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P. Bhanumathi | |
|---|---|
 Bhanumathi on a 2013 stamp of India | |
| Born | (1925-09-07)7 September 1925 Doddavaram,Madras Presidency, British India (now Andhra Pradesh, India) |
| Died | 24 December 2005(2005-12-24) (aged 80) Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Occupations |
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| Works | |
| Spouse | P. S. Ramakrishna Rao |
| Children | Bharani |
| Honours | Padma Bhushan (2001) Padma Shri (1966) Kalaimamani (1983) Honorary doctorate |
P. Bhanumathi Ramakrishna (7 September 1925 – 24 December 2005) was an Indian actress, singer, film producer, director, music composer, writer, editor, studio owner and novelist. She is regarded as the first female superstar ofTelugu cinema.[1] She is also considered the first female director of Telugu cinema with her debut directorialChandirani (1953).[citation needed] Bhanumathi appeared in over 100 films predominantly inTelugu andTamil languages. She also acted in fewHindi andKannada films. She was awarded thePadma Bhushan in 2001 for her contribution to theIndian cinema. She was honored among "Women in Cinema" at the 30thInternational Film Festival of India.[2]
Bhanumathi was born on 7 September 1925 inDoddavaram village ofPrakasam district, nearOngole,Andhra Pradesh. She is the third child to Bommaraju Saraswathamma, Venkata Subbayya - 6000 Niyogi Brahmin.[3][4] She grew up watching her father perform in various stage shows. Bhanumathi's father, Venkata Subbayya, was a lover of classical music and trained her in music from an early age.Though her father wanted her to be a great singer, fate had other plans. She became a wildly successful actress and ruled the cinema industry.[5]
Bhanumathi entered the film industry in 1939. After marriage, she quit acting and became a homemaker.B.N. Reddy convinced her to act inswargaseema which was turning point in her life. "She also shone as a singer, writer, director, music director, composer, producer, studio owner and editor". She is famous for being paid more than the male contemporaries of her time.[6] She also sang two songs in English: "When I was just a little girl" inThodu Needa and "Let me try" from Pathu Maadha Bandham.[7] She acted in over 100 films inTelugu,Tamil andHindi.[8] She is regarded as The First Female Super Star ofTelugu cinema.[1] Bhanumathi was active in the film industry for six decades.
She made her debut in Telugu cinema in 1939 as Kalindi inVara Vikrayam directed byC. Pullayya. Her first popular film wasKrishna Prema. Her next popular film wasSwargaseema, a milestone film in her career. In Swargaseema, she played the role with negative shades. Oho Pavurama song (sung by her) inSwargaseema became a super hit and she was showered with offers. She later acted in many memorable movies likeChakrapani,Laila Majnu,Vipranarayana,Malliswari,Batasari andAntastulu. Her first film in Tamil was 1948Raja Mukthi Pairing toMGR.The duo paired as the second hero and heroine. WithMGR, she acted in superhit films likeMalaikallan,Madurai Veeran,Thaikkupin Tharam, Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum, Nadodi Mannan. She also acted in films likeKalvanin Kadhali, Makkalaipetra Magarasi, Ambigapathy,Manamagan Thevai, Arivali,Rani Lalithangi withSivaji Ganesan.
In 1953, she made her directorial debut withChandirani (made simultaneously in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi). She also directed films likeIppadiyum Oru Penn. Additionally, she directed Bhakta Dhruva Markandeya, an all-children film featuring a cast under 16 years of age, a notable person who acted in this film isShobana.[9] Bhanumathi also worked as Music director for few films. Her last film was made in 1998, entitledPelli Kanuka.
In her film career, Bhanumathi worked alongside five future Chief Ministers: writersC.N. Annadurai (Tamil Nadu) andM. Karunanidhi (Tamil Nadu), co-starsMGR (Tamil Nadu),NTR (Andhra Pradesh) andV.N.Janaki (Tamil Nadu).
C. N. Annadurai gave her a title "Nadippukku Ilakkanam" (Tamil:நடிப்புக்கு இலக்கணம்) (Grammar for acting) after seeing her performance inRangoon Radha film, that suits her aptly. In a Telugu interview, she also proudly stated thatC.N.Annadurai conferred upon her the title Nadippukku Ilakkanam. She is called as "Ashtavadhani" by Tamil people.
