Vijayashanti (born 24 June 1966) is an Indian actress, producer and politician. In a film career spanning 40 years, she has acted in 187 feature films in a variety of roles in various languages predominantly in
Telugu,
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
, in addition to
Hindi
Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...
,
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
and
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 2 ...
films. She won the
National Film Award for Best Actress
The National Film Award for Best Actress (officially known as the Rajat Kamal Award for the Best Actress) is an honour presented annually at the National Film Awards of India since 1968 to an actress for the best performance in a leading role wi ...
for her work as a "super cop" in ''
Kartavyam'' (1990), for depicting both aggression and feminity with balance and restraint. For her role in ''
Pratighatana
''Pratighatana'' () is a 1985 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by T. Krishna. The film is produced by Ramoji Rao under Ushakiran Movies. The plot follows a woman's fight against corruption and criminalization of poli ...
'' (1985), Vijayashanti won her first state
Nandi Award
The Nandi Awards are the awards that recognise the excellence in Telugu cinema, Telugu theatre and Telugu television, and Lifetime achievements in Indian cinema. Presented annually by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the award is named after ...
and
Filmfare Award
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Hindi-language film industry of India.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were first introduced by th ...
. She is a recipient of several accolades, including four
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
state Nandi Awards for
Best Actress
Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress aw ...
, seven
Filmfare Awards South together with a
Lifetime Achievement Award
Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions.
Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include:
A
* A.C. ...
in 2003, and the
Kalaimamani Award
The Kalaimamani is the highest civilian award in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. These awards are given by the ''Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram'' (literature, music and theatre), a unit of the Directorate of Art and Culture, Government of ...
from
Tamil Nadu Government
Government of Tamil Nadu is the subnational government for the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is seated at Fort St George, Chennai. The legislature of Tamil Nadu was bicameral until 1986, when it was replaced by a unicameral legislature, lik ...
.
Referred to as the "Lady Superstar", "Lady
Amitabh", and "The Action Queen of Indian Cinema", Vijayashanti appeared in successful films like ''
Neti Bharatam
''Neti Bharatam'' is a 1983 film written and directed by T. Krishna and produced by Eetharam Films. It is a musical hit film promoting liberal ideals. Lyrics for the songs were penned by revolutionary poet Srirangam Srinivasa Rao, Adrushta Deep ...
'' (1983), ''
Agni Parvatam
''Agni Parvatam'' () is a 1985 Indian Telugu-language film, produced by C. Ashwini Dutt and K. Raghavendra Rao under the banner of Vyjayanthi Movies. The film stars Krishna. It was an industry hit in the box office of Tollywood, with 5 musica ...
'' (1984), ''
Challenge'' (1984), ''
Pratighatana
''Pratighatana'' () is a 1985 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by T. Krishna. The film is produced by Ramoji Rao under Ushakiran Movies. The plot follows a woman's fight against corruption and criminalization of poli ...
'' (1985), ''
Repati Pourulu
''Repati Pourulu'' () is a 1986 Indian Telugu-language action film written and directed by T. Krishna. The film stars Vijayashanti and Rajasekhar while Anuradha and Y. Vijaya play supporting roles. It has music composed by K. Chakravarthy. T ...
'' (1986), ''
Pasivadi Pranam'' (1987), ''
Muvva Gopaludu
''Muvva Gopaludu'' is a 1987 Indian Telugu-language romantic drama film, produced by S. Gopala Reddy on Bhargav Art Productions banner and directed by Kodi Ramakrishna. The film stars Nandamuri Balakrishna, Vijayashanti, Shobana, and music co ...
'' (1987), ''
Yamudiki Mogudu'' (1988), ''
Athaku Yamudu Ammayiki Mogudu'' (1989), ''
Janaki Ramudu'' (1988), ''
Muddula Mavayya
''Muddula Mavayya'' is a 1989 Indian Telugu-language drama film produced by S. Gopal Reddy under the Bhargav Art Productions banner and directed by Kodi Ramakrishna. It stars Nandamuri Balakrishna, Vijayashanti and musical score by K. V. Mah ...
'' (1989), ''
Kondaveeti Donga
''Kondaveeti Donga'' () is a 1990 Indian Telugu-language vigilante film directed by A. Kodandarami Reddy starring Chiranjeevi, Vijayashanti and Radha in main lead roles. Upon release on 9 April 1990, the film received positive reviews, and emer ...
