T. Kanakam

T. Kanakam (c. 1927 – 21 July 2015) was an Indian Telugu drama and film actress and singer between the 1940s and 1960s. She acted in some of the best known and most popular hit films of that period.

Biography Kanakam was born in Kharagpur in 1927 and later relocated to Vijayawada. She started singing folk songs in All India Radio since childhood. She became famous for playing Nayakuralu Nagamma in Palnati Yudham and Sri Krishna in Kurukshetram dramas. She also played as Srirama, Chintamani and many more and toured the entire state playing the dramas. She is contemporary to Peesapati Narasimha Murty, Shanmukhi Anjaneya Raju, Kalyanam Raghuramaiah, Relangi, Madhavapeddi Satyam and others.

She sang some songs in the films including Cheyi Cheyi Kalupukora in Raksharekha and Bhale Doralaku in Shavukaru.

She received the Nandamuri Taraka Ramarao Theatre Art Award for 2004 from the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Kanakam died in 2015, aged 88.

Filmography Year Film Language Character 1946 Gruhapravesam Telugu 1947 Brahma Ratham Telugu 1949 Gunasundari Katha Telugu Yakshini 1949 Keelu Gurram Telugu 1949 Raksha Rekha Telugu 1950 Shavukaru Telugu Raami 1951 Aakasa Raju Telugu 1951 Patala Bhairavi Telugu 1951 Agni Pareeksha Telugu 1951 Maya Pilla Telugu 1952 Daasi Telugu Durgi 1953 Velaikari Magal Tamil Durgi 1954 Peddamanushulu Telugu Item number 1966 Letha Manasulu Telugu 1967 Bhakta Prahlada Telugu