Vanisri (born Rathna Kumari) is an Indian actress known for her works predominantly in

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode S ...

, Tamil, and Kannada films. In a film career spanning 40 years, she has received three

Filmfare Awards South Filmfare Awards South is the South Indian segment of the annual Filmfare Awards, presented by the Filmfare magazine of The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Indian film industry encompassing ...

, the Nandi Awards and the Tamil Nadu State Film Award.

Career

Vani made her debut with the 1962 Telugu movie ''

Bhishma Bhishma (Sanskrit: भीष्‍म, , ), also known as Pitamaha, Gangaputra, and Devavrata, played an integral role in Mahabharata. He was the supreme commander of the Kaurava forces during the Kurukshetra War mentioned in the Hindu epic M ...

''. She gained attention with a supporting role in a film penned by

K. Balachander Kailasam Balachander (9 July 1930 – 23 December 2014) was an Indian film maker and playwright who worked mainly in the Tamil cinema. He was well known for his distinct film-making style, and the Indian film industry knew him as a master of un ...

titled ''

Sukha Dukhalu ''Sukha Dukhalu'' (''Bittersweet'') is a 1968 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed by I. N. Murthy. It is an adaptation of K. Balachander's Tamil play '' Major Chandrakanth''. The film stars Vanisri, Jayalalitha, Ramkrishna and Chandra ...

'', and ''

Marapurani Katha ''Marapurani Katha'' () is a 1967 Indian Telugu-language romantic drama film directed by V. Ramachandra Rao in his debut. A remake of the Tamil film ''Kai Kodutha Deivam'' (1964), it stars Krishna and Vanisri. The film was released on 27 July 19 ...

'' (1967). Vanisri has starred in super hits such as '' Krishnaveni'', '' Prem Nagar'', ''

Dussehra Bullodu ''Dasara Bullodu'' is a 1971 Indian Telugu-language romance film, produced and directed by V. B. Rajendra Prasad. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Vanisri and Chandrakala, with music composed by K. V. Mahadevan. It is the first film of Rajendra ...

'', ''Aradhana'', ''

Jeevitha Chakram Jeevitha Chakram () is a 1971 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed by C. S. Rao. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Vanisri and Sarada, with music composed by Shankar–Jaikishan. It is produced by P. Gangadhar Rao under the Nava Sakthi Productio ...

'', '' Rangula Ratnam'', ''Sri Krishna Tulabharam'', ''

Bhakta Kannappa ''Bhakta Kannappa'' () is a 1976 Indian Telugu-language film directed by Bapu. The film is a remake of 1954 Kannada movie '' Bedara Kannappa'' starring Rajkumar which was based on the life of Shaiva devotee, Kannappa Nayanar. Credits Cast * ...

'', and ''

Bobbili Raja ''Bobbili Raja'' ( or ) is a 1990 Indian Telugu-language romantic action film co-written and directed by B. Gopal. Produced by D. Suresh under his banner Suresh Productions, it stars Venkatesh and Divya Bharti (in her Telugu debut) whil ...

''. She played dual roles in ''Iddaru Ammayilu'' (1972) (Telugu remake of 1969 release Kannada film '' Kappu Bilupu''), ''Ganga Manga'' (1973 remake of the Hindi film '' Seeta Aur Geeta''), '' Jeevana Jyothi'' (1975), and ''

Chilipi Krishnudu ''Chilipi Krishnudu'' is a 1978 Telugu-language romantic drama film produced by D. Ramanaidu under the Suresh Productions banner and directed by Boina Subba Rao. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Vanisri, with music composed by K. V. Mahade ...

'' (1978). She financed and starred in

Shyam Benegal Shyam Benegal (born 14 December 1934) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and documentary filmmaker. Often regarded as the pioneer of parallel cinema, he is widely considered as one of the greatest filmmakers post 1970s. He has received ...

's only Telugu film ''

Anugraham ''Kondura'' / ''Anugraham'' is a 1978 Indian bilingual film directed by Shyam Benegal simultaneously in Hindi and Telugu. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Marathi writer, Chintamani T. Khanolkar, the screen adaptation was ma ...

