and the Precarious Stardom of Shakeela". Feminist Media Histories. 5 (2): 49–82. doi:10.1525/fmh.2019.5.2.49. S2CID 181897151. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Nakhachithrangal was Directed by A.T Joy". www.dailymotion.com. 30 October 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  5. ^ newskairali (23 September 2017). "രേഷ്മക്ക് എന്ത് സംഭവിച്ചു? ഇപ്പോളെവിടെയാണ്? അറിയാമെന്ന് ഷക്കീല". Kairali News | Kairali News Live (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  6. ^ Mini, Darshana Sreedhar (2016). "The Spectral Duration of Malayalam Soft-porn: Disappearance, Desire, and Haunting". BioScope: South Asian Screen Studies. 7 (2): 127–150. doi:10.1177/0974927616667971. ISSN 0974-9276. S2CID 193768554. Archived from the original on 27 December 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  7. ^ Mannanur, Sunil (4 November 2019). "ബി ഗ്രേഡ്‌ സിനിമകളും ചില കാണാക്കാഴ്ചകളും– Part 2 | PravasiExpress". Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  8. ^ Prakash, Sadhu (15 August 2022). "Reshma:ഒരു കാലത്ത് യുവാക്കളുടെ ഹരമായിരുന്ന മാദകറാണി രേഷ്മയ്ക്ക് സംഭവിച്ചതെന്ത്? രേഷ്മ ഇപ്പോള്‍ എവിടെ? » Breaking Kerala". Breaking Kerala. Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  9. ^ Kottoor, Asim (16 November 2017). "ഷക്കീല,രേഷ്മ,മറിയ: ഇവര്‍ ഇന്നെവിടെയാണ്?". East Coast Movies & Entertainments News (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
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