T. R. Rajakumari
T. R. Rajakumari | |
|---|---|
 T. R. Rajakumari in Sivakavi (1943). | |
| Born | Thanjavur Radhakrishnan Rajayee 5 May 1922 |
| Died | 20 September 1999 (age 77) Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Years active | 1936–1963 |
| Parent(s) | Father: Radhakrishnan Mother: Ranganayaki |
| Family | T. S. Damayanthi (Sister), T. D. Kusalakumari (niece), T. R. Ramanna (brother) |
Thanjavur Radhakrishnan Rajayee (5 May 1922 – 20 September 1999), better known by her screen name T. R. Rajakumari, was an Indian actress, Carnatic singer and dancer. She has been called the first "dreamy girl" of Tamil cinema.[1][2][3]
Film career
[edit]Rajayee made her film debut in Kumara Kulothungan, which was produced in 1938–39 but was released in 1941 after Kacha Devayani. In the initial ads, her name appeared as T. R. Rajayee, but later in the film, she was credited as T. R. Rajalakshmi. Her second film, Mandharavathi, directed by D.S. Marconi, was also released in 1941.[4] Kacha Devayani (1941) was a hit and helped launch her career in movies. There is some confusion about which film she actually made her debut in, as the director of Kacha Devayani' K. Subramaniam, later insisted that he was the one who introduced her to films.[5][6] In 1944, Rajakumari starred in the record-breaking film Haridas alongside M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and gained recognition for her glamorous portrayal.[7]
In her Tamil film career, Rajakumari acted as the female lead opposite many major film stars, including Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, T. R. Mahalingam, K. R. Ramasamy, P. U. Chinnappa, M. G. Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan. She also started a film production company (with her brother T. R. Ramanna) called "R. R. Pictures" and produced films like Vaazhapirandhavan (1953), Koondukkili (1954), Gul-E-Bagaavali (1955), Paasam (1962), Periya Idathu Penn (1963), Panam Padaithavan (1965) and Parakkum Paavai (1966). Her last film as an actress was Vanambadi (1963).[1][8]
Later life and death
[edit]Rajakumari died on 20 September 1999 after a prolonged illness.[9]
Partial filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Language | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 | Karwan-E-Hayat | Hindi | Princess of Vijaypore | |
| Urdu | ||||
| 1936 | Devdas | Hindi | Chandramukhi | |
| 1939 | Kumara Kulothungan | Tamil | Buvaneswari | |
| 1941 | Kacha Devayani | Devayani | ||
| Mandharavathi | ||||
| Surya Puthri | Queen Sulochana | |||
| 1942 | Sathi Sukanya | |||
| Manonmani | Manonmani | |||
| 1943 | Sivakavi | Vanji | ||
| Kubera Kuchela | Mallika | |||
| 1944 | Haridas | Ramba (Dasi) | ||
| Prabhavathi | Mayavathi | |||
| 1945 | Saalivaahanan | Chandralekha | ||
| 1946 | Valmiki | |||
| Vikatayogi | ||||
| 1947 | Pankajavalli | |||
| 1948 | Brahma Rishi Vishwamitra | Menaka | ||
| Chandralekha | Chandralekha | |||
| Hindi | ||||
| 1949 | Krishna Bakthi | Tamil | Devakumari | |
| Pavalakkodi | Pavalakkodi | |||
| 1950 | Ithaya Geetham | Thara | ||
| Vijayakumari | ||||
| 1951 | Vanasundari | Vanasundari | ||
| 1952 | Amarakavi | Padmini | Bilingual film | |
| Amarakavi | Telugu | |||
| 1953 | Anbu | Tamil | Thangam | |
| En Veedu | ||||
| Na Illu | Telugu | |||
| Panakkaari | Tamil | |||
| Vazha Pirandhaval | ||||
| 1954 | Manohara | Hindi | Vasanthasena | Trilingual film |
| Manohara | Tamil | Vasanthasenai | ||
| Manohara | Telugu | Vasanthasena | ||
| 1955 | Gulebagavali | Tamil | Princess Lakbesha | |
| Rajkumari | Hindi | |||
| 1957 | Pudhumai Pithan | Tamil | Inbavalli | |
| Thangamalai Ragasiyam | Nandhini | |||
| Rathnagiri Rahasyam | Telugu | |||
| 1957 | Veera Khadgamu | Inbavalli | ||
| 1959 | Thanga Padhumai | Tamil | Maya Mohini | |
| 1961 | Kanyaka Parameswari Mahatmyam | Telugu | ||
| 1962 | Paasam | Tamil | Shantha | |
| 1963 | Vanambadi | Parvathi | ||
| Periya Idathu Penn | Gangamma |
Discography
[edit]| Year | Film | Language | Song | Co-singers | Music Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | Kacha Devayani | Tamil | Parkka Parkka Thikattuvathumillai | Vidwan V. S. Parthasarathy Iyengar | |
