Often lauded as Indian cinema’s first female superstar, Vyjayanthimala is a term that brings out images of grace, great acting ability and amazing dance skills. A pioneer who put together classical dance into mainstream commercial cinema, she transformed the role of the lead actress in Indian films. Her legacy in arts, politics and culture still inspires many.
Early Life and Childhood Virtuoso
Born in 1933 in Triplicane, which is present-day Chennai (then Madras), Vyjayanthimala turns 92 in 2026. Into an artistic family, she was born. Her mother, Vasundhara Devi, was a famous actress of that time. Due to her mother’s extensive work schedule, which took her away from home, Vyjayanthimala was brought up by her grandmother, who in turn instilled in her strong values and a great respect for traditional arts.
At a very young age, her talent showed through. By the age of four, which is rare, she saw her travel to Vatican City to perform a classical dance for Pope Pius XII. As she grew up, she attended the Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School in Chennai. She took formal training in Carnatic music from Manakkal Sivaraja and did very well in Bharatanatyam under the guidance of Guru Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai. At the age of 13, she did her arangetram (which is the stage of the debut performance on stage), which in turn set the stage for a legendary journey ahead.
A Trailblazing Cinematic Career
By chance, it was family friend M.V. Raman who signed 15-year-old Vyjayanthimala to the Tamil film Vazhakai (1949). That film went on to be a great commercial success, which in turn saw a Telugu remake of the film the following year, which also included her.
In 1951, she made her way into the world of Hindi cinema with the social issue film Bahar. However, what broke through for her and shot her to national fame was the 1954 release of Nagin, which was a romantic thriller.
Her filmography is a timeline of landmark cinematic achievements.
- Devdas (1955): In the role of Chandramukhi, which is a classic one, she won praise from critics. Also, it is to be noted that although she won the award which came her way for Best Supporting Actress, she turned down the honour as the role in fact was that of a lead, which is at par with that of the main actress.
- Naya Daur (1957) & Madhumati (1958): In these films, she made her mark in Hindi cinema through her powerful dramatic performances, which also saw her put out signature dance numbers.
These awards for her masterful performances got her multiple Filmfare Best Actress Awards, which in turn secured her place at the top of Bollywood.
After breaking out of the norm and displaying great versatility in films like Amrapali (1966), Jewel Thief (1967) and Prince (1969), she decided to retire from the silver screen at the height of her career. Her last lead role was in the 1970 film Ganwaar, which marked the end of a very successful 20-year career that saw her in 63 films.
Marriage, Family, and Personal Life
Following her retirement from acting, Vyjayanthimala put her energy into her personal life. In 1968, she married Dr Chamanlal Bali, which was a union with a health-related focus. Also out of this union came their son, Suchindra Bali, who had a short time in the acting world. The couple, who had very strong support for each other, were together until Dr Bali died in 1986.
In 2007, she released her frank autobiography, which saw her reflect on a great life and also put an end to fortesan tabloid reports of past romantic involvement with former co-stars.
Public Service and Enduring Legacy
In 1968, the Government of India awarded her the Padma Shri, which was followed by the very elite Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for her lifetime of work in Bharatanatyam. Also running her own dance academy, which she still does today, she is a great cultural icon, a true superstar who went from the film industry to the parliament and back to the classical stage.
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