M. V. Rajamma

M. V. Rajamma (10 March 1921 – 23 April 1999) was an Indian actress, producer and playback singer of Indian films mostly in Kannada, Tamil and Telugu languages from the 1930s through 1970s. She has the distinction of having acted as both heroine and mother to stalwart South Indian actors such as Dr. Rajkumar, Sivaji Ganesan, MGR and NTR[2]. Karnataka Government established M. V. Rajamma Award in her honor[3].

M. V. Rajamma
ಎಂ. ವಿ. ರಾಜಮ್ಮ  (Kannada)
M. V. Rajamma in the 1940s
Born(1921-03-10)10 March 1921
Akandanahalli, Kingdom of Mysore, British India
Died23 April 1999(1999-04-23) (aged 78)[1]
Chennai, India
NationalityIndian
OccupationActress, film producer, playback singer
Years active1934–1985
Spouse(s)M. C. Veer

Making her debut as a lead actress in the 1936 released Samsara Nauka Rajamma enjoyed an elaborate career in feature films across South India. She was the first and foremost woman producer in India and in Kannada films.[4] She produced the film Radha Ramana in 1943 under her own home banner Vijaya Films.[5] Her entry to the Tamil films was through the 1940 classic hit film Uthama Puthiran. She went on to star in about 60 Kannada, 80 Tamil, 20 Telugu and one Hindi films in her career spanning around four decades.

Early life

Rajamma was born in 1921 at Agandanahalli in Bangalore rural district. She did her schooling at the Arya Balika school in Bangalore till the 8th grade. After her 8th, she was attracted towards the theatre and stage plays. She joined the Chandrakala theatre group and shifted base to Chennai for doing films.[6]

Career

In the early 1930s, Rajamma was attracted to the stage theatre and entered the field at a time when male actors disguised themselves to play female characters. Rajamma enacted several inspiring roles in dramas such as Samsara Nauke, Gauthama Buddha and Subhadra. In 1935, when one of her stage plays Samsara Nauke was made into a film, she was cast again as the lead actress opposite to B. R. Panthulu. They went on to work together in many films for about 20 years. In 1940, she entered Tamil film industry in Chennai with the film Uthama Puthiran. From then on, she became one of the most sought after actresses across all the South Indian film industries. After her marriage, she concentrated mainly on playing motherly roles to the actors whom she had paired as a heroine earlier.

In 1943, Rajamma took her career to another level by producing the Kannada film Radha Ramana directed by Jyothish Sinha that featured herself opposite B. R. Panthulu in the lead. Acclaimed artists such as Balakrishna and G. V. Iyer were introduced through this film. It went on to perform well at the box-office which resulted in her second production venture Makkala Rajya (1960). Though the film was lauded by the critics, the box-office collections soared which made her back off from film production for a long while. However, she went on to star in many box-office blockbusters in both Kannada and Tamil film industries.

Some of the most popular Kannada films featuring Rajamma as a lead actress were Bhakta Prahalada (1942), Rathnagiri Rahasya (1957), School Master (1958), Abba Aa Hudugi (1959) among others.

Awards

Selected filmography
YearFilmLanguageNotes
1935Samsara NaukaKannadaDebut as actor
1938YayathiTamilDevayani (heroine)
1940Uthama PuthiranTamil
1941Gumasthavin PennTamil
1941MadanakamarajanTamil
1942Anantha SayanamTamil
1942Bhakta PrahladaTelugu
1943Radha RamanaKannada
1946Artha NaariTamil
1946VijayalakshmiTamil
1947Yogi VemanaTelugu
1948Gnana SoundariTamil
1948GokuladasiTamil
1949VelaikaariTamil
1949Laila MajnuTamil
1950ParijathamTamil
1950Raja VikramaTamil
1952Thai UllamTamil
1952 Penn Manam Tamil
1952ZamindarTamil
1953UlagamTamil
1954KarkottaiTamil
1954Iddaru PellaluTelugu
1955Modala ThediKannada
1955NambekkaKannada
1957Thangamalai RagasiyamTamil
1957Rathnagiri RahasyaKannada
1957Manalane Mangayin BhagyamTamil
1958School MasterKannada
1958Engal Kudumbam PerisuTamil
1958Illarame NallaramTamil
1959Bhaaga PirivinaiTamil
1959Abba Aa HudugiKannada
1960Kuzhandaigal Kanda KudiyarasuTamil
1960Makkala RajyaKannada
1960KairaasiTamil
1961Thayilla PillaiTamil
1961Pava MannippuTamil
1962Padithaal Mattum PodhumaTamil
1962Aadi PerukkuTamil
1962Kudumba ThalaivanTamil
1962Thayiya KaruluKannada
1962Deivathin DeivamTamil
1962Gaali GopuraKannada
1962Gaali MedaluKannada
1962Bandha PasamTamil
1962Paadha KaanikkaiTamil
1963PanathottamTamil
1963Dharmam Thalai KaakkumTamil
1963Sathi ShaktiKannada
1963KungumamTamil
1964Chinnada GombeKannada
1964Pasamum NesamumTamil
1964KarnanTamil
1964 Muradan Muthu Tamil
1965Thayin KarunaiTamil
1965Vaazhkai PadaguTamil
1966Enga PaapaTamil
1966Yemme ThammannaKannada
1970Sri KrishnadevarayaKannada
1970Thedi Vandha MappillaiTamil
1971Thayi DevaruKannada
1971Maalathi MadhavaKannada
1972Jaga Mecchida MagaKannada
1972Ondu Hennina KatheKannada
1972Badi PanthuluTelugu
1973Bangarada PanjaraKannada
1974Sampathige SavaalKannada
1975Daari Tappida MagaKannada
1976BesugeKannada
gollark: You need to understand what you're actually doing.
gollark: Nope.
gollark: Yet according to you if I wrote it -6x² + 12x = 0 the answers would be different.
gollark: Addition is commutative. Switching the order of the terms right cannot possibly change the solutions to the quadratic.
gollark: It is not. Again, a isn't "the first thing" but "the x^2 thing".

References
  1. http://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99apr25/nation.htm
  2. "M. V. Rajamma, the favorite 'Amma'". Kalyanamalai. Archived from the original on 27 March 2013.
  3. https://www.deccanherald.com/content/599414/annual-film-awards-presented.html
  4. "MV Rajamma – First Kannada Women Producer". Chitraloka. 16 August 2013.
  5. "Do you know the First Woman Producer of Kannada?". Reelbox.
  6. "MV Rajamma article". Kannada Ratna. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
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