Punnagai Arasi
Actress
1966–present
K. R. Vijaya is an Indian actress who has featured in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada films. She started her career in the 1960s and has been acting for more than four decades in South Indian cinema. The actress has worked with almost all the stalwarts of South Indian cinema and has played many key roles.[1]
Early life
Vijaya was born as Deivanayaki, eldest children to Ramachandran and Kalyani at Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Her father was in the army and her mother was a housewife. She has a younger brother, Narayanan and four younger sisters, K. R. Vatsala, K. R. Savithri, Sashikala and Radha. She had her primary education at Government Higher Secondary School, Adyar, Chennai.[2] Her father wanted her to become an actress since he was himself acting in M. R. Radha's drama troupe at the time after retiring from army. She made her film debut with Karpagam in 1963. She was the first ever actress to own a private jet.[3]
Personal life
She married a businessman, Sudarshan Velayuthan Nair in 1966. Her husband was the CEO of Sudarshan trading company and a movie producer. The couple have a daughter Hemalatha (born 1967).[4] Velayuthan Nair died on 26 March 2016, aged 82.[3][5]
Career
K.R.Vijaya used to dance and act on stage. Once, when she was dancing in Chennai, the actor Gemini Ganesan was present. He enjoyed her performance and said she had a good chance of becoming famous as a film star. Her first break itself as a heroine in her debut film Karpagam (1963). Her notables films include Idhaya Kamalam (1965), Saraswathi Sabatham (1966), Selvam (1966), Nenjirukkum Varai (1967), Iru Malargal (1967), Namma Veettu Deivam (1970), Dheerga Sumangali (1974), Thangappathakkam (1974), Thirisoolam (1979) and Ithiri Poove Chuvannapoove (1984).[6]
Known for her alluring smile, she is called as Punnagai Arasi (Queen of the smiles) by her fans at a function held in Trichi.[7] Vijaya was always the first choice of directors to portray the roles of goddess due to her unique divine looks.[8] Apart from her essaying the role of Goddess Shakti in Mel Maruvathoor Arpudhangal (1986), her Mariamman avatar in the film Mahasakthi Mariamman (1986), who have donned the divine role and justified it on screen.[9] Apart from acting in many films, she has also acted in Raja Rajeswari and Kudumbam, two teleserials, that are shown on TV in both India and Sri Lanka. Vijaya is still continuing her acting through serials and TV shows.[10]
K.R. Vijaya returns to a mythological role in Sri Rama Rajyam (2011). K.R Vijaya who played Kausalya for the first time in Bapu's mythological extravaganza.[11]
K. R. Vijaya has acted in over 500 films.[12]
Awards
- Satyabama College
- 2009 - Doctorate
- 1967 - Best Actress for Iru Malargal
- 1970 - Best Actress for Namma Veetu Dheivam
- 1974 - Filmfare Special Award - South for Dheerga Sumangali[13]
- 2004 - Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2013: Chalachitra Rathnam Award
- Janmabhoomi Television Awards
- 2018: Best Character Actress - Sathyam Sivam Sundaram
- Other Awards
- 2013: Nagi Reddy Memorial Awards
- 2017: Congress Managalir Awards
- 2019: Nakshathira Sathanaiyalar 2019
Filmography
Television serials
| Year | Title | Channel | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adhiparasakthi | Rajshri Tamil | Tamil | ||
| 2000 | Daivathin Makkal | Surya TV | Malayalam | |
| Pettamma' | DD Malayalam | Malayalam | ||
| 2000-2003 | Mangai | Sun TV | Tamil | as lead role Mangai |
| 2001-2007 | Vikramadithian | Sun TV | Tamil | |
| 2004 | Anandham | Sun TV | Tamil | Vijay's mother (cameo) |
| 2005-2007 | Raja Rajeswari | Sun TV | Tamil | |
| 2006 | Sthree 2 | Asianet | Malayalam | |
| 2008-2009 | Namma Kudumbam | Kalaignar TV | Tamil | |
| 2008-2009 | Shree Krishna Leela | Asianet | Malayalam | as Kurooramma |
| 2009 | Shree Mahabhagavatham | Asianet | Malayalam | |
| 2010 | Devimahathmyam | Asianet | Malayalam | as Devakiyamma |
| 2010-2011 | Adi Parasakthi | Star Vijay | Tamil | |
| 2011 | Shabarimala Shri Dharmashashtha | Asianet | Malayalam | |
| 2012-2016 | Bhairavi Aavigalukku Priyamanaval | Sun TV | Tamil | as Chintamani |
| 2016-2018 | Sathyam Sivam Sundaram | Amrita TV | Malayalam | as Valliamma |
| 2020 | Ithikkarapakki | Surya TV | Malayalam | as Pakki's Umma |
References
- ↑ https://www.ap7am.com/lv-291365-senior-actress-kr-vijaya-open-heart-with-rk-promo.html
- ↑ യവനികയിലെ മണവാട്ടി. www.mangalam.com. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 'Back Then, There Was No Pressure To Maintain Our Waistlines': Interview With KR Vijaya. Silverscreen.in(2017-09-24). Retrieved 2019-02-05.
- ↑ The Illustrated Weekly of India{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Published for the proprietors, Bennett, Coleman & Company, Limited, at the Times of India Press(1988)
- ↑ A Social History of India{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. APH Publishing(2000). ISBN 978-81-7648-170-0
- ↑ https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/k-r-vijaya/biography.html
- ↑ http://www.kalyanamalaimagazine.com/Content/Thiraichuvai/Feb11_1_15/Potpourri_of_titbits_about_Tamil_cinema_KR_Vijaya.html
- ↑ https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/tamil/movie-actress/k-r-vijaya
- ↑ https://newsable.asianetnews.com/india/women-s-day-from-ramya-krishnan-to-nayanthara-actresses-with-divine-presence-on-reel-q6uunw
- ↑ https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/tamil/movie-actress/k-r-vijaya
- ↑ https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/screen-goddess/article2642189.ece
- ↑ https://newsable.asianetnews.com/india/women-s-day-from-ramya-krishnan-to-nayanthara-actresses-with-divine-presence-on-reel-q6uunw
- ↑ The Times of India Directory and Year Book Including Who's who, Reed, Sir Stanley. Bennett, Coleman & Company(5 February 1980).
External links
Template:TamilNaduStateAwardForBestActress Template:FilmfareLifetimeAchievementAwardSouth