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Anjali Devi | |
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 Anjali Devi in 1949 | |
| Born | Anjanamma 24 August 1927 |
| Died | 13 January 2014 (aged 86) |
| Occupations | |
| Spouse | |
Anjali Devi ( 
pronunciation (help·info); 24 August 1927 – 13 January 2014) was an Indian actress, model and producer in Telugu and Tamil films. She was well known for her role as the Devi Sita in Lava Kusa as well as for the titular roles in movies like Chenchu Lakshmi, Suvarna Sundari and Anarkali .
Anjali Devi was born in Peddapuram, East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh, India,[ citation needed ] as Anjamma. She changed her name to Anjani Kumari when acting in dramas. Later, director C. Pullaiah changed her name to Anjali Devi.[ citation needed ]
She was a theatre artiste before venturing into movies, her debut film role was as Lohitasva in "Raja Harishchandra" in 1936. Her first film as a heroine was Kashtajeevi by L. V. Prasad in 1940, but that film was abandoned after three reels shooting. Later, C.Pullayya discovered her and gave her the opportunity to star as Mohini in Gollabhama (1947). Based on her acting ability and looks, she became a star overnight in 1947. She eventually acted in more than 350 films, majority of them in Telugu films and a few in Hindi, Tamil and Kannada films as the heroine or in character roles. [1]
She acted in Lava Kusa , a milestone film and the first color film in the Telugu film industry in 1963. She is well known for playing Sita in Lava Kusa and her performances in films like Suvarna Sundari and Anarkali were also appreciated. Brundavanam (1992), Anna Vadina (1993) and Police Alludu (1994) were the last few films of her career. In Balaiah's Police Alludu and Anna Vadina she appeared alongside Brahmanandam. She acted in various roles, such as a damsel, an angel, a dancer, a demon, a goddess, a traditional woman and later in mother roles. [2]
In 1955 she produced the film Anarkali , in which she herself played the titular role, with Akkineni Nageswara Rao as Prince Salim. Then she produced V. Madhusudan Rao's Bhakta Tukaram and Chandipriya. Bollywood and Tollywood actress Jayapradha played the lead role in the latter alongside Sobhan Babu and Chiranjeevi. As a producer she has produced 27 films. An ardent devotee of Sri Sathya Sai Baba she produced and acted in Shirdi Sai Parthi Sai Divyakatha, a tele-serial on the life and avatar of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. [3]
She married P. Adinarayana Rao, a music director, in 1948.[ citation needed ] They settled in Chennai. They have two sons. Together, they produced many Telugu films under the banner, Anjali Pictures. Their granddaughter, Saila Rao, is also an actress.[ citation needed ]
Devi died at the age of 86 on 13 January 2014 at Vijaya Hospital, in Chennai, due to a cardiac arrest. [4] Her organs were donated to Ramachandra Medical College. [5]
| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | Gollabhama | Mohini | Telugu | |
| 1947 | Mahathma Udangar | Rambai | Tamil | |
| 1948 | Balaraju | Telugu | ||
| 1948 | Adhithan Kanavu | Tamil | ||
| 1949 | Kanniyin Kaadhali | Princess Megala Devi | Tamil | |
| 1949 | Keelu Gurram | Mohini | Telugu | |
| 1949 | Mayavathi | Tamil | ||
| 1949 | Mangaiyarkarasi | Tamil | ||
| 1950 | Palleturi Pilla | Santha | Telugu | |
| 1950 | Swapna Sundari | Swapna Sundari | Telugu | |
| 1950 | Maya Rambha | Telugu | ||
| 1951 | Nirdoshi | Nirmala | Telugu | |
| 1951 | Niraparadhi | Tamil | ||
| 1951 | Sarvadhigari | Tamil | ||
| 1951 | Sarvadhikari | Telugu | ||
| 1951 | Marmayogi | Tamil | ||
| 1951 | Marmayogi | Telugu | ||
| 1951 | Mayalamari | Tamil | ||
| 1951 | Mayalamaari | Telugu | ||
| 1951 | Mayamalai | Tamil | ||
| 1951 | Stree Sahasam | Telugu | ||
| 1951 | Strisahasam | Tamil | ||
| 1952 | Ezhai Uzhavan | Tamil | ||
| 1953 | Pakkinti Ammayi | Leela Devi | Telugu | |
