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Top Old Kannada Actresses

When speaking about Old Kannada actresses, we can’t carry out the topic without discussing B Saroja Devi. Saroja Devi is one of the best actresses of her period. She was busy playing the leading lady in Tamil movies, too. Her films with Dr Rajkumar received a good response. Jayanthi is one among those on the list, like Saroja Devi, who worked in multiple film industries. These actresses were famous for their versatility in performing as well as dubbing on their own. When they played in Tamil films, they spoke the language fluently, and that’s the reason why the directors preferred them. Bharathi Vishnuvardhan followed the footpath of Sarojadevi and Jayanthi.

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1. Bharathi Vishnuvardhan

Bharathi Vishnuvardhan is an Indian actress who worked mainly in Kannada films. She also appeared in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. During the 60s to 80s, Bharathi appeared as a leading lady in Sandalwood. Bharathi who wanted to act in Marathi films too didn’t do so, and she later mused over that. Born on 15 August 1950, Bharathi hails from a Marathi-speaking culture. During 1975, she wedded Kannada superstar Vishnuvardhan. Bharathi ventured into the film industry with the 1964 Hindi flick Geet Gaya Patharon Ne. She venture...

Date of Birth: 15-08-1950

Age: 74

Star Sign: Leo

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress, Supporting Actress

Bharathi Vishnuvardhan Biography

Date of Birth: 15-08-1950

Age: 74

Star Sign: Leo

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress, Supporting Actress

2. Kannada Manjula

Manjula is an Indian Film Actress. She worked in the Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam Film Industries. Manjula was born on the 8th of November in the year 1954. She was born in Tumkur, Karnataka. Her father’s name is H. Shivanna, and her mother’s name is Deveramma. Her father was a Police Sub Inspector. She is married to Amritham, a Film Director who directed films like Kanasu Nanasu, Hudugaatada Hudugi, and a few more. They had a son whose name is Abhishek. Manjula later adopted a girl child and named her as Abhinaya. Manjula made her debut as a child actor with the Kannada film Mane Katti Nodu (1966). She later worked as a child actor in the films Padhavidhara (1967) and Eradu Mukha (1969). Manjula made her deb...

Date of Birth: 05-04-1951

Date of Death: 12-09-1986

Star Sign: Aries

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress

Kannada Manjula Biography

Date of Birth: 05-04-1951

Date of Death: 12-09-1986

Star Sign: Aries

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress

3. Padmapriya

Padmapriya is an Indian cinema artist who has appeared in films and television projects in the South Indian entertainment industry. Padmapriya was born in Karnataka and spoke Kannada at her home. In 1971, Padmapriya debuted in the Kannada movie industry by featuring in Amarabharathi as producer. In 1976, Padmapriya starred opposite Vishnuvardan in KSR Das’BangaradaGudi. It released on 13 August 1976 and did a decent business in the cinema halls in the Kannada regions. Padmapriya played a supporting role in V Somasekhar’s Shankar Guru in which the legendary actor Rajkumar had a triple role in it. Critics consider Shankar Guru as one of the best ...

Date of Birth: 28-02-1980

Age: 44

Star Sign: Pisces

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress

Padmapriya Biography

Date of Birth: 28-02-1980

Age: 44

Star Sign: Pisces

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress

4. Leelavathi

Leelavathi is a popular south Indian film actress who appears prominently in Kannada films. She was born in the year 1938 in Mangalore as Leela Kiran. She is very popular for her roles in Avargal, the Tamil film and Nagarahavu, a Kannada film. Her first movie was Chanchala Kumari, in which she appeared in a very small role. Her second movie is Naga Kannika. She was in the drama troupe of Mahalinga Bhagavathar. In 1958, she got an opportunity to act in the film Bhaktha Prahalada, which is said to be her real debut movie, as she was credited for the first time for her role in the name card. But Mangalya Yoga is said to be her first movie, with the main character. After she became the heroine, she got lots of opportunities and she never mis...

Date of Birth: 1938

Date of Death: 08-12-2023

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress

Leelavathi Biography

Date of Birth: 1938

Date of Death: 08-12-2023

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress

5. Aarathi

One of the leading ladies of the Kannada cinema during the 70s and 80s was ‘Aarathi’, who has always displayed a workmanlike sincerity and seriousness throughout her active career, and has always been engaged in some activity or the other. Although now, past her sixties, she can very well reminisce of her active film career, which has not only seen her as one of the most prolific actresses of her time, but also as one in which she has undertaken several directorial ventures, drawing appreciation of the critics. Like her films, her list of awards also has been quite numerous, having bagged the Filmfare and the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actress, four times each. In fact, even after she took to directi...

