G. Varalakshmi
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G. Varalakshmi | |
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Born | Garikapati Varalakshmi 27 September 1926 Ongole, Andhra Pradesh India |
Died | 26 November 2006 | (aged 80)
Occupation | actress |
Children | K. Raghavendra Rao (step-son) K. Kanaka Durga K. Siva Prakash |
G. Varalakshmi, born Garikapati Varalaxmi (27 September 1926 – 26 November 2006[1]), was a veteran Telugu and Tamil actress, stage artist, singer and director. She is well remembered for her arrogant roles in movies like Drohi and Letha Manasulu.
Biography
Varalakshmi was born in 1926 in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, India to a Telugu Kapu family.[citation needed] She left home to act on stage in Vijayawada when she was 11 years old. She acted along with stage actors Thungala Chalapathi and Dasari Kotiratnam and became popular for her roles in plays like Sakkubai and Rangoon Rowdy.
Her first two movie roles aged 14 were in Barrister Parvatheesam, produced by Raghupathy Prakash, and Bondam Pelli, produced by H. M. Reddy. These two movies were released together as a two-in-one movie. She then moved to Bombay to sing in the chorus for Naushad in 1942. As her career as a singer was not successful, she returned to Madras in 1946. She married the filmmaker and studio-owner Kovelamudi Surya Prakash Rao. Her husband and she acted in and produced a controversial and popular movie, Drohi in which she played the part of an arrogant daughter.
Drohi was followed by popular movies like Kula Gotralu, Kanna Talli and Pelli Chesi Choodu in which she acted with all the top heroes of Indian films of the 1940s and 1950s in Telugu and Tamil, playing roles ranging from the loving woman and arrogant sister to the mother-in-law. She also directed a social movie, Moogajeevulu. She got involved in politics and supported M.G.R for a short time and was an active member of Andhra Pradesh Praja Natya Mandali. She was the mother of two children, one daughter Kovelamudi Kanaka Durga and a son Kovelamudi Siva Prakash who became a famous cameraman. She is also the step-mother of the famous director Kovelamudi Raghavendra Rao.[citation needed]
Filmography
Note: The list is not comprehensive.
Actress
- Barrister Parvateesam (1940)
- Bondam Pelli (1940)
- Dakshayagnam (1941)
- Bhakta Prahlada (1942)
- Vindhyarani (1948)
- Drohi (1948)
- Maya Rambha (1950)
- Modati Rathri (1950)
- Sri Lakshmamma Katha (1950)
- Swapna Sundari (1950)
- Deeksha (1951)
- Nirdoshi (1951)
- Niraparadhi (1951)
- Manavathi (1952)
- Pelli Chesi Choodu (1952)
- Kanna Talli (1953)
- Naa Chellelu (1953)
- Paropakaram (1953)
- Jyoti (1954)
- Maa Gopi (1954)
- Menarikam (1954)
- Gulebakavali (1955)
- Ante Kavali (1955)
- Melukolupu (1956)
- Paasavalai (1956)
- Naan Petra Selvam (1956)
- Dongallo Dora (1957)
- Aaravalli (1957)
- Karpurakarasi (1957)
- Pathini Deivam (1957)
- Raja Nandini (1958)
- Mangalya Balam (1958)
- Sri renuka devi mahatyam (1960)
- Sivagami (1960)
- Iddaru Mitrulu, 1961
- Kula Gothralu (1962)
- Bhishma (1962)
- Antastulu (1965)
- Kuzhandaiyum Deivamum (1965)
- Sumangali (1965)
- Aastiparulu (1966)
- Letha Manasulu (1966)
- Bangaru Pichika (1967)
- Buddhimanthudu (1969)
- Nindu Hrudayalu (1969)
- Vazhaiyadi Vazhai(1972)
- Samsaram Sagaram (1973)
- Ganga Manga (1973)
- Athavarillu (1976)
- Sri Rajeswari Vilas Coffee Club (1976)
- Gorantha Deepam (1978)
Director
- Moogajeevulu (1968)
References
External links
- 1926 births
- 2006 deaths
- Indian female film singers
- Indian film actresses
- Telugu actresses
- Telugu playback singers
- Singers from Andhra Pradesh
- 20th-century Indian singers
- People from Ongole
- Telugu film directors
- Indian women film directors
- 20th-century Indian film directors
- Film directors from Andhra Pradesh
- 20th-century Indian actresses
- 20th-century Indian women singers
- Film musicians from Andhra Pradesh
- Women musicians from Andhra Pradesh