'' (1990), ''
Indrudu Chandrudu
''Indrudu Chandrudu'' is a 1989 Indian Telugu-language black comedy film directed by Suresh Krissna and produced by D. Ramanaidu, starring Kamal Haasan, Vijayashanti and Charan Raj. It was released on 24 November 1989. The film is based on the 1 ...
'' (1989), ''
Lorry Driver
A truck driver (commonly referred to as a trucker, teamster, or driver in the United States and Canada; a truckie in Australia and New Zealand; a HGV driver in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the European Union, a lorry driver, or driver in ...
'' (1990), ''
Sathruvu
''Sathruvu'' () is a 1991 Indian Telugu-language crime thriller film directed by Kodi Ramakrishna and produced by M. S. Raju under Sumanth Art Productions. It stars Venkatesh, Vijayashanti, and Kota Srinivasa Rao with music composed by Raj ...
'' (1990), ''
Gang Leader'' (1991), ''
Mannan'' (1992), ''
Rowdy Inspector
''Rowdy Inspector'' is a 1992 Telugu-language action film produced by T. Trivikrama Rao under the Vijayalakshmi Art Pictures banner and directed by B. Gopal. It stars Nandamuri Balakrishna, Vijayashanti, and music composed by Bappi Lahiri. T ...
'' (1992), ''Mondi Mogudu Penki Pellam'' (1992), ''
Chinarayudu'' (1993) and ''Police Lockup'' (1993), establishing herself as one of the leading actresses of
Telugu cinema
Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Telugu language, widely spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Telugu cinema is based in Film Nagar, ...
and being cited in the media as one of the nation's most popular and attractive personalities of the late 80s and 90s.
In 1987, she appeared in ''
Swayam Krushi
''Swayamkrushi'' () is a 1987 Indian Telugu-language drama film written and directed by K. Viswanath. The film stars Chiranjeevi and Vijayashanti in main leads, while Sarvadaman D. Banerjee, and Sumalatha in other pivotal roles.
The film chr ...
'' alongside
Chiranjeevi
Chiranjeevi (born Konidela Sivasankara Varaprasad; 22 August 1955) is an Indian actor, film producer and former politician, who predominantly works in Telugu cinema. Chiranjeevi starred in over 150 feature films in Telugu, as well as some fil ...
, which was screened at the
Moscow International Film Festival
The Moscow International Film Festival (russian: Моско́вский междунаро́дный кинофестива́ль, translit. ''Moskóvskiy myezhdunaródniy kinofyestivál''; abbreviated as MIFF) is the film festival first h ...
, and ''
Padamati Sandhya Ragam'' with Hollywood actor
Thomas Jane
Thomas Jane (born Thomas Elliott III; February 22, 1969) is an American actor. He is known for appearing in the films Padamati Sandhya Ragam (1987), ''Boogie Nights'' (1997), '' Deep Blue Sea'' (1999), '' The Punisher'' (2004), '' The Mist'' ( ...
, which was screened at the Louisville International Film Festival.
She entered state politics in 1998. She served as the
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...
in the
15th Lok Sabha
Members of the 15th Lok Sabha were elected during the 2009 general election in India. It was dissolved on 18 May 2014 by President Pranab Mukherjee.
Indian National Congress-led United Progressive Alliance won 44 more seats than the previou ...
, representing the
Medak constituency from
Telangana Rashtra Samithi
Bharat Rashtra Samithi ( ; BRS), formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi ( TRS), is an Indian political party which is predominantly active in the state of Telangana. It was founded on 27 April 2001 as by K. Chandrashekar Rao, with a sing ...
. , she is a member of the
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Mod ...
.
Early life
Vijayashanti was born on 24 June 1966 to Satti Srinivas Prasad (Anaparthi, East Godavari District) and Varalakshmi (Eturunagaram, Mulugu District), Madras, Tamil Nadu. She is the niece of famous Telugu actress and producer
Vijayalalitha
Vijayalalitha or Vijaya Lalitha was an Indian actress who appeared in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi films in the 1960s and 1970s. She is best known for her appearances in '' Rani Mera Naam'' (1972), ''Baazigar'' (1972) and '' Saa ...
. She has said that she prefers to think of herself as being from
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India with a geographical area of and 3 ...
rather than Madras, although as of 2004 she had never visited her ancestral village of Ramannagudem near
Eturnagaram.
