Madhavi

Kanaka Vijayalakshmi, known by her stage name Maadhavi, is a popular Indian film actress who has acted in several Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam films. In a career spanning 20 years, she has acted in more than 300 films. She was one of the most leading and most successful actresses of South Indian Cinema throughout the 1980s and in early 1990s. She was popular in Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi films. She has won State Film Awards and Filmfare Awards. After establishing herself as a known actress of the South Indian Film Industry of the 1980s and early 90s, she left the industry in 1997.

Early life Maadhavi was born in 1962 in Velupucherla village in Eluru district, Andhra Pradesh, India to Sasirekha and Govindaswamy. She grew up with a sister and a brother, named Keerthi Kumari and Dhananjay respectively.

She learned Bharatanatyam from Uma Maheswari and folk dance from Bhatt from an early age and gave more than a thousand dance performances. She attended Stanley Girls High School in Hyderabad, Abids Branch.

Career Director Dasari Narayana Rao gave her a starring role in the Telugu film Thoorupu Padamara when she was a teenager. The film became a huge hit. K. Balachander then cast her in a supporting role in his Telugu film Maro Charitra (1978). She reprised her role in its Hindi remake Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981), which became the top-grossing film of 1981. In both films, she played a lonely wealthy woman who falls in love with Kamal Haasan's character. She earned a Filmfare Award nomination as Best Supporting Actress. K. Balachander introduced her to the Tamil film industry with Thillu Mullu (1981), opposite Rajinikanth. By the end of the decade, she starred opposite Amitabh Bachchan in the Hindi film Andha Kanoon 1983, Geraftaar 1985, Agneepath (1990).

She has acted in many Kannada movies with stalwarts like Dr. Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan, Anant Nag and Ambareesh. She starred in seven movies with Rajkumar - Haalu Jenu, Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma, Anuraga Aralithu, Shruthi Seridaaga, Jeevana Chaitra, Aakasmika and Odahuttidavaru. With Vishnuvardhan too she has acted in seven movies - Onde Guri, Gandugali Rama, Chinnadantha Maga, Rudranaga, Khaidi, Chanakya and Malaya Marutha.

Madhavi acted alongside Kamal Haasan in Raja Paarvai, Tik Tik Tik, Kaakki Sattai, Sattam, Ellam Inba Mayam and Mangamma Sabadham. Her films with Rajinikanth include Garjanai, Thillu Mullu, Thambikku Entha Ooru, Un Kannil Neer Vazhindal and Viduthalai. She was in Enga Oor Kannagi, Neethi Devan Mayakkam and Nirabaraadhi.

She acted in a number of films with Telugu actor Chiranjeevi. Her first movie with Chiranjeevi was Intlo Ramayya Veedhilo Krishnayya in 1982. She acted again with Chiranjeevi in the movie Khaidi which was a massive hit. Her last movie in Telugu was Big Boss (another Chiranjeevi film).

She appeared in many Malayalam films especially those starring Mohanlal and Mammootty. She portrayed Unniyarcha in the National Award-winning movie Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha (1989). Her portrayal as a mother who dies of leukemia in Akashadoothu won her the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress and Filmfare Award for Best Actress for 1993. Other films include Ormakkayi, Changatham, Novemberinte Nashtam and Nombarathi Poovu

Most of her author-backed roles were in Malayalam films. She has won three Kerala State Film Awards, one for Best Actress and two for Second Best Actress.

Personal life In 1996, her Hindu spiritual teacher Swami Rama arranged her marriage to one of his followers, a pharmaceutical businessman named Ralph Sharma. Ralph first met Swami Rama at the age of 32 at the Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy., and Maadhavi first met him in 1995. They married on 14 February 1996. They have three daughters and live in New Jersey.

Awards and honours Year Award Award category Work Result Reference 1981 Kerala State Film Awards Second Best Actress Valarthu Mrugangal 1982 Best Actress Ormakkayi 1993 Second Best Actress Aakashadoothu Filmfare Awards South Best Actress – Malayalam

Filmography

Telugu

Malayalam

Hindi

Year Film Role Notes 1981 Ek Duuje Ke Liye Sandhya Nominated — Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress 1983 Andha Kanoon Zakhiya Khan Special appearance 1984 Mujhe Shaktee Do 1984QaidiPreethi 1985 Misaal 1985 Geraftaar Inspector Geeta Sinha 1987 Loha Anita 1987 Kalyug Aur Ramayan Sarita 1987 Satyamev Jayathe Pooja Shastry 1987 Insaaf Kaun Karega Priya 1988 Pyar Ka Mandir Radha 1988 Mar Mitenge Radha 1988 Falak Rita D'Souza 1989 Paraya Ghar Meena 1989 Jaaydaad Advocate Anjali 1989 Lashkar Anand's wife 1989 Zakham Asha 1989 Nafrat Ki Aandhi Geeta 1990 Sheshnaag Banu 1990 Muqadammah 1990 Haar Jeet 1990 Swarg Janaki Kumar 1990 Agneepath Mary Mathew 1990 Agneekaal Asha 1991 Maza Pritesh 1992 Sarphira Prema 1992 Lambu Dada Anita 1992 Jigar 1994 Khudai Sakhi Swami

Tamil

Year Film Role Notes 1979 Pudhiya Thoranangal Kanniamma 1980 Veera Penn — 1981 Enga Ooru Kannagi Jabili Amara Kaaviyam Aruna Thillu Mullu Sarojini Garjanai Geetha Sathya Sundharam Lakshmi Raja Paarvai Nancy Tik Tik Tik Sharadha Ellam Inba Mayyam Madhavi Panimalar — 1982 Neethi Devan Mayakkam Bharathi Kavithai Malar — 1983 Sattam Radha Sattathukku Oru Saval Manjula Chandi Samundi — 1984 Thambikku Entha Ooru Sumathi Niraparaadhi Radha 1985 Kaakki Sattai Anitha Jhansi Rani — Mangamma Sabadham Nancy Andavan Sothu — Un Kannil Neer Vazhindal Padma 1986 Viduthalai Radha Vettaipuli — 1987 Oor Kuruvi — 1990 Athisaya Piravi Rambha Guest appearance

Kannada