Nirmalamma

Nirmalamma Biography

Nirmalamma was a star actress and film producer of Telugu film industry. She has portrayed roles from heroine to supporting roles and is indeed popular as a grandmother on Telugu screen. She started off as a street drama actress and then went to radio and then finally settled in movies. She has acted in more than 800 movies. Aa Okkati Adakku, Karthavyam, Chinnodu Peddodu, Dalapathi, Alibaba Aradajanu Dongalu, Sitharatnam Gaari Abbayi, Mamagaaru, Devatha, Chalaki Mogud, Gang Leader, Rendilla Poojari, Padaharella Vayasu, Mayalodu and Egirey Paavurama are among her memorable roles. She has produced a few movies like Chalaki Mogudu Chadasthapu Pellam. Premaku Swagatham was her last movie.

She was born in the year 1920 in Machilipatnam, Madras Presidency. She was married to artist GV Krishna Rao, who used to organize shows across the state. In those days, cinema was not popular and dances and drama were main sources of entertainment. Nirmalamma was a performer of the troupe and later he married her. It was GV’s second marriage. The couple had no children and they adopted a child later. Rao later served as production manager for all NTR movies. Nirmalamma had a brief stint in radio as well. Garuda Garvabhangam was her first movie, released in 1950. She later worked with almost all stars of the industry and regularly appeared in the movies directed by S.V. Krishna Reddy and E. V. V. Satyanarayana.

Later she turned a producer and established Nirmala Arts. She produced a few movies under this banner and was regular onscreen in grandma roles through which she became immensely popular. She has won state award for best supporting actress twice – Mayuri and Seetharama Raju.  

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Updated: June 26, 2014