Vyjayanthimala is a former Bollywood and Kollywood actress who also appeared in Tollywood and Bengali films. With the multilingual films Vazhkai, Jeevitham and Bahar, she was introduced into the world of cinema by A. V. Meiyappan and discovered by M. V. Raman. She achieved stardom with the blockbuster Nagin (1954). After the success of those films, her career later focused more on Hindi films where most of her films were commercially successful besides being received well by critics. She occasionally made appearances in Tamil films where she is also regarded as one of the most successful actresses. Besides her ability as an actress, she is also an accomplished dancer who introduced semi-classical dances in Bollywood films and predated the concept of item numbers. Furthermore, she was the first South Indian actress who became a national star which paved the way for other South Indian actresses to foray into Bollywood.
In addition to acting recognition, Vyjayanthimala also received some honors for her achievements in classical dancing where she is a trained Bharata Natyam dancer. Apart from acting in films she has also occasionally performed for her dance shows all over India and abroad.
Acting awards Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards The Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards is presented by the Bollywood film industry to honour and recognize the professional excellence of their peers. Vyjayanthimala has received one special award for her contribution for Bollywood film industry.
YearAwardResult 2012Special Award
Akkineni International Foundation Awards The ANR National Award is an annual award, instituted in the honour of actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao, to recognize people for their lifetime achievements and contributions to the Indian film industry. Vyjayanthimala received the ANR National Award in 2008. She was selected by a jury consisting of T. Subbarami Reddy, D. Ramanaidu and Boney Kapoor. The award carries 4 lakhs in cash, memento and citation. She received the award from Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, at an event was held at Jubilee Hills.
YearAwardResult 2008ANR National Award
Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards The Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards is the oldest Association of Film critics in India, founded in 1937, by the inspiration and determination of the handful of pioneers amongst the then thin section of scribes that were drawn to film journalism with a lofty mission to serve the developing film journalism and film industry. Vyjayanthimala has won two Best Actress awards in the Hindi film category. YearAwardNominated workResult 1961Best Actress (Hindi)Gunga Jumna 1968Sunghursh
Bollywood Movie Awards The Bollywood Movie Awards was an annual film award ceremony held between 1999 and 2007 celebrating films and actors from the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai, India. Vyjayanthimala received the lifetime achievement award in 2005 for her contribution to Hindi films.
YearAwardResult 2005Lifetime Achievement Award
FICCI Living Legend The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) funds and supports many governmental and non-governmental educational institutions across the country. Vyjayanthimala received the Living Legend Award from the federation in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the Indian entertainment industry. YearAwardCategoryResult 2006Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and IndustryFICCI Living Legend
Film Fans' Association Awards Vyjayanthimala won the Best Tamil Actress Award (Second Prize) at the 1st Film Fans' Association Award for her debut film Vazhkai where she secured 1,676 votes. YearAwardNominated workResult 1950Best Tamil ActressVazhkai
Filmfare Awards The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. Vyjayanthimala has won four awards from five nominations, including a Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution in Bollywood. She was the first person to decline a Filmfare Award, when she refused the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for Devdas (1955), as she stated that the roles of Chandramukhi and Paro, played by Vyjayanthimala and Suchitra Sen respectively, were parallel and of equal importance. Vyjayanthimala is the fifth most-frequent winner of the Best Actress award with three wins, behind Nutan, Kajol and Alia Bhatt with five wins, and Meena Kumari, Madhuri Dixit, Vidya Balan with four wins. She also holds the record for winning the award in any category for each year she was nominated in.
YearAwardNominated workResult 1956Best Supporting ActressDevdas 1958Best ActressMadhumatiSadhna1961Gunga Jumna 1964Sangam1996Lifetime Achievement Award
Film festivals Vyjayanthimala had been honored in various film festivals across the globe. She was awarded under the Lifetime Achievement award category. YearCategoryFestivalOutcome 1998Lifetime AchievementBritish Asian Film Festival rowspan=3 2006Pune International Film Festival2012Bangalore International Film Festival
Kalakar Awards Kalakar Awards is recognized as one of the leading awards ceremonies of East India. The brand Kalakar is all about a vision and the relentless pursuit towards its success. The ceremony was visioned by Shri Ashok Kalanauria. Vyjayanthimala has received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 10th Kalakar Awards.