She completed her 10th class at
Holy Angels Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School
Holy Angels Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School or Holy Angels' AI Hr. Sec School is an all-girls Roman Catholic, private, convent school located in Chennai, India, which offers education from nursery level to higher secondary (XII) level. The ...
, Chennai, before starting her film career.
Film career (1980-present)
Early career
Vijayashanti began her acting career at the age of 14 in 1980, playing a character role in the
Tamil film
Tamil cinema, also known as Kollywood is a part of Indian Cinema; primarily engaged in production of motion pictures in the Tamil language. Based out of the Kodambakkam neighbourhood in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, it is popularly called ''Kollywo ...
''
Kallukkul Eeram'', directed by P S Nivas starring Bharathiraja. In the same year, she debuted in Telugu cinema with the movie ''Kilaadi Krishnudu'', opposite
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
, directed by
Vijaya Nirmala
Vijaya Nirmala (born Nidudavolu Nirmala; 20 February 1946 – 27 June 2019) was an Indian actress, director, and producer known for her works predominantly in Telugu cinema along with a few Malayalam and Tamil films. In a career spanning over si ...
. She got a role in the Telugu film ''Satyam-Sivam'' (1981), the cast of which included
N. T. Rama Rao
Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (28 May 1923 – 18 January 1996), often referred to by his initials NTR, was an Indian actor, filmmaker and politician who served as List of Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh fo ...
and
Akkineni Nageswara Rao
Akkineni Nageswara Rao (20 September 1923 – 22 January 2014), widely known as ANR, was an Indian actor and producer, known for his works majorly in Telugu cinema. He starred in many landmark films in his seventy five-year career, and became on ...
.
Balance of Glamour and Women-centric roles (1983-1993)
Initially she played many character role like sister, daughter and then after a couple of inconsequential movies came ''
Pellichoopulu'' (1983), which brought recognition to her as a star. This was a remake of
K. Bhagyaraj
Krishnasaamy Bhagyaraj (born 7 January 1953) is an Indian director, actor, screenwriter, music director, producer and politician active mainly in Tamil films. He has also written and directed Hindi and Telugu films and TV serials. As an actor ...
's Tamil film ''
Thooral Ninnu Pochchu
''Thooral Ninnu Pochu'' () is a 1982 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film written, directed by and starring K. Bhagyaraj. The film also stars Sulakshana and M. N. Nambiar. The music and background score were composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The f ...
''. Her breakthrough movie was ''
Neti Bharatam
''Neti Bharatam'' is a 1983 film written and directed by T. Krishna and produced by Eetharam Films. It is a musical hit film promoting liberal ideals. Lyrics for the songs were penned by revolutionary poet Srirangam Srinivasa Rao, Adrushta Deep ...
'' (1983), and from there she started acting in women-centric roles, teaming up with
T. Krishna. He spotted her on the sets of his friend Madala Rangarao's ''Navodayam''. He saw her perform and predicted that she would turn out to be a good actress. In 1985, ''
Pratighatana
''Pratighatana'' () is a 1985 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by T. Krishna. The film is produced by Ramoji Rao under Ushakiran Movies. The plot follows a woman's fight against corruption and criminalization of poli ...
'', one of the biggest blockbusters of the year, won her accolades and a state
Nandi Award
The Nandi Awards are the awards that recognise the excellence in Telugu cinema, Telugu theatre and Telugu television, and Lifetime achievements in Indian cinema. Presented annually by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the award is named after ...
for the first time. She delivered a powerful performance in the song "Ee Dhuryodhana Dusshasana", penned by legendary lyricist
Veturi
Veturi Sundararama Murthy (29 January 1936 – 22 May 2010), known mononymously by his surname Veturi, was an Indian poet, lyricist and journalist who is popular for writing Telugu songs. His career in the Telugu cinema spanned more than four de ...
and powerfully sung by
S. Janaki
Sistla Janaki (born 23 April 1938) is an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer from Andhra Pradesh. She is referred to respectfully as "Janaki Amma" and Nightingale of South India. She is one of the best-known playback singers in ...
.
