Vijaya Nirmala (born Nidudavolu Nirmala; 20 February 1946 – 27 June 2019) was an Indian actress, director, and producer known for her works predominantly in Telugu cinema along with a few Malayalam and Tamil films. In a career spanning over six decades, she acted in more than 200 films and directed 44 films. In 2002, she entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the female director who has directed the most number of films in the world. In 2008, she received the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award for lifetime achievement in Telugu cinema.
Born as Nirmala, she ventured into acting as a child artist with films like Macha Rekai (1950) and Panduranga Mahatyam (1957). She debuted as a lead actress in the 1964 Malayalam film Bhargavi Nilayam which became one of the biggest hits of that year. She then acted in the Tamil film Enga Veettu Penn (1965) produced by Vijaya Productions. She added Vijaya to her name as a mark of gratitude to the production house that gave her a break as an artiste. She debuted as a leading lady in Telugu with Rangula Ratnam (1966).
She made her directorial debut in Telugu with Meena (1973) and went on to direct over 44 films. She acted with her husband Krishna in over 40 films from Sakshi (1967) to Sri Sri (2016) and the duo was considered as a hit pair. She launched her own production house – Vijaya Krishna Movies and went on to produce 15 films under the banner. She also handled the operations of Padmalaya Studios and Padmalaya Tele Films. Her son Naresh is also a noted actor in Telugu cinema.
Early life She was born as Nidudavolu Nirmala on 20 February 1946 into a Telugu Brahmin family settled in Tamil Nadu who were originally from Narasaraopet. Her father was a film producer. Her paternal grand uncle was scholar and literary historian Nidudavolu Venkatarao. Actress Jayasudha is Venkatrao's granddaughter while singer R. Balasaraswathi Devi is her paternal aunt's daughter.
Personal life
Vijaya Nirmala was married to Krishna Murthy and had a son Naresh, who is also an actor. After Murthy died, she married actor Krishna.
Career Vijaya Nirmala entered cinema as a child artist with the Tamil movie Macha Rekai (1950). At age eleven, she debuted in Telugu films with Panduranga Mahatmyam (1957). In 1964, she starred opposite Prem Nazir and rose to stardom with the Malayalam film Bhargavi Nilayam. Also, in 1967, she starred again opposite Prem Nazir in Udhyogastha, by P. Venu. She debuted in the Telugu industry in the film Rangula Ratnam (1966).
Her first film in Tamil was Enga Veettu Penn (1965), which was followed by Panama Pasama (1968), Uyira Maanama (1968), En Annan (1970), and Gnana Oli (1972). She met her second husband Krishna on the sets of Sakshi (1967), her second film in Telugu, and they starred together in 47 films. It was Sakshi that kindled her interest in direction. She has acted in over 200 films with 25 each in Malayalam and Tamil, and the remaining in Telugu.
Her small screen debut came with Balaji Telefilms' Pelli Kanuka. Soon after, she launched her own banner Vijaya Krishna Movies and produced 15 films. She added Vijaya to her name as a gratitude to the production house. She made her directorial debut with a Malayalam film on a budget of 3 lakhs. She made her directorial debut in Telugu with Meena and directed 40 films in Telugu and one film each in Malayalam (directorial debut film) and Tamil (Kungumachimizh). The actress-director was based in Hyderabad and managed Padmalaya Studios and Padmalaya Telefilms Ltd.