| Bhoomiyinezhil Pukalavu Medharama | Kothamangalam Seenu & Kothamangalam Subbu | ||||
| Premaiye Jagam | Kothamangalam Seenu | ||||
| Irunda Vazhvil Kuthuhalam | |||||
| Narumana Mikumalare Unadhu | |||||
| Sarasam Seiyave Vanthanai | Kothamangalam Seenu | ||||
| Parama Kripanidhe | |||||
| Anbariya Aadavar Irumbu | Kothamangalam Seenu | ||||
| Avanaiyiladavar Ullame Vairamadho | Kothamangalam Seenu | ||||
| 1943 | Kubera Kuchela | Ennai Vittu Engey Sentreer | Kunnakudi Venkatarama Iyer & S. V. Venkatraman | ||
| 1944 | Prabhavathi | Varuvare Varuvare | |||
| Engum Eppozhutham Vilaiyatta | C. Honnappa Bhagavathar & K. Mahadevan Iyer | ||||
| Ododi Vasantham Poovodu Sambandam | C. Honnappa Bhagavathar | ||||
| Gomatha Neeye Adharame Shri Gomatha | |||||
| Marumalithai Soodumthirumal Magan Enge | |||||
| 1947 | Pankajavalli | Dheivamum Mandhira Vaal | Papanasam Sivan | ||
| Devinin Vadivazhagai | |||||
| Chandralekha | Indrae Enathu Kuthukalam | S. Rajeswara Rao | |||
| Manamohana Saaranae | |||||
| Aaduven Mayilaayi Naan | Mayavaram Venu | ||||
| Vaanamengume Nirainthu | |||||
| 1949 | Krishna Bhakthi | Enna Vazhvu | S. V. Venkatraman & Kunnakudi Venkatarama Iyer | ||
| 1950 | Ithaya Geetham | Vaanulaavum Tharai Nee En Ithaya Geethame | T. R. Mahalingam | S. V. Venkatraman | |
| Odi Vaa Venmugil Poley | |||||
| 1950 | Vijayakumari | Katchi Yaavaiyum | K. R. Ramasamy & A. L. Raghavan | C. R. Subburaman & C. S. Jayaraman | |
| Pozhuthu Vidinthaal | |||||
| 1948 | Vanasundari | Kannile Vilaiyaadum Inba Kaadhal | P. U. Chinnappa | S. V. Venkataraman & C. R. Subburaman | |
| Mannan Pennaaga Naanum Mann Meedhu | |||||
| Namasthe Namasthe | P. U. Chinnappa | ||||
| 1952 | Amarakavi | Pasiyaale Nondhene | G. Ramanathan & T. A. Kalyanam | ||
| Thoondi Mullu Pole...Paarunga Thinnu | |||||
| 1953 | Anbu | Anbe Dheiveegam.... Anbaale Ulagil | T. R. Pappa | ||
| Kappadhu Un Paramamma | |||||
| Manadhu Magizhave Manamum | |||||
| 1953 | Vazha Pirandhaval | Chandiranai Polirukkumaa | G. Ramanathan & S. Rajeswara Rao | ||
| Vaazha Pirandhaval Naan | T. A. Mothi & P. Leela | ||||
| 1954 | Manohara | Pozhudhu Pularndhadhe | S. V. Venkatraman & T. R. Ramanathan |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Guy, Randor (17 November 1990). "T. R. Rajakumari: 'The dream girl' with many-sided talent". The Indian Express. p. 18.
- ^ "தமிழ்ப்பட உலகின் முதல் கனவுக்கன்னி டி.ஆர்.ராஜகுமாரி" [T. R. Rajakumari, the first dream girl of Tamil cinema]. Maalai Malar (in Tamil). 2 August 2009. Archived from the original on 13 August 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
- ^ "A Legend in her time - the Hindu". www.cscsarchive.org:80. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
- ^ Guy, Randor (22 March 2014). "Kumara Kulothungan (1941)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 23 March 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- ^ Narayanan, Aranthai (2009). Aramba Kaala Tamil cinema (1931–1941). Vijaya Publications. p. 107.
- ^ Randor Guy (23 October 2009). "Blast from the Past: Katcha Devayani 1941". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 29 November 2010. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
- ^ Guy, Randor (11 July 2008). "Blast From the Past : Haridas 1944". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 14 July 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
- ^ ""கனவுக்கன்னி" டி.ஆர்.ராஜகுமாரி 5 சூப்பர் ஸ்டார்களுடன் நடித்தார்". Maalai Malar. 4 August 2009. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
- ^ "Actress Rajkumari dies at 79". The Indian Express. 21 September 1999. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
External links
[edit]- 1922 births
- 1999 deaths
- Tamil actresses
- People from Thanjavur district
- Actresses in Tamil cinema
- Singers from Tamil Nadu
- Dancers from Tamil Nadu
- Women Carnatic singers
- Indian female dancers
- 20th-century Indian actresses
- 20th-century Indian dancers
- Carnatic singers
- Indian women classical singers
- 20th-century Indian women singers
- 20th-century Indian singers
- Women musicians from Tamil Nadu