In 1992 ''Mondi Mogudu Penki Pellam'' was a huge success. Vijayashanti played a bold lady speaking Telangana slang and delivered the career-defining song "Laloo Darwaja Laskar". In 1994 it was remade into Hindi as ''
Meri Biwi Ka Jawab Nahin''. In the 1990s, Vijayashanti was the only actress demanding highest remuneration in India, equal to her co-stars
Rajnikanth
Shivaji Rao Gaikwad (born 12 December 1950), known professionally as Rajinikanth, is an Indian actor, producer and screenwriter. In a career spanning over five decades, he has done 160 films that includes films in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannad ...
and
Chiranjeevi
Chiranjeevi (born Konidela Sivasankara Varaprasad; 22 August 1955) is an Indian actor, film producer and former politician, who predominantly works in Telugu cinema. Chiranjeevi starred in over 150 feature films in Telugu, as well as some fil ...
. Most of her films with
Chiranjeevi
Chiranjeevi (born Konidela Sivasankara Varaprasad; 22 August 1955) is an Indian actor, film producer and former politician, who predominantly works in Telugu cinema. Chiranjeevi starred in over 150 feature films in Telugu, as well as some fil ...
(19 films) and
Balakrishna
Bala Krishna ( sa, बाल कृष्ण, lit=child Krishna/divine child Krishna, translit=Bālakṛṣṇa). Present day Krishna worship is an amalgam of various elements. According to historical testimonies Krishna-Vasudeva worship alread ...
(17 films) were huge hits and her on-screen chemistry was huge success on par with the box office. In K. Viswanath's ''
Swayam Krushi
''Swayamkrushi'' () is a 1987 Indian Telugu-language drama film written and directed by K. Viswanath. The film stars Chiranjeevi and Vijayashanti in main leads, while Sarvadaman D. Banerjee, and Sumalatha in other pivotal roles.
The film chr ...
'', where she acts as an illiterate woman who falls in love with a cobbler played by
Chiranjeevi
Chiranjeevi (born Konidela Sivasankara Varaprasad; 22 August 1955) is an Indian actor, film producer and former politician, who predominantly works in Telugu cinema. Chiranjeevi starred in over 150 feature films in Telugu, as well as some fil ...
. Her dialogue in ''Atta Soodamakayya'' is highly applauded along with her performance in ''
Swayam Krushi
''Swayamkrushi'' () is a 1987 Indian Telugu-language drama film written and directed by K. Viswanath. The film stars Chiranjeevi and Vijayashanti in main leads, while Sarvadaman D. Banerjee, and Sumalatha in other pivotal roles.
The film chr ...
''. She starred in ''
Sathruvu
''Sathruvu'' () is a 1991 Indian Telugu-language crime thriller film directed by Kodi Ramakrishna and produced by M. S. Raju under Sumanth Art Productions. It stars Venkatesh, Vijayashanti, and Kota Srinivasa Rao with music composed by Raj ...
'', ''
Surya IPS'' and ''
Chinarayudu'', along with
Daggubati Venkatesh
Daggubati Venkatesh (born 13 December 1960) is an Indian actor known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema and a few hindi films. Venkatesh debuted with the 1986 film '' Kaliyuga Pandavulu'' for which he won his first Nandi Award. In a c ...
. She starred with Akkineni Nagarjuna in ''Vijay'', and Janaki Ramudu in ''Jaitra Yatra''. She starred alongside
Rajinikanth as the antagonist in the film ''
Mannan'', and with
Kamal Haasan as an investigative reporter in ''
Indrudu Chandrudu
''Indrudu Chandrudu'' is a 1989 Indian Telugu-language black comedy film directed by Suresh Krissna and produced by D. Ramanaidu, starring Kamal Haasan, Vijayashanti and Charan Raj. It was released on 24 November 1989. The film is based on the 1 ...
''. She acted in two movies with Malayalam superstar
Suresh Gopi
Suresh Gopi (born 26 June 1958) is an Indian actor, politician, playback singer and television presenter. He works predominantly in Malayalam cinema and has also appeared in some Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Bollywood films. Suresh made his acti ...
, ''
Yuvathurki'' and ''
Kallu Kondoru Pennu
''Kallu Kondoru Pennu'' is a 1998 Indian Malayalam action crime film, directed by Shyamaprasad, starring Dileep, Baby Ajay Pradeep and Vijayashanti . This story is about an unmarried nurse (Vijayashanthi) from Kuwait City who adopts a baby kid ...