She was revered by many actors she had worked with likeN. T. Rama Rao,Sivaji Ganesan,M. G. Ramachandran,Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Nagarjuna, Balakrishna, Chiranjeevi, Pawan Kalyan, Venkatesh for her bold and prolific versatility. One of her memorable movies in Tamil wasAnnai, in the year 1962 directed byKrishnan–Panju, where her acting was appreciated by all and also got the National Award for the film and for also performances in moviesAntastulu andPalnati Yuddham, she received National Awards (Rashtrapati Award). She is the last recipient of Rashtrapati Award.[citation needed]
The Super Hit filmAlibabavum 40 Thirudargalum, starringMGR and Bhanumathi made history in Tamil cinema by being the 'First Tamil Film' to be entirely shot and released in Gevacolor. It was also the First Full-Length Colour Film released inSouth India.MGR and Bhanumathi also acted in filmKalai Arasi, a Tamil movie released in 1963. It's considered the 'First Indian Film' to feature 'Aliens' visiting Earth.
Her rivalry with MGR inNadodi Mannan gaveB. Sarojadevi a breakthrough. (MGR changed the script. Bhanumathi's character the revolutionary Madhana, was written out by being killed off early. Sarojadevi then carried the film as the lead heroine, Princess Ratna).[10]
Bhanumathi's rift with Aluri Chakrapani inMissamma gaveSavitri a breakthrough, she left her role in Missamma movie (Initially Bhanumathi was shot for some scenes in the movie before being replaced by Savitri ) but after the release of the movie she watched and commented that "she lost a wonderful role but industry gained a talented actress like savitri" which showed her sportiveness and encouragement towards new actors.
Due to clash with Aluri Chakrapani, she produced a satirical movie on him titledChakrapani which was a huge hit and became a classic in Tollywood for this movie she also worked as music director.
For the movieAntastulu (1964), VB Rajendra Prasad had approached Bhanumathi for the role ofANR's sister. She liked the subject and agreed to do the film immediately. The crew booked a room in "Ritz-Carlton" in Hyderabad and she did not want to waste money, so she offered to stay at Sarathi Studios, which had an open area and snakes. The next morning she woke up with her nails bitten by rats. The director decided to cancel the shoot, VB Rajendra Prasad rushed to see Bhanumathi applying iodine casually on the nails and asking when she could start work. While continuing with the shooting, she said, "If you cancel shoot for small things how will I be a Bhanumathi (which means 'shining like the sun' in Sanskrit)."[11]
India's First Vice-PresidentSarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a fan of her work. Telugu cinema Veterans likeJamuna,Savitri and so many actresses cited her as an inspiration for entering into movies. She is widely recalled by her close associates as 'Epitome of Self-Respect' and 'Versatility'. People in the film industry call her 'high-spirited' and a woman who tried to get what she wanted and often 'succeeded'. Their assessment was correct. She is Multi-talented person. She is the only Female Film Studio Owner in our country.
Despite being (8 years) younger than MGR, Bhanumathi was the only person in cine industry who 'publicly' addressedMGR as Mr.Ramachandran, even though fellow actors were apprehensive about interacting with MGR. Despite Bhanumathi calling MGR by name, he continued to treat her with utmost respect. He always called her as 'Bhanumathi Amma'[12]
MGR and Bhanumathi were a super-hit screen pair in the Tamil film industry of that era. During filming withMGR, she predicted he would achieve greatness beyond cinema. After he became Chief Minister,MGR recalled her prophecy and gave her credit.
Despite their rivalry on the set ofNadodi Mannan, they maintained mutual respect. Years later, after becoming Chief Minister,MGR appointed her as director and principal of the Government Music College.NTR appointed her along withRajinikanth and Rajkumar as a trustee of Thirupathi Devasthan Committee.[13]
Bhanumathi stated that She is regardered as an arrogant and troublesome artist. Before signing any film she would put the condition that she would not allow "indecency" or closeness with the hero in love scenes or any other scene. So, the producers, directors and actors always remained at a distance."[14]
When a reporter asked Bhanumathi about her experience acting withNTR andANR, she responded by saying, "Ask them how the experience of acting with Bhanumathi was."When she was asked who she thought was her heir among the next generation of actresses, she replied stating there cannot be a "Successor" to Bhanumathi.[15] In those days many famous film actresses were giving advertisements for Lux soap. Though Bhanumathi too was offered very huge sum of money she declined to give their advertisements saying she does not use their soap and therefore she cannot promote their soap asking the people to use that soap.
