P. Shanthakumari

Vellaala Subbamma (better known as Santhakumari) (17 May 1920 – 16 January 2006) was an Indian musical artist and film actress. She was married to the Telugu film director and producer P. Pullaiah.

For the Malayalam film actress, see Santhakumari (Malayalam actress).

P. Shanthakumari
Shanthakumari (1949)
Born
Vellala Subbamma

17 May 1920
Proddatur, Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh, India
Died16 January 2006 (aged 85)
OccupationActress
Years active1936-1979
Spouse(s)P. Pullaiah

Early years

Vellaala Subbamma was born in Proddatur town, (Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh) to Sreenivasa Rao and Pedda Narasamma. Her father was an actor and her mother was a classical music singer. Santhakumari learned classical music and violin under the guidance of Professor P. Sambamurthy and was a classmate of D. K. Pattammal. She joined a drama troupe and was an AIR artiste by the age of sixteen. She came to Madras (now Chennai) to pursue a career in music. She found employment in Vidyodaya School for a remuneration of Rs 2 per month. She sang along with music director S. Rajeswara Rao for AIR.

Film career

Santhakumari debuted in Telugu Cinema with Mayabazar (also known as Sasirekhaa Parinayam) in 1936. In the following year she was a member of the cast of Sarangadhara, a film that was directed by P. Pullaiah, whom she met and married in the same year.

The couple used the name of PadmaSree Pictures, named after their daughter Padma, for some of their movies and had success with films such as Jayabheri (1959), Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam (1960), and Preminchi Choodu (1965). Santhakumari acted in most of the movies that were made by her husband, including Shavukaru (1950), Ardhangi (1955), Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam (1960), Shanti Nivasam (1960), and Ramudu Bheemudu (1964).

In 1947, the couple started the Ragini Pictures banner with Bheemavarapu Narasimha Rao and Bhakta Jana. They made 22 films on both PadmaSree and Ragini banners put together.

She played many lead and supporting roles, with around 250 appearances in total.[1]

Awards and recognition

For her contributions to Telugu Cinema, Santha Kumari was awarded the Raghupathi Venkaiah Award in 1998.

Filmography

This is partial filmography of Santha Kumari. Kindly help expanding it.

YearFilmLanguageCreditsCharacter
1936Sasirekha ParinayamTeluguActressSasirekha
1937SarangadharaTeluguActress and playback singerChitrangi
1938Bhakta JayadevaTeluguActress
1939BalajiTeluguActress and playback singerConsort of Venkateswara
1941DharmapatniTeluguActress and playback singer
Parvati KalyanamTeluguActress
1943Krishna PremaTeluguActress and playback singerRadha
1945MayalokamTeluguActress and playback singer
1948Bhaktha JanaTamilActress
1949Gunasundari KathaTeluguActressRupasundari
1950ShavukaruTeluguActress and playback singerSanthi
1952DharmadevataTeluguActressKathyayini
1952DaasiTeluguActressParvathamma
1953Velaikari MagalTamilActressParvathamma
1953PonniTamilActress
1955ArdhangiTeluguActress and playback singer
1955Pennin PerumaiTamilActress
1957SarangadharaTeluguActressQueen Rathnangi
1958SarangadharaTamilActressQueen Rathnangi
1958Bommai KalyanamTamilActressThangam
1958Bommala PelliTeluguActress
1959JayabheriTeluguActressAnnapoorna
1959KalaivananTamilActressAnnapoorna
1960Sri Venkateswara MahatmyamTeluguActressVakula
1960VidivelliTamilActressChandru's Mother
1962Siri SampadaluTeluguActress
1962Policekaran MagalTamilActress
1964Ramudu BheemuduTeluguActress
1965Preminchi ChooduTeluguActress
1967Prana MithruluTeluguActressJagadamba
1970Akka ChelleluTeluguActressMother of Judge Ramachandra Rao
1970Talla PellammaTeluguActress
1971Prem NagarTeluguActress
1971Pavitra HrudayaluTeluguActress
1972Koduku KodaluTeluguActress
1972Vasantha MaligaiTamilActressAnand and Vijay's mother
1975PiriyavidaiTamilActress and singer
1976SecretaryTeluguActress
1979MuttaiduvaTeluguActress

See also

References
  1. Find Tamil Actress P. Santha Kumari Videos, P. Santha Kumari Movies, P. Santha Kumari Pictures and Filmography | Jointscene.com
  • P. Shanthakumari at IMDb
  • Shanta Kumari Profile - Telugu Cinema
  • M. L. Narasimham (20 October 2000). "Unforgettable screen mother". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016.
  • Kannil Therivadhu on YouTube - A song scene from Piriyavidai (1975) with Shanthakumari acting and singing
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