''. She produced the film ''
Nippu Ravva'' (1993), starring
Balakrishna
Bala Krishna ( sa, बाल कृष्ण, lit=child Krishna/divine child Krishna, translit=Bālakṛṣṇa). Present day Krishna worship is an amalgam of various elements. According to historical testimonies Krishna-Vasudeva worship alread ...
, under the banner Yuvarathna Arts.
Hindi cinema (1989-1997)
In 1989, she was introduced to Hindi cinema by
K. Viswanath alongside
Anil Kapoor
Anil Kapoor (born 24 December 1956) is an Indian actor and producer who works primarily in Hindi films, besides television and international films and television. In a career spanning over 40 years as an actor and since 2005 as a producer, Kapo ...
in the film ''
Eeshwar'', a remake of his Telugu film ''
Swathi Muthyam''. Her second Hindi film was ''Muqaddar Ka Badshaah'', a remake of the Telugu film ''Aswaddama''. In the Hindi version, she acted with another National Award-winning actress - Shabana Azmi. Her other starrers are ''
Apradhi'', in which she is co-starring with
Anil Kapoor
Anil Kapoor (born 24 December 1956) is an Indian actor and producer who works primarily in Hindi films, besides television and international films and television. In a career spanning over 40 years as an actor and since 2005 as a producer, Kapo ...
and ''Tejaswini'', a remake of ''Karthavyam'', directed by
N. Chandra
Chandrashekhar Narvekar (born 4 April 1952) is an Indian producer, writer and director, known for gritty realism, in his early dark and loud films. His most successful commercial films are ''Ankush'', ''Pratighaat'', ''Tezaab'' and ''Narsimha (199 ...
. Another Bollywood movie of hers is ''
Gundagardi'' (1997), starring
Dharmendra
Dharam Singh Deol (born 8 December 1935), also known Mononymous person, mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer and politician who is known for his work in Hindi films. Known as the first "He-Man" of Bollywood, Dharmendra has w ...
in an action role. In 1996, she was paired opposite
Amitabh Bachchan in ''
Zamaanat'', directed by
S. Ramanathan, but the film was shelved.
National Award and Woman-oriented roles (1990-2006)
In a carefully nurtured career, Vijayashanthi reached the status of a "HERO" at box office parlance. In the blockbuster movie ''
Karthavyam'' (1990), her performance as a tough cop (modelled after the real-life supercop
Kiran Bedi
Kiran Bedi (born 9 June 1949) is an Indian social activist, former-tennis player who became the first woman in India to join the officer ranks of the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1972 and was the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry from ...
) under the direction of Mohan Gandhi won her the
National Film Award
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directora ...
from the
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...
and an
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
State award for best actress. Actor
Ravi Teja
Bhupatiraju Ravi Shankar Raju (born 26 January 1968), known professionally as Ravi Teja, is an Indian film actor and producer who predominantly works in Telugu cinema. He is known for his roles in action comedy films. He is one of the highes ...
was introduced in the film as a side artist. The film was made with a budget of about 90 lakhs and grossed over 7 crores in southern territories alone. The film was screened at the 14th
International Film Festival of India in the mainstream section. She was the third woman from Telugu cinema to win the award after
Sharada and
Archana.
The success of this movie saw her moving away from glamorous roles and limiting herself to woman-oriented roles. "There were people who questioned how can a Heroine attain the image of Hero & charge highest remuneration. But, I had overcome all of the hurdles and answered the critics with successful films," she answered.
Vijayashanti didn't rely on stunt doubles for performing risky stunts in many films. There were times when the she jumped for a height of 30 feet and she hardly cared about the injuries.
In 1990, ''Karthavyam'' was dubbed into Tamil as ''
Vyjayanthi IPS'' and its success brought her fame in Tamil cinema. (It was also remade in Hindi as ''Tejaswini'', with herself playing the lead role. This, too, did very well at the Hindi box office.) The film inspired the then 10-year old C. Indhumathi to take up the civil services exam; she cleared the UPSC exam and bagged 151st rank and placed in Madurai. ''Vyjayanthi IPS'' ran for 50 days in Vetri theater in Chennai. This record was broken by a dubbed version of ''
Baahubali Bahubali
Bahubali (), a much revered figure among Jains, was the son of Rishabadeva (the first ''tirthankara'' of Jainism) and the brother of Bharata Chakravartin. He is said to have meditated motionless for a year in a standing posture ('' ...