In later years, she continued to act in pivotal roles in many hit movies likeTatamma Kala,Mangammagari Manavadu,Gadasari Atta Sogasari Kodallu,Muddula Manavaralu,Bamma Maata Bangaru Baata,Peddarikam andPelli Kanuka.
InMalliswari,Chakrapani,Chandirani,Vipranarayana she played romantic, fun loving and playful characters. She is first south Indian actress to receivePadma Awards.[citation needed]
During her later years, she served on various movie related organizations. She was a Member of State Film Awards Committee for two years. She was also a visiting professor at the Film Institute for one year. She was Member of Children Film Society for 5 years, from 1965 to 1970.
In India, she was The First and The Only Woman to have owned a Film Studio and First Woman to act in a Dual role and the First Woman to have Directed a movie simultaneously in Three Languages.[citation needed]
On occasion of World Women's day, Sakshi Sunday magazine listed the most successful women from every industry and she was listed in the one for those from the movie industry. It was also added that the present highly successful heroines could not reach the heights Bhanumathi reached and that it is an 'impossible' task for anyone to reach her level of 'success'.[citation needed]
She was adept in bothCarnatic andHindustani music. She gave voice to her songs despite it being the norm to use playback singers for actors. Some of her songs are still popular likeManasuna mallela,Pilichina biguvatara,Oh baatasaari,Kila Kila Navvulu,Oh Pavurama,Preme Neramauna, Srikara karunaalavaala,Sharanam nee divya charanam and many more in Telugu; andAzhagaana Ponnu Naan,Vaarai Inbam Thaaraai,Nilaa Nilaa Odi Vaa,Thalai Vaari Poochoodi Unnai,Kannile Iruppathenna andAnnai Enbadhu Neethaanaa in Tamil. She also provided music to a lot of her films.[16][17][18] She has sung approximately 300 songs in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi movies in which she acted.
Bhanumathi has privately recorded Purandaradasa’s bhajans. In 1953 when Andhra Pradesh state was formed from the Madras province she recorded a song along with Balantrapu Rajaneekantha Rao (who wrote the lyrics and composed music) “pasidi merungula talatalalu “for All India Radio, Vijayawada. She was the first singer to sing thyagaraya kruti in Telugu films with the song, “Palukavemi Naa Daivama” in her first film Varavikrayam (1939). She made a point to sing one Carnatic song in all her films produced under her home production Bharani Studios.[19]
Bhanumathi was also a talented writer with a number of short stories to her credit. Her Autobiography 'Nalo Nenu' was published in Telugu and later, released in English as Musings. Andhra PradeshSahitya Academy awarded her as the best short story writer for her popular short stories 'Attagari Kathalu'.[20] Bhanumathi stated that her literary works are close to her heart. She was a Member ofLalit Kala Academy for 5 years, andSahitya Academy Andhra Pradesh for 10 years. She served as Director and Principal of the Tamil Nadu Government Music College. She got an honorary doctorate degree in 1975 from the Andhra University.
She was an eminent social worker who was closely associated with a number of Social Service Organizations. She was the founder member and treasurer of Madras branch ofAltrusa International Inc.,Chicago for lifelong starting from 1963. She was a life member of the 'Red Cross Society'. She established an educational institution named as 'Dr. Bhanumathi Ramakrishna Matriculation School' at Saligramam,Chennai providing free education to the poor.
During the shooting of the filmKrishna Prema (1943), she metP. S. Ramakrishna Rao (1918–1986), an assistant director of that film. So, it all started with 'Krishna Prema' and ended as 'Ramakrishna Prema'. Bhanumathi fell in love with him and married him against her parents’ wishes. The couple married on 8 August 1943 and have one son, Bharani. This celebrity couple was one of the most 'stable' and happy couple from Indian cinema industry. He was a film producer, director and editor of Telugu and Tamil Films. Later they launched a popular production company,Bharani Pictures on their son's name andBharani Studios. She settled in Chennai and lived there for the rest of her life. She died at the age of 80 years inChennai. There is a street named after Bhanumathi Ramakrishna inChennai. It is called 'Bhanumathi Ramakrishna Road'[21]inSaligramam.[22]
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| National | |
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| People | |
National Film Archive of India[1]Interview of one of the first female superstars of Telugu Cinema P. Bhanumathi by Randor Guy[2]Shivaji about Bhanumathi. Bhanumathi about C.N. Annadurai[3]MGR complimented Jayalalithaa by comparing her to Bhanumathi[4]
