Manjula, commonly known as Aamani (born 16 November 1972), is an Indian actress and politician who works primarily in Telugu films in addition to a few Tamil and Kannada films. She made her debut in a lead role in the Telugu film Jamba Lakidi Pamba (1992), directed by E. V. V. Satyanarayana. The film turned out to be a blockbuster. She has received two state Nandi Awards and one Filmfare Awards South.
She starred in the film Mister Pellam (1993) directed by Bapu, which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. She won Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu for the film Subha Lagnam (1994) and Nandi Award for Best Actress for the films Subha Sankalpam (1995) and Mister Pellam (1993).
Early life Aamani was born and raised in Bangalore. Her father Maadappa was a Kannada film distributor and mother Saroja is a housemaker. She has a brother and a sister.
Career Aamani started her career doing small roles in films like Aadadhi, Chandamama Kathalu, and others. Subsequently, she was paired as the lead actress opposite actors like Vishnuvardhan, Nagarjuna, Balakrishna, Krishna, Mammootty, Arvind Swami, Jagapathi Babu and Kamal Haasan. She won Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu for the film Subha Lagnam and Nandi Award for Best Actress for the films Subha Sankalpam and Mister Pellam. After a hiatus of many years, she appeared in the 2004 film Aa Naluguru.
In the 1990s, Aamani appeared in successful films such as Amma Donga, Vamshanikokkadu, Subha Lagnam, Jamba Lakidi Pamba, and Nakshatra Poratam.
Aamani played a street vendor and actor Kartikeya’s onscreen mother in the 2021 Telugu-language romantic comedy-drama Chaavu Kaburu Challaga. She plays the money lender Kanaka Ratnam in Muthyamantha Muddu. In 2021 she made a guest appearance in Telugu reality show Drama Juniors.
Political career In December 2025, she joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of BJP Telangana state president N. Ramchander Rao and Union minister G. Kishan Reddy.
Filmography Telugu films Year Title Role Notes1990 Adadhi 1993 Jamba Lakidi Pamba Rama Lakshmi Mister Pellam Jhansi Nandi Award for Best ActressNominated – Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu Pachani Samsaram Bala Amma Koduku Shabash Ramu Radha Preme Naa Pranam Priyanka Kannayya Kittayya Rukmini Devi Chinnalludu Rani Anna Chellelu Lakshmi Srinatha Kavi Sarvabhowmudu Damayanthi Nakshatra Poratam Driver Prasad sister Repati Rowdy Jayanthi 1994 Srivari Priyuralu Vasantha Teerpu Subha Lagnam Radha Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu Allari Police Geetha Maro Quit India Hello Brother Herself Cameo appearance in the song "Kanne Pettaro" 1995 Amma Donga Alivelu Gharana Bullodu Malli Sisindri Geetha Subha Sankalpam Ganga Nandi Award for Best Actress Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu Maya Bazaar Sasirekha Subhamastu Kasthuri Idandi Maa Vaari Varasa Kondapalli Rattaya Sridevi Aalumagalu Malleeswari 1996 Vamsanikokkadu Sirisa Maavi Chiguru Seetha Hello GuruSwapna Warning Supriya 1997 Vammo Vatto O Pellaamo Subha Muhurtham Kodalu Didhina Kaapuram Priyamaina Srivaaru Sandhya 1998 Seethakka Seetha 2004 Swamy Dr. Bharathi, Principal Madhyanam Hathya Lakshmi Aa Naluguru Bharathi Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Telugu 2012 Devastanam Saraswathi 2014 Chandamama Kathalu Saritha 2017 Patel S. I. R. Bharathi Middle Class Abbayi Nani's aunt 2018 Bharat Ane Nenu Bharath's mother Srinivasa Kalyanam Seeta Hello Guru Prema Kosame Lakshmi 2019 Prashnista Annapurna 2021 Sreekaram Karthik's mother Chaavu Kaburu Challaga Gangamma Ardha Shathabdham Ramanna's wife Amma Deevena Republic Abhiram's mother Most Eligible Bachelor Harsha's mother 2022 Urvasivo Rakshasivo Sree Kumar's mother 2023 Vinaro Bhagyamu Vishnu Katha Dharshana's mother 2024Music Shop MurthyJayaUsha ParinayamHoney’s motherMr. CelebrityJanaki Maa Nanna Superhero Srinivas’ wife Leela Vinodham2025BaapuSarojaNaari BharathiDear UmaMathruMeghalu Cheppina Prema KathaRevathiAri: My Name is NobodySchool LifeSanthana PrapthirasthuRajeshwari2026VanaveeraIndhu’s motherCheekatiloPadmaSon OfAnand’s mother
Other language films
Year Title Role Language Notes 1990 Puthiya Kaatru Tamilcredited as Meenakshi 1991 Onnum Theriyadha Pappa Theechatti Govindan Thangamana Thangachi Lakshmi 1992 Idhuthanda Sattam Amudha Mudhal Seethanam 1994 Honest Raj Pushpa 1995 Engirundho Vandhan Janaki Witness 1996 Balina Jyothi Kannada Appaji Lakshmi 1997 Themmanggu Pattukaran Sivagamiyin Tamil Pudhayal Sundari
Television Year Title Role Network Language 2020 Akka Mogudu Janani Gemini TV Telugu2020–2021 Poove Unakkaga Rathinavalli Sun TV Tamil2021–2022Muthyamantha Muddu Kanakarathnam Zee Telugu Telugu2021 Parampara Banumathi Disney+ Hotstar Drama JuniorsGuest appearanceZEE52022 Wow 3 Contestant ETV2024–present Kotthaga RekkalochenaGemini TVIllu Illalu PillaluVedawathiStar MaaBrindaVasundharaSonyLIV
References
External links
Aamani Biography with Rare Photos and Videos