'' (1977), co-starring

Smita Patil Smita Patil (17 October 1955 – 13 December 1986) was an Indian actress who worked in films, television series and theatres. She appeared in over 80 Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Malayalam and Kannada films in a career that spanned just o ...

. With actor

M. G. R Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran (17 January 1917 24 December 1987), also popularly known as M.G.R., was an Indian politician, actor, philanthropist, and filmmaker who served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1977 until his death in 1987 ...

Vanisri acted in three films: '' Kannan En Kadhalan'' (1968), ''

Thalaivan ''Thalaivan'' is a 2014 Tamil film directed by Ramesh Selvan and produced by Chithirai Selvan. The film features Bas, the younger brother of politician T. T. V. Dhinakaran and Nikesha Patel in the lead roles, while the ensemble cast features San ...

'' (1970), and ''

Oorukku Uzhaippavan ''Oorukku Uzhaippavan'' () is a 1976 Indian Tamil-language film written and directed by M. Krishnan Nair, starring M. G. Ramachandran, Vanisri and Venniradai Nirmala. It is a remake of the 1970 Kannada film '' Baalu Belagithu''. The film was ...

'' (1976). She acted with Sivaji Ganesan in a 10 films such as ''

Uyarntha Manithan ''Uyarndha Manithan'' () is a 1968 Indian Tamil-language drama film written by Javar Seetharaman and directed by Krishnan–Panju. The film was produced by A. V. Meiyappan, M. Saravanan, M. Kumaran and M. Murugan under AVM Productions. It star ...

'' (1968), '' Nirai Kudam'' (1969), '' Kulama Gunama'' (1971), '' Vasantha Maligai'' (1972), '' Sivakamiyin Selvan'' (1974), '' Vani Rani'' (Tamil remake of the Hindi film '' Seeta Aur Geeta'') (1974), ''

Rojavin Raja ''Rojavin Raja'' () is a 1976 Indian Tamil-language film, directed by K. Vijayan and produced by N. V. Ramasamy. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Vanisri, A. V. M. Rajan and Cho. It was released on 15 December 1976. Plot Raja (Sivaji Ganesan ...

'' (1976), ''

Ilaya Thalaimurai ''Ilaya Thalaimurai'' () is a 1977 Indian Tamil-language film, directed by Krishnan–Panju and written by Malliyam Rajagopal. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan and Vanisri. It was released on 8 May 1977. Plot Sampath is a poor graduate trying to ...

'' (1977), '' Punniya Boomi'' (1978), and ''

Nallathoru Kudumbam ''Nallathoru Kudumbam'' () is a 1979 Indian Tamil-language drama film, directed by K. Vijayan. It stars Sivaji Ganesan and Vanisri. The film was a remake of the Telugu film ''Aalu Magalu''. Plot Raja and his lover get married as per the dying ...

'' (1979). In 2013, she received the state Raghupathi Venkaiah Award for her contribution to Telugu cinema.

Personal life

Vanisri married Dr. Karunkaran in 1978 and left the film industry. The couple have a son and a daughter. Vanisri returned to film to acting in mother roles from 1989, such as her character in ''

Athaku Yamudu Ammayiki Mogudu ''Attaku Yamudu Ammayiki Mogudu'' () is a 1989 Indian Telugu-language masala film co-written and directed by A. Kodandarami Reddy. Produced by Allu Aravind, the film stars Chiranjeevi, Vanisri, and Vijayashanti. The film marks Vanisri's comebac ...

'' (1989). She was also in the 1999 Hindi film ''Main Tere Pyar Mein Pagal'', directed by

director K. Raghavendra Rao. She lost her son Abhinaya Venkatesha Karthik aged 36 on 23 May 2020 due to cardiac arrest.

Awards and honours

Selected filmography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Vanisri Living people Indian film actresses Filmfare Awards South winners 20th-century Indian actresses Actresses in Telugu cinema Actresses from Andhra Pradesh Actresses in Kannada cinema Actresses in Tamil cinema People from Nellore Year of birth missing (living people) Actresses in Hindi cinema 21st-century Indian actresses Telugu actresses