'' in August 2015.
A. M. Ratnam, Vijayashanti's personal make-up man, turned out to be a money-making producer. As an executive producer for Vijayashanti, he made the award-winning ''
Karthavyam'' on the banner of Sri Surya Movies. On the same banner, she produced and acted in ''
Aashayam'' released in 1993, which had a decent run. In ''Police Lockup'' she played a dual role, directed by
Kodi Ramakrishna
Kodi Ramakrishna (23 July 1949 – 22 February 2019) was an Indian film director, screenwriter and actor known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. One of the most prolific film directors of Telugu film industry, Kodi Ramakrishna has d ...
, for which she won another
Filmfare Award for Best Actress
The Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise the female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954 ...
. Later she played action roles. In ''
Osey Ramulamma
''Osey Ramulamma'' is a 1997 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by Dasari Narayana Rao. The film is based on a woman's rebellion in Telangana and stars Vijayashanti as the title character. Rao and Rami Reddy also star ...
'' (1997), she played a downtrodden woman who rose against her oppressors. Directed by
Dasari Narayana Rao
Dasari Narayana Rao (4 May 1947 – 30 May 2017) was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, lyricist, and politician known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema, in addition to Hindi cinema. He has directed more than 150 ...
, this was the biggest blockbuster of the year, giving Vijayashanti her fourth
Nandi Award
The Nandi Awards are the awards that recognise the excellence in Telugu cinema, Telugu theatre and Telugu television, and Lifetime achievements in Indian cinema. Presented annually by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the award is named after ...
and sixth
Filmfare Award for Best Actress
The Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise the female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954 ...
. This film gave her another name, called as "Ramulamma/Ramulakka" by the people. The music of this film, composed by Vandemataram Srinivas, also won the Nandi Award.
Later, she appeared in critically acclaimed women oriented movies like ''Adavi Chukka'' and ''Rowdy Durbar'', directed by
Dasari Narayana Rao
Dasari Narayana Rao (4 May 1947 – 30 May 2017) was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, lyricist, and politician known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema, in addition to Hindi cinema. He has directed more than 150 ...
.
Vijayashanthi has also worked for many commercials like Chandana Bros., and Power Detergent soap. She was the first actress to be first featured in a
Saree
A sari (sometimes also saree or shari)The name of the garment in various regional languages include:
* as, শাৰী, xārī, translit-std=ISO
* bn, শাড়ি, śāṛi, translit-std=ISO
* gu, સાડી, sāḍī, translit-std= ...
commercial.
Comeback into films (2019-present)
Vijayashanti returned to cinema after a sabbatical of 13 years, starring in the 2020 film ''
Sarileru Neekevvaru'' where
Mahesh Babu
Ghattamaneni Mahesh Babu (born 9 August 1975) is an Indian actor, producer, media personality, and philanthropist who works mainly in Telugu cinema. He has appeared in more than 25 films, and won several accolades including, eight Nandi Awar ...
played the main protagonist.
Her last seen movie is ''Nayudamma'', released in 2006.
Anil Ravipudi
Anil Ravipudi (born 23 November 1982) is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in Telugu cinema.
He made his directorial debut with the comedy ''Pataas'' (2015). He then directed the dramedy works such as '' Supreme'' (2016), ''Ra ...
shared a welcome picture on Twitter on 12 August 2019 announcing her return to films with a makeup mirror placed in front of her. He wrote "After 13 years.. It's make up time for Vijayashanthi garu.. Nothing has ever changed in all these 13 years. Same discipline, same attitude and same dynamism. Welcome on-board". She was paid 4 crores for her re-entry film
Sarileru Neekevvaru.
Political career (1998-present)
In 1998, Vijayashanti joined the
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Mod ...
and was soon made the secretary of BJP's Women's Wing (Bharateeya Mahila Morcha). In 1998, her first public meeting was held at Nellore, a big hit in support of
BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Mo ...
. During the
1999 general election she was named BJP's contestant from the Cuddapah Lok Sabha seat against
Sonia Gandhi of
Congress(I). However, she withdrew from the race after Sonia Gandhi decided to contest from
Bellary
Bellary, officially Ballari, in the eponymous Bellary district, is a city in the state of Karnataka, India.
History
Bellary was a part of Rayalaseema (Ceded Districts) which was part of Madras Presidency till 1 November 1956.
