Anjali Devi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anjali Devi
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Anjali Devi in 1949
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| Born |
Anjanamma
24 August 1927 |
| Died | 13 January 2014 (aged 86) |
| Occupation | |
| Spouse(s) |
P. Adinarayana Rao
(m. 1948; |
Anjali Devi was a famous Indian actress, model, and film producer. She mostly worked in Telugu and Tamil movies. She was born on August 24, 1927, and passed away on January 13, 2014. People especially remember her for playing the goddess Sita in the movie Lava Kusa. She also starred in popular films like Chenchu Lakshmi, Suvarna Sundari, and Anarkali.
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Early Life
Anjali Devi was born in Peddapuram, a town in Andhra Pradesh, India. Her birth name was Anjamma. When she started acting in plays, she changed her name to Anjani Kumari. Later, a film director named C. Pullaiah gave her the name Anjali Devi, which she became famous for.
Film Career
Becoming an Actress
Before movies, Anjali Devi was a theater actress. Her first film role was in Raja Harishchandra in 1936. She was supposed to be the main actress in Kashtajeevi in 1940, but that movie was never finished.
In 1947, director C. Pullaiah gave her a big chance. She starred as Mohini in the movie Gollabhama. Her amazing acting and beautiful looks made her a star very quickly. She went on to act in over 350 films! Most of these were in Telugu, but she also acted in some Hindi, Tamil, and Kannada films. She played many different types of characters, from princesses and angels to goddesses and even mothers.
Her Famous Roles
One of her most important films was Lava Kusa in 1963. This was a very special movie because it was the first color film made in the Telugu film industry. Anjali Devi was well-known for her role as Sita in this movie. Her performances in films like Suvarna Sundari and Anarkali were also highly praised. Some of her last films were Brundavanam (1992), Anna Vadina (1993), and Police Alludu (1994).
Producing Movies
Anjali Devi was also a successful film producer. In 1955, she produced the movie Anarkali, where she played the main role herself. She also produced other films like Bhakta Tukaram and Chandipriya. In total, she produced 27 films! She was a big fan of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Because of this, she produced and acted in a TV series called Shirdi Sai Parthi Sai Divyakatha, which was about his life. This TV show was also the first time the famous actor Vijay Deverakonda appeared on screen, when he was just a young student.
Personal Life
In 1948, Anjali Devi married P. Adinarayana Rao, who was a music director. They lived in Chennai and had two sons. Together, they started a film company called Anjali Pictures and made many Telugu films. Her granddaughter, Saila Rao, also became an actress.
Death
Anjali Devi passed away on January 13, 2014, at the age of 86. She died in Chennai due to a heart attack. She chose to donate her organs to Ramachandra Medical College.
Awards and Recognition
Anjali Devi received many awards for her acting and contributions to cinema:
- Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu for Anarkali (1955)
- Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu for Chenchu Lakshmi (1958)
- Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu for Lava Kusa (1963)
- She received an honorary doctorate from Nagarjuna University in Guntur.
- The Raghupathi Venkaiah Award in 1994 for her lifetime work in the Telugu film industry.
- The Ramineni National Award in 2006 for fine arts.
- The ANR National Award in 2008.
- The Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Award – Arignar Anna Award in 2000.
- The Padmabhushan Dr. B. Saroja Devi National Award in 2010.
See Also
In Spanish: Anjali Devi para niños
- Krishnaveni
- Bhanumathi
- Raghupathi Venkaiah Award
- Rashtrapati Award
