Shobana is celebrated both as an actress and a dancer. The only daughter of Chandrakumar and Anandam and the niece of the famed Travancore sisters: Lalitha, Padmini, and Ragini, she has always preferred to keep her personal life private. Despite her immense fan following, she chose to remain unmarried. However, 14 years ago, Shobana became a mother through adoption, welcoming her daughter, Ananthanarayani, into her life.

When her daughter was very young, Shobana occasionally attended events with her. As Ananthanarayani grew older, Shobana rarely brought her to public functions, limiting appearances to gatherings of close friends. Even when the media was present, they were never approached.

Shobana has always chosen to speak publicly only about her acting and dance career. Today, she continues to be admired for her dance performances.

Although Shobana maintains a low media profile, she is active on Instagram, often sharing videos of herself practising and teaching dance with her students. Her daughter sometimes appears alongside her, though Shobana ensures her face is either masked or shown from angles that do not reveal it directly.

Following in her mother’s footsteps, Ananthanarayani has also been trained in dance at Shobana’s school. From a toddler who would sit on her mother’s lap in a silk skirt and blouse, to a teenager now wearing a davani, she has grown under Shobana’s guidance and remains her mother’s beloved daughter. Recently, Shobana shared a photograph for the first time featuring herself, her guru, and her daughter together. In the image, Narayani’s appearance evokes memories of the vintage Shobana.

At Narayani’s age, Shobana was already a leading actress in Malayalam cinema. While still a school student, she starred opposite Balachandra Menon and Rahman, impressing audiences with both her acting and dance skills.

Through her daughter, she continues the legacy of the Travancore sisters. Shobana has never publicly discussed the details of her daughter’s adoption.

Earlier this year, Shobana shared a behind-the-scenes glimpse from a test shoot with her daughter on Instagram.

She recently made a successful comeback as Mohanlal’s heroine in the film Thudakkam, which became a major hit.

This year, she was also awarded the Padma Bhushan. Shortly after receiving the honour, she hurried to her daughter’s school, underscoring the close bond they share.