Vijayashanti facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vijayashanti
Vijayashanti in 1986
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office 2009–2014
Preceded by	A. Narendra
Succeeded by	Kotha Prabhakar Reddy
Constituency	Medak
Personal details
Born	Satti Vijayashanti (1966-06-24) 24 June 1966 (age 59) Madras, Madras State, India
Political party	Indian National Congress (2014—2020; 2023-present)
Other political affiliations	Talli Telangana Party (2005-2009) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (2009–2014) Bharatiya Janata Party (1998-2005; 2020-2023)
Spouse	M. V. Srinivas ​ (m. 1988)​
Residences	Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Occupation	Actress, Film producer, Politician

Vijayashanti (born 24 June 1966) is a famous Indian actress, film producer, and politician. She has worked in movies for 40 years, starring in 187 films in different languages. Most of her films are in Telugu, but she has also acted in Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam movies. People often call her the "Lady Superstar," "Lady Amitabh," or "The Action Queen of Indian Cinema."

She won the top acting award, the National Film Award for Best Actress, for her role as a police officer in the movie Kartavyam (1990). Vijayashanti has also received many other awards. These include four Andhra Pradesh state Nandi Awards for Best Actress, seven Filmfare Awards South, and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. She also received the Kalaimamani Award from the Tamil Nadu Government.

Vijayashanti started her acting journey in the Tamil film Kallukkul Eeram (1980). She then starred in many successful films like Netrikkan (1981), Neti Bharatam (1983), Pratighatana (1985), Gang Leader (1991), and Osey Ramulamma (1997). She became one of the most popular actresses in Telugu cinema. In 1987, her film Swayam Krushi was shown at the Moscow International Film Festival. Another film, Padamati Sandhya Ragam, was screened at the Louisville International Film Festival.

She entered politics in 1998. She served as a Member of Parliament from 2009 to 2014. She represented the Medak area for the Telangana Rashtra Samithi party. As of November 2023, she is a member of the Indian National Congress party.

Early Life and Education

Vijayashanti was born on 24 June 1966 in Madras (now Chennai). Her parents were Satti Srinivas Prasad and Satti Varalakshmi. Her mother's elder sister is the actress and producer Vijayalalitha. Vijayashanti feels more connected to Telangana because of her family roots there.

She finished her 10th grade at Holy Angels Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School in Chennai. After that, she began her film career.

Film Career Highlights (1980–Present)

Starting Out in Films

Vijayashanti started acting at just 14 years old in 1980. Her first film was the Tamil movie Kallukkul Eeram. In the same year, she made her debut in Telugu cinema with Kilaadi Krishnudu. She also appeared in Satyam-Sivam (1981) alongside famous actors N. T. Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao.

Becoming a Star Actress

At first, Vijayashanti played many supporting roles, like a sister or daughter. But a film called Pellichoopulu (1983) helped her gain recognition. Her big breakthrough came with Neti Bharatam (1983). From then on, she started taking on strong "women-centric" roles.

In 1985, Pratighatana became a huge hit. Her powerful acting in this movie earned her a state Nandi Award for the first time. She also gave a memorable performance in K. Viswanath's Swayam Krushi, playing an uneducated woman.

The Action Queen Era

In the 1990s, Vijayashanti became known for her action roles. She was one of the highest-paid actresses in India, earning as much as her male co-stars like Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan. She often performed her own risky stunts, even jumping from high places without stunt doubles.

Her movie Mondi Mogudu Penki Pellam (1992) was very successful. In this film, she played a bold woman who spoke in the Telangana accent. She also worked with famous actors like Chiranjeevi (in 19 films) and Nandamuri Balakrishna (in 17 films). She acted as a villain in the Tamil film Mannan with Rajinikanth. She also played an investigative reporter with Kamal Haasan in Indrudu Chandrudu.

National Award and Powerful Roles

In 1990, Vijayashanti starred in the blockbuster movie Karthavyam. She played a tough police officer, and her performance won her the National Film Award from the Government of India. She also received an Andhra Pradesh State award for best actress for this role. This film was very successful and was even shown at the 14th International Film Festival of India.

After Karthavyam, Vijayashanti focused more on powerful, woman-oriented roles instead of glamorous ones. She proved that a female lead could carry a film and be a "hero" at the box office. The Tamil version of Karthavyam, called Vyjayanthi IPS, was also a big hit.

She continued to star in strong roles, like in Police Lockup (1993), where she played dual roles and won another Filmfare Award for Best Actress. In Osey Ramulamma (1997), she played a woman who fought against injustice. This film was a massive success and earned her another Nandi Award and Filmfare Award for Best Actress. People even started calling her "Ramulamma" or "Ramulakka" after this movie.

Return to Cinema

After a break of 13 years, Vijayashanti returned to acting in 2019. She starred in the 2020 film Sarileru Neekevvaru, alongside Mahesh Babu.

Political Career (1998–Present)

Vijayashanti entered politics in 1998 by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She quickly became the secretary of the BJP's Women's Wing. In 1998, her first public meeting in Nellore was very successful, showing strong support for the BJP.

In 2005, she started her own political party called Talli Telangana. However, she later merged it with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) due to a lack of support. In the 2009 general election, she won a seat as a Member of Parliament from the Medak area, representing the BRS party. She played an important role in the movement for a separate Telangana State.

In February 2014, Vijayashanti joined the Indian National Congress party. She ran for the assembly elections from Medak in 2014 but did not win. In 2018, AICC president Rahul Gandhi appointed her as a star campaigner and advisor for the Congress party in Telangana.

In November 2020, she left the Congress party and rejoined the Bharatiya Janata Party. However, in November 2023, she left the BJP again and rejoined the Congress party.

Personal Life

Vijayashanti is married to M. V. Srinivas Prasad. They got married in 1988. Her husband works in real estate in Chennai and Hyderabad. He is also the nephew of Daggubati Purandareswari.

Awards and Honours

Filmography

Telugu Films

Other Language Films