Vyjayanthimala

Vyjayanthimala Bali (née Raman; born 13 August 1933), known mononymously as Vyjayanthimala, is an Indian parliamentarian, dancer and former actress. Considered the first female superstar of Indian Cinema, she successfully transitioned from a child actor to one of the highest-paid and leading actresses of the 1950s and 1960s. Her performances were noted for integrating Indian classical dance with dramatic acting, helping her establish herself as one of Hindi cinema's finest actresses and dancers. In addition to several accolades, including four Filmfare Awards and two BFJA Awards, she was awarded the Padma Shri from the Government of India in 1968 and later Padma Vibhushan in 2024. She made her screen debut at the age of sixteen with the Tamil film Vaazhkai (1949), and followed this with a role in the Telugu film Jeevitham (1950). Her first work in Hindi cinema was the social guidance film Bahar (1951), which she headlined, and achieved her breakthrough with the romance Nagin (1954). She garnered widespread critical acclaim for her role in the period drama Devdas (1955), where she played Chandramukhi, a tawaif with a heart of gold. The film and her acting were highly praised, later considered to be her magnum opus. For Devdas, she won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress which she refused, stating that she played a leading role equal to that of Suchitra Sen, her co-star, and so she could not accept the award for a supporting role. She went on to star in series of commercial successes, which include the romance New Delhi (1956), the social drama Naya Daur (1957) and the comedy Aasha (1957). Her roles in the social drama Sadhna (1958) and the paranormal romance Madhumati (1958), each earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Awards for Best Actress, winning for the former which makes her...