Vanisri

Vanisri Biography

Vanisri is a former actress of south Indian cinema of 1960s and 70s, who currently is a politician associated with congress party. She has acted opposite almost all leading actors of Tamil and Telugu cinema. Dasara Bullodu, Aradhana, Rangula Ratnam, Sri Krishna Tulabharam, Bhakta Kannappa, Jeevitha Chakram, and Bobbili Raja are other popular movies of Vanisri. She played second lead to Smita Patil in Kondura, the only Telugu movie directed by Shyam Benegal. Its screenplay was written by Shyam Benegal and Girish Karnad and it also starred Anant Nag, Amrish Puri and Satyadev Dubey in pivot roles. She played title role of Vani Rani, opposite Sivaji Ganesan in the Tamil remake of the Hindi film Seeta Aur Geeta.

Her real name is Ratna Kumari. She was born in Nellore in 1948. She was given the screen name Vanisri by actor S V Ranga Rao. She entered movies in the mid-1960s portraying supporting roles. Sukha Dukhalu (1967) by K. Balachander proved to be the career breakthrough of this actress. Though she played supporting role in this movie, she was noticed for the first time. Very soon her first movie, Marapurani Kadha was lead heroine was released. There was no turning back after that movie and she stayed as the lead heroine of Telugu film industry throughout 1970’s. Later she appeared in a few Tamil and Kannada movies too.

She played lead heroine opposite legendary Tamil actor Sivaji Ganesan for the movies, Uyarntha Manithan, Vasantha Malikai, Sivakamiyin Selvan, Vaani Rani, Nallathoru Kudumbam etc. Among the movies, Vaani Raani and Vasantha Maligai are most popular. She was the lead heroine of its original Telugu version too – Prem Nagar, released in 1971, while its Hindi remake went to Hema Malini. With 1980’s she moved to character roles.

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Updated: June 05, 2014