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{{Short description|Indian actress and dancer (1937–2019)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2019}}
'''Thanjavur Damayanthi Kusalakumari''' (6 December 1937 - 7 March 2019) was an Indian actress and dancer. She featured in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam language films.<ref name="starbiz">{{Cite news |last=Kusari |first=Kareena |date=8 March 2019 |title=Koondukili's Tamil Actress Kusalakumari Departs This Life On Wednesday At Age Of 83 |work=Starbiz |url=https://starbiz.com/regional-movies/koondukilis-tamil-actress-kusalakumari-departs-this-life-on-wednesday-at-age-of-83-4228 |url-status=live |access-date=13 December 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191213133633/https://starbiz.com/regional-movies/koondukilis-tamil-actress-kusalakumari-departs-this-life-on-wednesday-at-age-of-83-4228 |archive-date=13 December 2019}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Born in Thanjavur, Kusalakumari is a niece of [[T. R. Rajakumari]]. Her birth name is Kusalambal. Being born in an artistes family, she began learning Bharata Natyam at the age of 3. When she was 5 years old, the family moved to Chennai. She used to go to film shooting with her aunt T. R. Rajakumari.

== Film career ==
Kusalakumari began her film career as a child artiste. Though she has danced in films before, she got a character role in Avvaiyar as the child Avvaiyar. Her major role as the poor woman falling in love with [[Sivaji Ganesan]], was in ''[[Koondukili]]'', the only film Sivaji Ganesan and [[M. G. Ramachandran]] featured together. Later she acted as the younger sister of Sivaji Ganesan in ''[[Kalvanin Kadhali (1955 film)|Kalvanin Kadhali]]'', and then as the younger sister of [[K. R. Ramasamy (actor)|K. R. Ramasamy]] in ''[[Needhipathi]]''.

The competition dance with [[Kumari Kamala]] in [[Konjum Salangai]] brought fame to her as a dancer.

She began her film career in Telugu with [[Raju Peda]] as a dancer. The film featured [[N. T. Rama Rao]] in the main role and was a success. After that, she starred in many Telugu films both as dancer and in character roles.

She was paired with [[Prem Nazir]] in [[Malayalam|Malayalam-language]] film [[Seeta (1960 film)|Seeta]] in the title role. The film ran for more than 200 days. Another Malayalam film [[Mariakutty]] won the President's award.<ref>{{Cite news |last=R. C. Jayanthan |date=11 March 2016 |title=மறக்கப்பட்ட நடிகர்கள் 3: தென்னகம் கொண்டாடிய திறமை! - குசலகுமாரி |language=ta |work=The Hindu |url=http://tamil.thehindu.com/cinema/cinema-others/%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%8D-3-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A9%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8A%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%88-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF/article8339997.ece |url-status=dead |access-date=14 December 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160404195136/http://tamil.thehindu.com/cinema/cinema-others/%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%8D-3-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A9%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8A%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%88-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF/article8339997.ece |archive-date=4 April 2016}}</ref>

== Awards ==
* [[Kalaimamani]]
* Kalai Chelvam

== Later life ==
Kusalakumari did not marry. She lived with her brother T. D. Sekar in Chennai. The then Chief minister of Tamil Nadu [[J. Jayalalithaa]] learned of Kusalakumari's financial difficulties and sanctioned a monthly allowance of Rs.5000.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

== Death ==
Kusalakumari died of old age (83) on 7 March 2019 in Chennai.<ref name="starbiz" />

== Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Language
! Notes
|-
| 1944 || ''[[Mahamaya]]'' || Child Bala || Tamil || Debut (Baby Kusalambal)
|-
| 1948 || ''[[Chandralekha (1948 film)|Chandralekha]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1949 || ''[[Krishna Bakthi]]'' || Child dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1950 || ''[[Laila Majnu]]'' || Young Laila || Tamil ||
|-
| 1951 || ''[[Manamagal]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| 1951 || ''[[Pelli Koothuru]]'' || || Telugu ||
|-
| 1952 || ''[[Parasakthi (1952 film)|Parasakthi]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1952 || ''[[Kalyanam Panniyum Brahmachari]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1953 || ''[[Avvaiyar (film)|Avvaiyar]]'' || Child Avvaiyar || Tamil ||
|-
| 1953 || ''[[Marumagal]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1953 || ''[[Ammalakkalu]]'' || Dancer || Telugu ||
|-
| 1953 || ''[[Devadasu (1953 film)|Devadasu]]'' || Dancer || Telugu ||
|-
| 1954 || ''[[Koondukkili]]'' || Sokki || Tamil ||
|-
| 1954 || ''[[Bedara Kannappa]]'' || || Kannada ||
|-
| 1954 || ''[[Vedan Kannappa]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| 1954 || ''[[Nanban (1954 film)|Nanban]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| 1954 || ''[[Pona Machaan Thirumbi Vandhan]]'' || Chandra || Tamil ||
|-
| 1954 || ''[[Ratha Kanneer]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1954 || ''[[Raju Peda]]'' || Dancer || Telugu ||
|-
| 1954 || ''[[Sorgavasal]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1955 || ''[[Jayasimha (1955 film)|Jayasimha]]'' || Dancer || Telugu ||
|-
| 1955 || ''[[Donga Ramudu (1955 film)|Donga Ramudu]]'' || Dancer || Telugu ||
|-
| 1955 || ''[[Kalvanin Kadhali (1955 film)|Kalvanin Kadhali]]'' || Abirami || Tamil ||
|-
| 1955 || ''[[Kaveri]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1955 || ''[[Menaka]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1955 || ''[[Jayasimman]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1955 || ''[[Needhipathi]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| 1956 || ''[[Madurai Veeran]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1956 || ''[[Kudumba Vilakku]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1956 || ''[[Ilavelpu]]'' || Singari || Telugu ||
|-
| 1956 || ''[[Graha Devatha]]'' || || Malayalam ||
|-
| 1956 || ''[[Sahasaveerudu]]'' || || Telugu ||
|-
| 1957 || ''[[Aandi Petra Selvan]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1957 || ''[[Samaya Sanjeevi]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| 1957 || ''[[Sati Anasuya]]'' || Rati || Telugu ||
|-
| 1957 || ''[[Panduranga Mahatyam]]'' || Dancer || Telugu ||
|-
| 1958 || ''[[Mangalya Bhagyam]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| 1958 || ''[[Mariakutty]]'' || Betty || Malayalam ||
|-
| 1958 || ''[[Bhakta Markandeya]]'' || Dancer || Telugu ||
|-
| 1958 || ''[[Kadan Vaangi Kalyanam]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1959 || ''[[Kaveriyin Kanavan]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1959 || ''[[Mahishasura Mardini]]'' || || Kannada ||
|-
| 1959 || ''[[Mahishasura Mardini]]'' || || Telugu ||
|-
| 1959 || ''[[Nalla Theerpu]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| 1959 || ''[[Raja Sevai]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| 1959 || ''[[Rechukka Pagatichukka]]'' || || Telugu ||
|-
| 1960 || ''[[Mahakavi Kalidasu]]'' || Dancer || Telugu ||
|-
| 1960 || ''[[Bhatti Vikramarka]]'' || Dancer || Telugu ||
|-
| 1960 || ''[[Desingu Raja Katha]]'' || Dancer || Telugu ||
|-
| 1960 || ''[[Patti Vikramathithan]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1960 || ''[[Raja Desingu]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1960 || ''[[Rathinapuri Ilavarasi]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| 1960 || ''[[Seetha (1960 film)|Seeta]]'' || Sita || Malayalam ||
|-
| 1960 || ''[[Durga Mata]]'' || || Hindi ||
|-
| 1961 || ''[[Bhakta Kuchela]]'' || || Malayalam ||
|-
| 1961 || ''[[Bharya Bharthalu]]'' || || Telugu ||
|-
| 1961 || ''[[Ennai Paar]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| 1961 || ''[[Seeta Rama Kalyanam (1960 film)|Sita Rama Kalyanam]]'' || Rambha || Telugu ||
|-
| 1962 || ''[[Konjum Salangai]]'' || Kamavalli || Tamil ||
|-
| 1962 || ''[[Muripinche Muvvalu]]'' || || Telugu ||
|-
| 1962 || ''[[Mahathma Kabir]]'' || || Kannada ||
|-
| 1963 || ''[[Lava Kusa (1963 film)|Lava Kusa]]'' || Dancer || Telugu ||
|-
| 1963 || ''[[Sampoorna Ramayanam]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1964 || ''[[Ramudu Bheemudu]]'' || Dancer || Telugu ||
|-
| 1964 || ''[[Rishyasringar (1964 film)|Rishyasringar]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| 1964 || ''[[Oral Koodi Kallanayi]]'' || || Malayalam ||
|-
| 1964 || ''[[Sree Guruvayoorappan (1964 film)|Sree Guruvayoorappan]]'' || || Malayalam ||
|-
| 1968 || ''[[Harichandra (1968 film)|Harichandra]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1969 || ''[[Thirumal Perumai]]'' || Dancer || Tamil ||
|-
| 1972 || ''[[Kurathi Magan]]'' || || Tamil ||
|-
| 1976 || ''[[Manmadha Leelai (1976 film)|Manmadha Leelai]]'' || Rekha's mother || Tamil ||
|-
| 1977 || ''[[Meethi Meethi Baatein]]'' || || Hindi ||
|-
| 1977 || ''[[Nandha En Nila]]'' || || Tamil ||
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:Actresses in Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:Actresses in Malayalam cinema]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses in Telugu cinema]]
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]

Kusalakumari - Revision history

FWQGina861152045 at 22:38, 15 March 2026