| 1953 | Inspector | Tamil | ||
| 1953 | Poongodhai | Tamil | ||
| 1953 | Paradesi | Telugu | ||
| 1953 | Ladki | Kamini | Hindi | Hindi Debut |
| 1954 | Rechukka | Nana | Telugu | |
| 1954 | Naattiya Thara | Nana | Tamil | |
| 1954 | Penn | Kamini | Tamil | |
| 1954 | Sangham | Kamini | Telugu | |
| 1954 | Sorga Vasal | Thilagawathi | Tamil | |
| 1954 | Ponvayal | Semba | Tamil | |
| 1954 | Rattha Pasam | Tamil | ||
| 1955 | Anarkali | Anarkali | Telugu | |
| 1955 | Charana Daasi | Telugu | ||
| 1955 | Kanavaney Kankanda Deivam | Princess Nalini | Tamil | |
| 1955 | Kalam Maripochu | Tamil | ||
| 1955 | Jayasimha | Telugu | ||
| 1955 | Jayasimman | Tamil | ||
| 1955 | Doctor Savithri | Tamil | ||
| 1955 | Mudhal Thethi | Tamil | ||
| 1955 | Town Bus | Amudha | Tamil | |
| 1956 | Devta | Hindi | ||
| 1956 | Mathar Kula Manickam | Tamil | ||
| 1956 | Kaalam Maari Pochu | Tamil | ||
| 1957 | Allauddin Adhbhuta Deepam | Yasmin, the Princess | Telugu | |
| 1957 | Alavudheenum Arputha Villakkum | Yasmin, the Princess | Tamil | |
| 1957 | Panduranga Mahatyam | Rama | Telugu | |
| 1957 | Suvarna Sundari | Telugu | ||
| 1957 | Manaalane Mangaiyin Baakkiyam | Sundari | Tamil | |
| 1957 | Chakravarthi Thirumagal | Kalamalini | Tamil | |
| 1957 | Neelamalai Thirudan | Maragatham | Tamil | |
| 1958 | Chenchu Lakshmi | Goddess Lakshmi | Telugu | |
| 1958 | Chenchu Lakshmi | Goddess Lakshmi | Tamil | |
| 1958 | Illarame Nallaram | Tamil | ||
| 1958 | Raja Nandini | Ramani | Telugu | |
| 1958 | Kanniyin Sabadham | Tamil | ||
| 1959 | Jayabheri | Manjulavani | Telugu | |
| 1959 | Bala Nagamma | Telugu | ||
| 1959 | Kalaivanan | Tamil | ||
| 1959 | Naan Sollum Ragasiyam | Tamil | ||
| 1960 | Bhatti Vikramarka | Telugu | ||
| 1960 | Mannadhi Mannan | Princess Karpagavalli | Tamil | |
| 1960 | Aadavantha Deivam | Kalyani | Tamil | |
| 1960 | Adutha Veettu Penn | Tamil | ||
| 1960 | Engal Selvi | Tamil | ||
| 1961 | Naganandhini | Tamil | ||
| 1961 | Pangaaligal | Tamil | ||
| 1962 | Bhishma | Amba | Telugu | |
| 1962 | Swarna Manjari | Telugu | ||
| 1962 | Mangaiyar Ullam Mangatha Selvam | Tamil | ||
| 1962 | Naag Devta | Mohini | Hindi | |
| 1963 | Lava Kusa | Sita | Telugu | |
| 1963 | Lava Kusa | Sita | Tamil | |
| 1963 | Paruvu Prathishta | Telugu | ||
| 1965 | Sati Sakkubai | Telugu | ||
| 1966 | Chilaka Gorinka | Telugu | ||
| 1966 | Palnati Yudham | Telugu | ||
| 1966 | Rangula Ratnam | Telugu | ||
| 1967 | Bhakta Prahlada | Leelavati | Telugu | |
| 1967 | Rahasyam | Telugu | ||
| 1968 | Veeranjaneya | Sita | Telugu | |
| 1970 | Amma Kosam | Telugu | ||
| 1971 | Dasara Bullodu | Yashoda | Telugu | |
| 1971 | Kalyana Mandapam | Telugu | ||
| 1971 | Sabatham | Rajeswari | Tamil | |
| 1971 | Arunodhayam | Tamil | ||
| 1972 | Badi Panthulu | Telugu | ||
| 1972 | Maa Inti Velugu | Telugu | ||
| 1972 | Bala Bharatam | Telugu | ||
| 1972 | Tata Manavadu | Telugu | ||
| 1973 | Bhakta Tukaram | Avali Bai | Telugu | |
| 1973 | Jeevana Tarangalu | Telugu | ||
| 1974 | Urimai Kural | Tamil | ||
| 1975 | Soggadu | Telugu | ||
| 1976 | Mahakavi Kshetrayya | Telugu | ||
| 1976 | Raaja [7] | Raaja's mother | Telugu | |
| 1976 | Monagadu | Shantamma | Telugu | |
| 1977 | Shri Ram Vanvas | Hindi | ||
| Kurukshetram | Kunti | Telugu | ||
| 1978 | Dudu Basavanna | Gouramma | Telugu | |
| 1979 | Annai Oru Alayam | Tamil | ||
| 1980 | Ram Robert Rahim | Telugu | ||
| 1980 | Chandipriya | Telugu | ||
| 1980 | Adrushtavanthudu | Janaki | Telugu | |
| 1980 | Bhale Krishnudu | Telugu | ||
| 1981 | Jeevitha Ratham | Savithri | Telugu | |
| 1984 | Pozhudhu Vidinjachu | Tamil | ||
| 1985 | Surya Chandra | Telugu | ||
| 1986 | Sri Shirdi Saibaba Mahathyam | Telugu | ||
| 1986 | Sri Seeradi Saibaba | Tamil | ||
| 1987 | Srutilayalu | Telugu | ||
| 1987 | Punnami Chandrudu | Telugu | ||
| 1987 | Kadhal Parisu | Tamil | ||
| 1993 | Brundavanam | Lakshmi Devi | Telugu |
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