Pandari Bai was an Indian actress who worked in South Indian cinema, mostly in Kannada cinema during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. She is considered Kannada cinema's first successful heroine. She has acted as both heroine and mother to stalwarts such as Rajkumar, M. G. Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan. She was the heroine in Rajkumar's debut movie Bedara Kannappa and also Sivaji's debut movie Parasakthi. She has acted in over 1,000 films in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. Bai was honoured by Kalaimamani from the Tamil Nadu government.
Satya Harischandra is a 1965 Indian Kannada epic film directed by Hunsur Krishnamurthy and produced by K. V. Reddy. It stars Dr. Rajkumar in the lead role, as Harishchandra, an Indian mythological king, who was renowned for upholding truth and justice under any circumstance. The film is based on poet Raghavanka's work, Harishchandra Kavya. The supporting cast features Udaykumar, Pandari Bai, Narasimharaju, M. P. Shankar, K. S. Ashwath and Baby Padmini. This was the second Kannada movie based on king Harishchandra, the first one being the 1943 movie Satya Harishchandra.
Mynavathi was an Indian actress. She made her first screen appearance as an actor in the 1955 Kannada film Santa Sakhu and acted in over 100 Kannada films. She was the younger sister of another popular Kannada actress Pandari Bai. She became popular after her role in the 1959 Kannada film Abba Aa Hudugi, which co-starred Rajkumar and her sister Pandari Bai and was directed by H. L. N. Simha. In the film, she played the role of an autocratic girl who hates men. It was based on William Shakespeare's play The Taming of the Shrew.
Bangarada Hoovu is a 1967 Indian Kannada language film directed, written and produced by B. A. Arasu Kumar. The film stars Rajkumar, Kalpana, Udaykumar and Shylashri. The film won many laurels upon release including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada. The movie was an adaptation of the play Abhaagini written by the director himself. The movie speaks about the misconceptions regarding leprosy - especially against the superstition that leprosy is a consequence of one's past sins.
Hasiru Thorana is a 1970 Indian Kannada language drama film directed by T. V. Singh Thakur and written by Sundaramma. It stars Rajkumar, Udaykumar and Bharathi Vishnuvardhan. The film was released under Sri Indira Movies banner and produced by Y. Anantharama Rao. The film, featuring the soundtrack composed by Upendra Kumar was received well upon release.
Sandhya Raga is a 1966 Indian Kannada-language film, directed by A. C. Narasimha Murthy and co-produced by him along with A. Prabhakara Rao. The film stars Rajkumar, Udaykumar, Narasimharaju and K. S. Ashwath. The film has musical score by G. K. Venkatesh.
Maduve Madi Nodu is a 1965 Indian Kannada-language film, directed by Hunsur Krishnamurthy and produced by Nagi Reddi and Chakrapani. The film stars Rajkumar, R. Nagendra Rao, Udaykumar and Narasimharaju. The film has musical score by Ghantasala. It is a remake of producer's own Telugu film Pelli Chesi Choodu (1952). The movie was a profitable venture and was declared a super hit.
Sri Ramanjaneya Yuddha is a 1963 Indian Kannada-language film, directed by M. Nageshwara Rao and M S Nayak. The film stars Rajkumar, Udaykumar, K. S. Ashwath and Dikki Madhavarao. The film has musical score by Satyam who made his debut through this film. The title card of the movie revealed that this was Rajkumar's 50th movie. The movie was remade in Telugu in 1975 as Sri Ramanjaneya Yuddham starring N. T. Rama Rao.
Muriyada Mane is a 1964 Indian Kannada-language film, directed by Y. R. Swamy and produced by G. H. Veeranna, C. R. Basavaraju and S. Gurunath. The film stars Rajkumar, Udaykumar, K. S. Ashwath and Balakrishna. The film has musical score by Vijaya Krishnamurthy. The film was a remake of the Tamil film Bhaaga Pirivinai. The film became a commercial success at the box office.