Selected filmography Telugu Year Film Role Notes 1957 Panduranga Mahatyam Bala Krishnudu 1958 Bhookailas Goddess Seetha 1966 Rangula Ratnam 1967 Poola Rangadu Padma Sakshi 1968Manchi Kutumbam Asadhyudu Radha Bangaru Gaajulu Radha 1969 Aatmiyulu SarojaMuhurtha BalamKamalaTakkari Donga Chakkani ChukkaGeeta 1970 Akka Chellelu Lawyer VijayaVidhi VilasamNirmalaThaali BottuNirmala 1971 Bomma Borusa AnuradhaAnuradha Mosagallaku Mosagadu Radha 1972 Tata Manavadu RaniKathula RathaiahBhale MosagaduRani, Agent 117 Pandanti Kapuram 1973 Devudu Chesina Manushulu Sahasame Naa Oopiri Pinni Buddhimantudu Patnavasam Manchi Vallaki Manchivadu Saakhi Marina Manishi Meena Meena 1974 Alluri Seetarama Raju Seeta Devadasu Parvathy Dhanavanthulu Gunavanthulu Padma Bantrotu Bharya 1975Mallela ManasuluRadha Devi 1976 Padi PantaluRadha 1977 Kurukshetram Subhadra1978PatnavasamGeetha 1979 Moodu Puvvulu Aaru Kayalu Gowri, Uma Devi Dual RoleHema Hemeelu Vijaya1987TrimurtuluCameo1988Collector Vijaya1989Atha Mechina AlluduParvathiPinni Sahasame Naa Oopiri LakshmiGandipeta Rahasyam1990Prajala ManishiJhansi2005Sravanamasam 2009 Neramu SikshaArchana2016Sri SriSumathi
Malayalam Year Film Role 1964 Bhargavi Nilayam Bhargavi 1965 Rosie Leena Kalyanarathriyil Karthika 1966 Poochakkanni Maheshwari 1973 Pooja Radha Udhyogastha Sujatha Anweshichu Kandethiyilla Radhika 1968 Karutha Pournami Janamma 1974 Nishagandhi Padmini Vivaham Swargathil Lisy 1976 Aana Valarthiya Vanampadiyude Makan Omana 1973 Kalippava Rani Pulliman Devika Postmane Kananilla Nalini Thenaruvi Sudha Kattuvithachavan Lakshmi Ponnapuram Kotta Kanni Kavitha Kavitha 1974 Durga Thulasi 1978 Kenalum Collectorum Indhulekha
Tamil Year Film Role 1950 Macha Rekai Young Mahalingam 1965 Enga Veetu Penn 1966 Chitthi Saroja 1967 Pandhayam 1968 Neelagiri Express Geetha Panama Pasama Kannamma aka Baby Siritha Mugam Sathiyam Thavaradhey Soaappu Seeppu Kannadi Latha Uyira Manama 1969 Anbalippu Meena 1970 En Annan Thangam 1971 Yanai Valartha Vanampadi Magan 1972 Gnana Oli 1974 Puthiya Manithan 1984 Sumangali Kolam
Director Year Film Notes 1973 Kavitha Malayalam Meena Based on the novel Meena by Yaddanapudi Sulochana Rani which was later adapted into 2016 movie A Aa 1974 Devadasu 1976 Devude Gelichadu Remake of Malayalam film YakshagaanamKavitha 1977 Panchayathi 1978 Rowdy Rangamma 1979 Moodu Puvvulu Aaru Kayalu Sanku Theertham Hema Hemeelu 1980 Ram Robert Rahim Remake of Hindi film Amar Akbar Anthony Kiladi Krishnudu Sangham Chekkina Silpalu Sirimalle Navvindi 1981 Bhogi Mantalu Antham Kadidi Aarambam Remake of Kannada film Antha 1982 Doctor Cine Actor 1983 Bezawada Bebbuli 1984 Mukhyamantri Remake of Kannada film Chakravyuha Mukkopi 1985 Lanke Bindelu Surya Chandra 1988 Collector Vijaya 1989 Sahasame Naa Oopiri Ajatha Satruvu 1990 Prajala Manishi 1991 Vadina Maata 1992 Mogudu Pellala Dongaata 1994 Yes Nenante Nene 1996 Puttinti Gowravam Rendu Kutumbala Katha 2009 Neramu Siksha
See also Raghupathi Venkaiah Award
References
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