Shobana Chandrakumar Pillai, known mononymously as Shobana, is a National award winning Indian actress and dancer. She has acted in over 200 films to date and primarily stars in Malayalam movies but also has credits in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada film industries. Some of her best works are Rudraveena (1988), Abhinandana (1988), Thalapathi (1991) and Manichitrathazhu (1993). A proficient Bharatanatyam dancer, she started her own dance school in 1994. Among many awards and accolades, she was also honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2006.

Shobana made her debut as a child artist in the Bollywood film Amar Prem (1972), however, her first major role was in the Malayalam film April 18 (1984). The film was a smashing hit at the box office and won her critical acclaim. She then went on to star in a string of successful films like Kanamarayathu (1984), T.P. Balagopalan M.A. (1986), Chilambu (1986), Nadodikkattu (1987) Kalikkalam (1990) and Maya Mayuram (1993). Shobana delivered a spectacular performance in the psychological thriller film Manichitrathazhu (1993) for which she received her first National Award. Post this she appeared in well-known films like Hitler (1996), Agni Sakshi (1999) and Valliettan (2000).

Her performance in the women-centric film Mitr: My Friend (2002) won her a second National award. Shobana was also seen in the English film Dance Like a Man (2003) and the super hit Malayalam film Mambazhakkalam (2005). More recently, she made appearances in the Bollywood films Apna Aasman (2007), Mere Baap Pehle Aap (2008), and the Rajinikanth blockbuster Kochadaiiyaan (2014). Her 2020 releases include Varane Avashyamund.