YearAwardResult 2002Lifetime Achievement Award
Stardust Awards The Stardust Awards are presented by Stardust magazine. They are presented annually to honour professional excellence in the Hindi language film industry of India. Vyjayanthimala was honored with the "Pride of Film Industry Award" for her contribution to Hindi cinema.
YearAwardResult 2013Pride of Film Industry Award
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards Tamil Nadu State Film Awards are the most notable film awards given for Tamil films in India. They are given annually to honour the best talents and provide encouragement and incentive to the South Indian film industry by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The awards are decided by a committee headed by a jury. Vyjayanthimala was bestowed with the Thyagaraja Bhagavathar Award for her contribution in Tamil cinema. The award was instituted in the honour of actor M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar.
YearAwardResult 2001Thyagaraja Bhagavathar Award
Anandalok Pusarkar Awards Anandalok Puraskar ceremony is an award ceremony for Bengali film in India. The Anandalok, only film magazine in Bengali language, published from Ananda Publishers and Ananda Bazar Patrika presents this award (Puraskar). The magazine was started on 25 January 1975 and the awards ceremony was started in 1998. Vyjayanthimala was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was handed over by Prosenjit Chatterjee +YearAwardResults 2022Anandalok PuraskarWon
Classical dance 1973 – Arasavai Natya Kalaingnar from Government of Tamil Nadu for excellence in Bharatanatyam 1982 – Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Lifetime achievement in Bharatanatyam 1998 – Nadabrahmam Award from Narada Gana Sabha 1999 – TTK memorial award from Madras Music Academy 2002 – Nrithya Rathnakara Award by Bhairavi Fine Arts Society during Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana at Cleveland, Ohio, United States 2005 – Sanskriti Kalashree Award from Sanskriti Organization 2005 – Lifetime Achievement Award from The Rotary Club of Chennai, Kilpauk, Chennai 2006 – Gnana Kala Bharathi award from Bharat Kalachar for achievement in Bharata Natyam 2007 – Kalaratna Mala Award at 38th annual Bhajan Samaroh 2009 – Yagnaraman Lifetime Achievement Award 2009 – Natyakala Tapaswini award from Sri Ramakrishna Alva Memorial 2010 – Bharatha Kalai Arasi award from Sri Madhavi Natyalaya Institute 2010 – E. Krishna Iyer Medal from Sruti Foundation for her outstanding contributions to Bharatanatyam in a distinguished career spread over seven decades 2011 – Naatya Padhmam award from Brahma Gana Sabha 2011 – Natya Kala Shikamani award from All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society and Apollo Hospitals 2011 – Shanmukhananda National Eminence Award from Shanmukhananda Hall 2011 – Vocational Service Awards Lifetime Achievement for Bharatanatyam from Rotary Club of Chennai Towers 2011 – Lifetime Achievement Award from Kartik Fine Arts 2012 – Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Ratna as a part of the ongoing commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore for her significant contribution in the field of performing arts
National and international honors 1968 – Padma Shri from the Government of India 1979 – Tamil Nadu State Artist Award from the Government of Tamil Nadu by M. G. Ramachandran 1979 – Kalaimamani from the Government of Tamil Nadu 1995 – Honorary doctorate from Annamalai University 2001 – The Federation of Indo-American Associations of North California invited her to be Grand Marshal for auspices of the Indian Independence Day on August 12 and 13 of 2001. 2001 – Lifetime achievement from The Federation of Indo-American Associations of North California at Silicon Valley 2003 – Lifetime achievement from Amir Khusro Sangeet Academy for contribution to the arts 2004 – Legend of Indian Cinema Award at Atlantic City, United States 2005 – Bangalore Gayana Samaja Centenary Award by Government of Karnataka 2006 – Sivaji Ganesan Award by Sivaji Prabhu charity trust 2007 – Ambassador for Peace Award from Universal Peace Federation 2008 – Honored by Mayor of St. Louis for her contribution to art 2008 – Sivaji Ganesan Awards of Excellence 2009 – ANR National Award 2010 – Rajinikanth Legend Award for excellence in cinema under Bhishma category by The Ashram 2010 – National Integration Award from T. Subbarami Reddy Kalapeetham Awards 2011 – Honored by the Government of France for visiting France during the filming of Sangam 2011 – B. Sarojadevi National Award 2024 – Padma Vibhushan from the Government of India
See also Vyjayanthimala Vyjayanthimala filmography
! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Filmfare Awards
References
External links List of awards and nominations received by Vyjayanthimala at the Internet Movie Database Vyjayanthimala profile at Upperstall.com