Many classic Tamil actresses found long-term partners while working on movie sets.
Vijayakumari (mother of actress Sridevi) was a star in the 1950s. Her real relationship with director was kept secret until she was pregnant with Sridevi. She was forced to leave the industry. This pattern—secret marriage, hiding children, acting as "widows" until retirement—was common. The on-screen heroine could not be a mother or a wife in public; she had to remain a fantasy.
