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Anjali Devi
Anjali Devi in Mangaiyarkarasi 1949.jpg
Anjali Devi in 1949
Born
Anjanamma

(1927-08-24)24 August 1927
Peddapuram, East Godavari, Madras Presidency (now in Andhra Pradesh), British India
Died 13 January 2014(2014-01-13) (aged 86)
Occupation
Spouse(s)
P. Adinarayana Rao
(m. 1948; his death 1991)

Anjali Devi (; 24 August 1927 – 13 January 2014) was an Indian actress, model and producer in Telugu and Tamil films. She was well known for her role as the Devi Sita in Lava Kusa as well as for the titular roles in movies like Chenchu Lakshmi, Suvarna Sundari and Anarkali.

Early life

Anjali Devi was born in Peddapuram, East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh, India, as Anjamma. She changed her name to Anjani Kumari when acting in dramas. Later, director C. Pullaiah changed her name to Anjali Devi.

Career

As actress

She was a theatre artiste before venturing into movies, her debut film role was as Lohitasva in "Raja Harishchandra" in 1936. Her first film as a heroine was Kashtajeevi by L. V. Prasad in 1940, but that film was abandoned after three reels shooting. Later, C.Pullayya discovered her and gave her the opportunity to star as Mohini in Gollabhama (1947). Based on her acting ability and looks, she became a star overnight in 1947. She eventually acted in more than 350 films, majority of them in Telugu films and a few in Hindi, Tamil and Kannada films as the heroine or in character roles.

She acted in Lava Kusa, a milestone film and the first color film in the Telugu film industry in 1963. She is well known for playing Sita in Lava Kusa and her performances in films like Suvarna Sundari and Anarkali were also appreciated. Brundavanam (1992), Anna Vadina (1993) and Police Alludu (1994) were the last few films of her career. In Balaiah's Police Alludu and Anna Vadina she appeared alongside Brahmanandam. She acted in various roles, such as a damsel, an angel, a dancer, a demon, a goddess, a traditional woman and later in mother roles.

As producer

In 1955 she produced the film Anarkali, in which she herself played the titular role, with Akkineni Nageswara Rao as Prince Salim. Then she produced V. Madhusudan Rao's Bhakta Tukaram and Chandipriya. Bollywood and Tollywood actress Jayapradha played the lead role in the latter alongside Sobhan Babu and Chiranjeevi. As a producer she has produced 27 films. An ardent devotee of Sri Sathya Sai Baba she produced and acted in Shirdi Sai Parthi Sai Divyakatha, a tele-serial on the life and avatar of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. This was also the first screen appearance of Vijay Devarakonda, then a student of class 3 at Sri Sathya Sai Primary School, Puttaparthi in 1997.

Personal life

She married P. Adinarayana Rao, a music director, in 1948. They settled in Chennai. They have two sons. Together, they produced many Telugu films under the banner, Anjali Pictures. Their granddaughter, Saila Rao, is also an actress.

Death

Devi died at the age of 86 on 13 January 2014 at Vijaya Hospital, in Chennai, due to a cardiac arrest. Her organs were donated to Ramachandra Medical College.

Awards

  • Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu – Anarkali (1955)
  • Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu – Chenchu Lakshmi (1958)
  • Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu – Lava Kusa (1963)
  • Honorary doctorate from Nagarjuna University, Guntur.
  • Raghupathi Venkaiah Award in 1994 for her lifetime service to the Telugu film industry.
  • Ramineni National Award in 2006 in the fine arts category.
  • ANR National Award in 2008.
  • Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Award – Arignar Anna Award in 2000
  • Padmabhushan Dr. B. Saroja Devi National Award in 2010 by Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, Bangalore.