Jenu Goodu (transl. Beehive) is a 1963 Indian Kannada language film, directed by Y. R. Swamy and produced by T. Vasanna and S. Heera. The film stars K. S. Ashwath, Udaykumar, Rajashankar and Pandari Bai in lead roles. Jayanthi and Chandrakala both made their Kannada debut with this film. The film has musical score by Vijaya Krishnamurthy. The film was a remake of the 1954 Bengali film Bhanga Gara which in turn was based on the novel Bijila by Prabhavathi Devi Saraswathi. The Bengali movie was also earlier remade in Tamil as Kula Dheivam and in Hindi as Bhabhi. Pandari Bai reprised her role in all versions except Bengali.
Bala Nagamma is a 1966 Indian Kannada-language film, directed by P. R. Kaundinya and produced by Vikram Srinivas. The film stars Rajkumar, Udaykumar, Narasimharaju and Master Babu. The film has musical score by S. Rajeshwara Rao. The movie is based on one of the popular stories of the traditional folklore Burra katha.
Santha Thukaram is a 1963 Indian Kannada language film directed by Sundar Rao Nadkarni and produced by B. Radhakrishna. The film stars Rajkumar and Leelavathi with Udaykumar, K. S. Ashwath and T. N. Balakrishna. The film has musical score by Vijaya Bhaskar. It was named the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada at the 11th National Film Awards. The movie is based on the life of poet-saint Tukaram.
Thejaswini is a 1962 Indian Kannada-language film, directed by H. L. N. Simha and produced by Pandari Bai. The film stars Rajkumar, Pandari Bai, Rajashankar and Rajasree. The film had musical score by M. Venkataraju. The movie is based on the short story Holathi Kote by Govinda Murthy Desai which was published in the monthly magazine Karmaveera.
Katari Veera is a 1966 Indian Kannada-language swashbuckler film directed by Y. R. Swamy and produced by T. Vasanna and S. Heera. The film stars Dr. Rajkumar, Udaya Chandrika, Udaykumar, Narasimharaju, Balakrishna and Vanisri. This is the first Kannada film of actress Udaya Chandrika and was also the debut movie of Nagappa - who went on to become one of the popular villains of his time. The film has musical score by Upendra Kumar who also made his debut in Kannada movies through this movie.
Gandhinagara is a 1968 Indian Kannada-language film, directed by K. S. L. Swamy and produced by C Venku Reddy. The film stars Rajkumar, Kalpana, K. S. Ashwath, Balakrishna and Narasimharaju. The film had musical score by Satyam. The movie is based on a short story by GVG. Rajkumar played dual role in a small portion of the movie where the second character appears for only nine minutes towards the end of the movie.
Chandrahasa is a 1965 Indian Kannada-language film, directed by B. S. Ranga and produced by B. S. Ranga. The film stars Rajkumar, Udaykumar, K. S. Ashwath and Narasimharaju. The film had musical score by S. Hanumantha Rao.
Parvathi Kalyana is a 1967 Indian Kannada-language film, directed by B. S. Ranga and produced by B. S. Ranga. The film stars Rajkumar, Chandrakala, Udaykumar, M. P. Shankar and Raghavendra Rao. The film has musical score by G. K. Venkatesh.
Mahasathi Anasuya is a 1965 Indian Kannada-language film, directed and produced by B. S. Ranga. The film stars Rajkumar, Pandari Bai, Leelavathi, Jayanthi and Vanisri. The film has musical score by S. Hanumantha Rao. Rajkumar portrayed the role of god-sage Narada in the movie.
Anuradha is a 1967 Indian Kannada film, directed by Aruru Pattabhi and produced by Pandari Bai. The film stars Raja Shankar, Jayanthi, K. S. Ashwath and Pandari Bai in the lead roles. The film has musical score by Rajan Nagendra. Dr. Rajkumar appeared as himself in a cameo role in this movie. This was his first guest appearance role in a movie.
Bhagyodaya is a 1956 Indian Kannada-language film directed by P. V. Babu. The film stars Sowkar Janaki and T. R. Narasimha Raju. This was the 61st talkie movie made in Kannada industry since its inception in 1934. This was the debut movie of actor Udaykumar.