The Ballari ...
. In 1996, Vijayashanti, who is pro-BJP, vowed her support to the
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (; AIADMK) is an Indian regional political party with great influence in the state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry. It is a Dravidian party founded by the former chief mi ...
(AIADMK), and was a star campaigner for then Chief
Jayalalitha. Vijayashanti is the star campaigner for
BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Mo ...
Lok Sabha Polls in Tamil Nadu along with Cricketer
Srikkanth.
She started her own political party, Talli Telangana, in January 2009, which she merged into
Telangana Rashtra Samithi
Bharat Rashtra Samithi ( ; BRS), formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi ( TRS), is an Indian political party which is predominantly active in the state of Telangana. It was founded on 27 April 2001 as by K. Chandrashekar Rao, with a sing ...
(TRS) due to lack of strength and support. From 1999, her movie appearances decreased as she focused on her political career. By 2004, she had stopped signing up for new films. In the
2009 general election, she won as a Member of Parliament from the
Medak
Medak is a town in Medak district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is a municipality and the headquarters of Medak mandal in Medak revenue division. And There is a river named srujan which is big in length.
Etymology and History
Medak wa ...
constituency from TRS. In June 2009, she resigned from the post of secretary general of TRS, expressing solidarity with the resignation of
Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao
Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (born 17 February 1954), often referred to by his initials KCR, is an Indian politician serving as the first and current Chief Minister of Telangana since 2 June 2014. He is the founder and leader of the Bharat Ra ...
.
In 2011, she submitted her resignation as an
MP along with
Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao
Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (born 17 February 1954), often referred to by his initials KCR, is an Indian politician serving as the first and current Chief Minister of Telangana since 2 June 2014. He is the founder and leader of the Bharat Ra ...
in agitation of Telangana movement. The resignation was later rejected by the speaker of the house, as it was not in the proper format. Later, she actively participated in politics for separate
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India with a geographical area of and 3 ...
State (region), in which she played a key role.
Vijayashanti joined the Indian National Congress party in February 2014 after a split with
TRS chief KCR. She contested in the assembly elections from
Medak
Medak is a town in Medak district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is a municipality and the headquarters of Medak mandal in Medak revenue division. And There is a river named srujan which is big in length.
Etymology and History
Medak wa ...
in the 2014 general elections from Indian National Congress party and lost as
MLA. After some inactive years, in 2018
AICC president
Rahul Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi ( ; born 19 June 1970) is an Indian politician and a member of the Indian Parliament, representing the constituency of Wayanad, Kerala in the 17th Lok Sabha. A member of the Indian National Congress, he served as the president o ...
appointed Vijayashanti as star campaigner and adviser to the election campaign committee of
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India with a geographical area of and 3 ...
PCC.
Vijayashanti in March 2019, started a controversy after she compared Narendra Modi to a terrorist and claimed he was “ruling like a dictator”. She made these statements at a rally in Telangana's Shamshabad village in
Ranga Reddy district
Ranga Reddy district ( R. R. district) is a district in the Indian state of Telangana. The district headquarters is located at Lakdikapool, Hyderabad. The district was named after the former deputy chief minister of the United Andhra Pradesh, ...
. Vijayashanti said, “He is appearing like a terrorist. Instead of loving his people, he is scaring them. And said this is not a characteristic of a prime minister.
She resigned from the Congress in November 2020 and rejoined the
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Mod ...
on 6 December 2020 in the presence of Home Minister
Amit Shah.
Personal life
Vijayashanti is married to M. V. Srinivas Prasad in 1988.
He does real estate business around Chennai and Hyderabad. He is a nephew to
Daggubati Purandareswari.
Awards and honours
Filmography
References
External links
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Vijayashanti
1964 births
Living people
Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Telangana
Indian National Congress politicians from Telangana
Telangana Rashtra Samithi politicians
Actresses from Telangana
Women in Telangana politics
Actresses in Kannada cinema
Best Actress National Film Award winners
Indian actor-politicians
India MPs 2009–2014
Actresses in Malayalam cinema
Actresses in Tamil cinema
Filmfare Awards South winners
Actresses in Hindi cinema
Nandi Award winners
Lok Sabha members from Andhra Pradesh
20th-century Indian actresses
People from Medak district
Actresses in Telugu cinema
Women members of the Lok Sabha
21st-century Indian women politicians