Sumalatha (27 August, 1963) is a South Indian actress who acted in films from the mid eighties to the nineties. She was born in Madras, brought up in Bombay and Andhra Pradesh. 

She had a very cosmopolitan upbringing. She joined films at the age of 15 after winning a beauty contest in Andhra. She speaks six different languages . Her close friend is actress Suhasini Maniratnam. 

She has acted in almost all types of roles from character to high action movies. She is married to veteran actor and politician Ambareesh from Karnataka. 

She is a very natural actress. The movie, which everybody admires her is in Malayalam language which is Thoovanathumpikal, a film from the Master of film direction, Mr.Padmarajan. She has acted in many Malayalam movies like Thazhvaram, Izabella, New Delhi etc. 

Sumalatha has very long hair, which was one of her unique features. On their way to Vizag for the shoot of a Telugu movie 'Janaki Ramudu', one of the heroines Suhasini, who had a penchant for hairdressing her co-star, was casually combing Sumalatha's hair in the train. When Kodandarami Reddy, the Director of the movie happened to see this scene, he asked his cameraman Ashok Reddy to immediately film that scene and added it to the movie as a sentimental scene. 

Sumalatha's first film "DISAI MARIYA PARAVAIGAL", produced by Mr.P.S. Veerappa and directed by a new director Jagadheeshan was about a brahmin girl,who due to circumstances becomes a nun . It was a very unconventional theme and was a successful film and fetched her the "BEST NEW FACE AWARD" also. 

Awards: 

DEVAR'S BEST NEW FACE - DISAI MARIYA PARAVAIGAL - 1980 - TAMIL 
AP STATE BEST ACTRESS - SHRUTILAYALU - 1988 - TELUGU 
FILM CRITICS - NEW DELHI & THOOVANA THUMBIGAL - 1988 - MALAYALAM 
FILM FANS - NEW DELHI - 1989 - HINDI