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Dr.Bhanumathi Ramakrishna
Dr. Paluvayi Bhanumathi Ramakrishna (September 7, 1925 – December 24, 2005) was a film actress, music director, singer, and songwriter. She was born in Doddavaram village of Guntur District (now in Prakasam district), Andhra Pradesh.
She married Sri P. S. Ramakrishna Rao, a film producer, director and editor of Telugu and Tamil Films on 8 August 1943. The couple had one son and later launched a Production company, Bharani Pictures.
She entered the film industry in 1935, and acted in over 200 films in Telugu and Tamil. She made her debut in Telugu cinema in 1939 in Varavikrayam (Telugu), directed by P Pulliah. In 1953, she made her directorial debut with 'Chandi Rani' (made simultaneously in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi).Her last film was made in 1998, entitled Pelli kanuka.
Apart from being an exceptional actress, she was also a very talented musician. She gave voice to her songs long after it became the norm to use playback singers for actors. Some of her songs are still popular like "Pilichina biguvatara" ,"kila kila navvula","preme nerama". She also provided music to a lot of her films.
Bhanumati was also a talented writer with a number of short stories to her credit. Her autobiography Nalo Nenu was published in Telugu and later, released in English as Musings. Bhanumati was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian recognition by the Government of India. She won the best actress awards multiple times. She also won the Best Director award at the state level.
Bhanumathi was an extremely versatile actress who was equally adept at social dramas, mythologicals, comedies as well as adventure and swashbucking films particularly those where she was paired with MGR. She acted opposite all the top heroes of her day - MGR, Sivaji Ganesan, A Nageshwara Rao and NT Rama Rao. Special mention must be made of her films with MGR. She was often cast as the Damsel-in-Distress in these films with MGR cast as a Robin Hood like vigilante. (Malaikallan (1954), Alibabavum Narpatha Thirudargalum (1955) and Madurai Veeran (1956) etc.)
Some of her popular films with Sivaji Ganesan include Rangoon Radha (1956), Ambikapathy (1957) and Makkalai Petra Maharasi (1957). A compilation film, Chitramala (1985), features her songs and dances, She also wrote her autobiography, Naalo Neno (1993) which won an award. Bhanumathi, in fact, received several awards and felicitations in her lifetime including the Padma Shri. Her collection of short stories about mother in laws, Attagari Kathalu won her the Sahitya Academy award in 1966. In 1994, the London Doctors Association honoured her as a 'Great Artiste.'
It is indeed a tragic state of affairs that Mumbai, (which conisders itself the film capital of India) barring one daily, failed to even carry a report of Bhanumathi's death. This, when she was known as a one woman industry long, long before Amitabh Bachchan was known as a one man industry!
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