Date of Birth: 31-12-1954

Age: 69

Star Sign: Capricorn

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Director, TV-Actress, Producer, Movie Actress, Politician, Supporting Actress

Aarathi Biography

Date of Birth: 31-12-1954

Age: 69

Star Sign: Capricorn

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Director, TV-Actress, Producer, Movie Actress, Politician, Supporting Actress

6. Jayamala

Jayamala is a south Indian actress, who made her career in Kannada films. She made her entry in 1970s and the 1980s which are often considered to be the golden age of Kannada cinema. It was also the period that witnessed the birth of alternate cinema. Rajkumar and Vishnu Vardhan were then considered the two pillars of the Kannada film Industry. Shankar Nag also made his own mark in that period and Jayamala was lucky enough to act with all versatile performers like Shankar Nag, Rajkumar, Ambareesh and Vishnu Vardhan. She acted over 40 films in a career spanning over 35 years. This actress was a multifaceted personality in the Kannada film industry. She was not only a leadin...

Date of Birth: 28-02-1959

Age: 65

Star Sign: Pisces

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Director, Producer, Movie Actress

Jayamala Biography

Date of Birth: 28-02-1959

Age: 65

Star Sign: Pisces

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Director, Producer, Movie Actress

7. Jayanthi

Jayanthi, aka Kamala Kumari, is a veteran actress who was famously addressed ‘Abhinaya Sharadhe’ for her talent in the field. She is also known for her versatility, having acted in nearly 500 films of six language films, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, and Marathi. This is an accomplishment that female actors of the ’60s have rarely achieved. Jayanthi’s childhood wasn’t as grand as her future life was. With divorced parents and poverty, she experienced something of a humble beginning. Dance, however, has always been her love, passion, and asset and later became the reason for her being noticed and launched in films. She adored N.T.Rama Rao, a popular veteran Telugu actor. She&n...

Date of Birth: 06-01-1945

Date of Death: 26-07-2021

Star Sign: Capricorn

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress

Jayanthi Biography

Date of Birth: 06-01-1945

Date of Death: 26-07-2021

Star Sign: Capricorn

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress

8. B.Saroja Devi

B. Saroja Devi is an Indian actress born on 7 January 1938 in Karnataka to Rudramma and Bhairappa.Her father worked in the Police department. B.Saroja Devi has acted in Kannada, Tamil, Hindi and Telugu movies. She debuted with the film Mahakavi Kalidasa in 1955 for which she won a National Award. She was cast always opposite the much sought after stars in the film industry, Such stars are Dr. Rajkumar, ANR, NTR MGR, Gemini Ganesan, Sivaji Ganeshan, S.S.Rajendran. After this she started getting offers from Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu films. She was working more than 20 hours a day in this peak period of her career she is called as "Kannadathu Paingili" by Tamil film industry and as "Abinaya Saraswathi" by Kannada Film Industry. She has a...

Date of Birth: 07-01-1942

Age: 82

Star Sign: Capricorn

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress

B.Saroja Devi Biography

Date of Birth: 07-01-1942

Age: 82

Star Sign: Capricorn

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress

9. Vanitha Vasu

Vanitha Vasu is a well-known and renowned Indian actress and model. Vasu is known for her predominant contributions to the Kannada television and film industry. Vanitha is quite famous amongst the Kannad fans for her brilliant acting skills. Vanitha was born in Bengaluru, Karnataka. She has completed her studies in Bengaluru. Vanitha made her presence in the acting industry in the year 1987 by making her debut with the thriller movie Aganthuka, produced under the film banner named Anubhava. Some of her roles in films such as Nagamandala, Kadina Benki in 1988 are the most popular ones. Her other credits include films such as Ganda Mane Makkalu in 1988, Bhagavan Sri Saibaba in 1993, Baa Bega Chandamama in 2003, Golmal Radhakrishna-...

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress

Vanitha Vasu Biography

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress

10. Kalpana - Kannada

Kalpana was a veteran actress in South Indian Screen and had predominantly acted in Kannada films and was considered a style icon. She set a trend in dresses, jewels and even saris that she had worn on the screen which ultimately became a fashion in the consumer world. She was an actress who had dominated the screen with feminist characters that sent a message to the society and even film fraternity too. She made a successful pair with Dr Rajkumar and after getting huge success in Kannada films, she even had acted in Tulu, Tamil and Telugu languages too. She debuted in Kannada film industry and paired with Rajkumar in ‘Saaku Magalu’ which was an instant hit in 1963. Then, she emerged as a star in ...

Date of Birth: 08-07-1943

Date of Death: 12-05-1979

Star Sign: Cancer

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada

Skills: Movie Actress

Kalpana - Kannada Biography

Date of Birth: 08-07-1943

Date of Death: 12-05-1979

Star Sign: Cancer

Gender: Female

Language: Kannada