Filmography

Actress

Year Film Role Language Notes
1947 Gollabhama Mohini Telugu
1947 Mahathma Udangar Rambai Tamil
1948 Balaraju Telugu
1948 Adhithan Kanavu Tamil
1949 Kanniyin Kaadhali Princess Megala Devi Tamil
1949 Keelu Gurram Mohini Telugu
1949 Mayavathi Tamil
1949 Mangaiyarkarasi Tamil
1950 Palleturi Pilla Santha Telugu
1950 Swapna Sundari Swapna Sundari Telugu
1950 Maya Rambha Telugu
1951 Nirdoshi Nirmala Telugu
1951 Niraparadhi Tamil
1951 Sarvadhigari Tamil
1951 Sarvadhikari Telugu
1951 Marmayogi Tamil
1951 Marmayogi Telugu
1951 Mayalamari Tamil
1951 Mayalamaari Telugu
1951 Mayamalai Tamil
1951 Stree Sahasam Telugu
1951 Strisahasam Tamil
1952 Ezhai Uzhavan Tamil
1953 Pakkinti Ammayi Leela Devi Telugu
1953 Inspector Tamil
1953 Poongodhai Tamil
1953 Paradesi Telugu
1953 Ladki Kamini Hindi Hindi Debut
1954 Rechukka Nana Telugu
1954 Naattiya Thara Nana Tamil
1954 Penn Kamini Tamil
1954 Sangham Kamini Telugu
1954 Sorga Vasal Thilagawathi Tamil
1954 Ponvayal Semba Tamil
1954 Rattha Pasam Tamil
1955 Anarkali Anarkali Telugu
1955 Charana Daasi Telugu
1955 Kanavaney Kankanda Deivam Princess Nalini Tamil
1955 Kalam Maripochu Tamil
1955 Jayasimha Telugu
1955 Jayasimman Tamil
1955 Doctor Savithri Tamil
1955 Mudhal Thethi Tamil
1955 Town Bus Amudha Tamil
1956 Devta Hindi
1956 Mathar Kula Manickam Tamil
1956 Kaalam Maari Pochu Tamil
1957 Allauddin Adhbhuta Deepam Yasmin, the Princess Telugu
1957 Alavudheenum Arputha Villakkum Yasmin, the Princess Tamil
1957 Panduranga Mahatyam Rama Telugu
1957 Suvarna Sundari Telugu
1957 Manaalane Mangaiyin Baakkiyam Sundari Tamil
1957 Chakravarthi Thirumagal Kalamalini Tamil
1957 Neelamalai Thirudan Maragatham Tamil
1958 Chenchu Lakshmi Goddess Lakshmi Telugu
1958 Chenchu Lakshmi Goddess Lakshmi Tamil
1958 Illarame Nallaram Tamil
1958 Raja Nandini Ramani Telugu
1958 Kanniyin Sabadham Tamil
1959 Jayabheri Manjulavani Telugu
1959 Bala Nagamma Telugu
1959 Kalaivanan Tamil
1959 Naan Sollum Ragasiyam Tamil
1960 Bhatti Vikramarka Telugu
1960 Mannadhi Mannan Princess Karpagavalli Tamil
1960 Aadavantha Deivam Kalyani Tamil
1960 Adutha Veettu Penn Tamil
1960 Engal Selvi Tamil
1961 Naganandhini Tamil
1961 Pangaaligal Tamil
1962 Bhishma Amba Telugu
1962 Swarna Manjari Telugu
1962 Mangaiyar Ullam Mangatha Selvam Tamil
1962 Naag Devta Mohini Hindi
1963 Lava Kusa Sita Telugu
1963 Lava Kusa Sita Tamil
1963 Paruvu Prathishta Telugu
1965 Sati Sakkubai Telugu
1966 Chilaka Gorinka Telugu
1966 Palnati Yudham Telugu
1966 Rangula Ratnam Telugu
1967 Bhakta Prahlada Leelavati Telugu
1967 Rahasyam Telugu
1968 Veeranjaneya Sita Telugu
1970 Amma Kosam Telugu
1971 Dasara Bullodu Yashoda Telugu
1971 Kalyana Mandapam Telugu
1971 Sabatham Rajeswari Tamil
1971 Arunodhayam Tamil
1972 Badi Panthulu Telugu
1972 Maa Inti Velugu Telugu
1972 Bala Bharatam Telugu
1972 Tata Manavadu Telugu
1973 Bhakta Tukaram Avali Bai Telugu
1973 Jeevana Tarangalu Telugu
1974 Urimai Kural Tamil
1975 Soggadu Telugu
1976 Mahakavi Kshetrayya Telugu
1977 Shri Ram Vanvas Hindi
Kurukshetram Kunti Telugu
1978 Dudu Basavanna Gouramma Telugu
1979 Annai Oru Alayam Tamil
1980 Ram Robert Rahim Telugu
1980 Chandipriya Telugu
1980 Adrushtavanthudu Telugu
1980 Bhale Krishnudu Telugu
1984 Pozhudhu Vidinjachu Tamil
1985 Surya Chandra Telugu
1986 Sri Shirdi Saibaba Mahathyam Telugu
1986 Sri Seeradi Saibaba Tamil
1987 Srutilayalu Telugu
1987 Punnami Chandrudu Telugu
1987 Kadhal Parisu Tamil
1993 Brundavanam Lakshmi Devi Telugu

Producer

  • Paradesi
  • Suvarna Sundari
  • Swarnamanjari
  • Chandi Priya
  • Sati Sakkubai
  • Shirdi Sai Sathya Sai Divya Katha (television series)
  • Anarkali

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anjali Devi para niños

  • Krishnaveni
  • Bhanumathi
  • Raghupathi Venkaiah Award
  • Rashtrapati Award
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