Bharathi Vishnuvardhan
Born
Bharathidevi Rao

(1950-08-15) 15 August 1950
Bhadravati, Karnataka, India
OccupationActress
Years active1966–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1975; died 2009)​
Children2
AwardsPadma Shri (2017)

Bharathi Vishnuvardhan (born 15 August 1950),[1] also known mononymously as Bharathi, is an Indian actress known primarily for her work in Kannada cinema and television serials.[2] She began her career in 1966, as a lead actress, with the Kannada movie Love in Bangalore. In a career spanning over 50 years, Bharathi has appeared in 150 films. Apart from 100 films in Kannada, she has also acted in a handful of Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films. In the course of her career, she became known for portrayal of the roles mythological and historical characters, and also that of a student, a romantic and a rural belle.[1] Her role in Sri Krishnadevaraya (1970) as Chennambike won her the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actress. In 2017, she was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India.[3]

Personal life

Bharathi was born in Bhadravathi on 15 August 1950 in the erstwhile Indian state of Mysore (now Karnataka).[1] Her father V. M. Ramachandra Rao was a tailor and mother Bhadravathi Bai was a homemaker. Bharathi studied at Malleswaram Ladies Association (M.L.A) High School and then joined Maharani's Women's Science College in Bengaluru.[4] While she was active in both sports and dance, her ambition at the time was to become a badminton player or an athlete. She even represented Karnataka State Level Throw-ball team during her college days. Destiny willed otherwise. In 1964, photos of her dance performance caught the eye of Kannada actor Kalyan Kumar, who cast her in Love in Bangalore.

Bharathi married actor Dr. Vishnuvardhan on 27 February 1975 in Bengaluru. They have two adopted daughters Keerthi and Chandana.[5] Dr. Vishnuvardhan died on 30 December 2009, aged 59 from cardiac arrest.[6]

Career

Her first Kannada release was Dudde Doddappa followed by Love in Bangalore. Her sensitive portrayal of a singer in Sandhya Raga won her critical acclaim and she went on to form a successful romantic pair with Rajkumar. The iconic pair went on to give hit after hit until 1972, very significant among them are Sri Krishnadevaraya, Bangaaradha Manushya and Mayor Muthanna. She formed a popular pair with Vishnuvardhan (who then became her husband) and they starred in blockbusters like Bhagya Jyothi, Makkala Bhagya, Devara Gudi, Nagara Hole and Bangarada Jinke.

Bharathi was introduced to Hindi cinema by director A. Bhimsingh with Mehrban (1967) and Saadhu Aur Shaitaan (1968). She acted in several Hindi films like Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani opposite Rakesh Roshan, Manoj Kumar's Purab Aur Paschim and Hum Tum Aur Woh with Vinod Khanna, Mastana and Mehmood's Kunwaara Baap (1974).

Bharathi played supporting roles in two of M. G. Ramachandran's 1966 movies Nadodi and Chandhrodhayam which elevated her profile in Tamil arena. Later, she graduated to lead heroine roles with Deiva Cheyal, Avalukendru Or Manam and Thanga Surangam opposite stars like Muthuraman, Gemini Ganeshan, and Shivaji Ganeshan.

After a brief hiatus from the movies she returned to the Kannada screen in 1984 with Puttanna Kanagal's much acclaimed Runamukthalu and started her second innings as a lead heroine in slightly more mature roles, going on to star in several movies each with lead actors of the time - Anant Nag (Maneye Manthralaya, Shanthi Nivasa) Prabhakar (Bandha Mukta), (Thaliya Aane), Ambareesh (Matsara) and Rajesh (Tavaru Mane). She also starred in several Hindi films in her second innings - Prabhat Khanna's Uttar Dakshin (1987), Izzatdaar (1990 with Dilip Kumar), Khel and Aao Pyaar Karen.

She acted in the Kannada Doordarshan serial Janani in the late 90s. In 2012, she appeared as a strict, no-nonsense sessions court judge in T.N. Seetharam's Kannada daily serial Mukta-Mukta.

Bharathi has acted in Telugu movies like Jai Jawan (1970), Govula Gopanna (1968) and Sipayi Chinnayya with Akkineni Nageswara Rao and various Malayalam films with many leading actors, mainly in character roles.

Apart from acting, Bharathi has also been a singer and associate director in the film industry, singing a duet with T.M. Soundarrajan, a Tamil song "Thanga Nilave Nee Illamal" picturised on her and Gemini Ganesan. She sang a Kannada song "Ee Notake Mai Matake" with her husband Vishnuvardhan for the movie Nagara Hole. She worked as associate director with K. S. L. Swamy for the movies Karune Illada Kanoonu, Huli Hejje and the classic Malaya Marutha.

Filmography

Below is a partial list of her films.

Year Film Role Language Notes
1966Love in BangaloreKannada
1966Dudde DoddappaKalpanaKannada
1966Emme ThammannaMeenaKannada
1966Sandhya RagaKannada
1966Madhu MalathiMadhumalathiKannada
1966NadodiMeena DharmalingamTamilDebut in Tamil
1966ChandhrodhayamKamalaTamil
1966Enga PaappaTamil
1966Namma Veettu LakshmiSaradamma's daughterTamil
1967Beedi BasavannaVijayaKannada
1967RajashekaraMangalaKannada
1967 Pattukunte Padivelu[7] Kalpana Telugu
1967Thanga ThambiParvathiTamil
1967Rajadurgada RahasyaMangalaKannada
1967MehrbanGeeta Shanti SwarupHindi
1967Deiva CheyalTamil
1967Valiba VirundhuRadhaTamil
1967Naan Yaar TheriyumaTamil
1967Aggi DoraTelugu
1967Gange GowriGangeKannada
1967Pattukunte PadiveluTelugu
1968Uyarndha ManithanGowriTamil
1968Sadhu Aur ShaitaanVidya Shastri/ChuniyaHindi
1968AmmaMalaKannada
1968Mana SamsaramTelugu
1968Ninne PelladutaUmaTelugu
1968Nimirindhu NilTamil
1968Kalisina ManasuluTelugu
1968ManassakshiGowriKannada
1968Bangaru GaajuluSaradaTelugu
1968Govula GopannaRadhaTelugu
1968Poovum PottumAmudhaTamil
1968Nane BhagyavathiKannada
1968Lakshmi NivasamKalpanaTelugu
1969Nangu KilladigalTamil
1969Mayor MuthannaGeethaKannada
1969Ardha RathriTelugu
1969Gandondu HennaruVeenaKannada
1969Thanga SurangamAmuthaTamil
1969Shiva BhakthaKannada
1969PadichakallanMalayalam
1969Sipayi ChinnayyaShobhaTelugu
1969ChadurangaKannada
1969Nil Gavani KadhaliMalathyTamil
1969GruhalakshmiKannada
1970Jai JawanSusheela / SujathaTelugu
1970Aliya GeleyaKannada
1970AkhanduduJayapradaTelugu
1970Baalu BelagithuLakshmiKannada
1970Sri KrishnadevarayaChinnaKannadaKarnataka State Film Award for Best Actress
1970Purab Aur PaschimGopiHindi
1970Hasiru ThoranaMeenaKannada
1970SnehithiTamil
1970Bhale JodiSunithaKannada
1970MastanaSharadaHindi
1970Ghar Ghar Ki KahaniSeemaHindi
1970Rangamahal RahasyaKamalaKannada
1970Andariki MonagaduTelugu
1971Avalukendru Or ManamLalithaTamil
1971Sri Krishna Rukmini SatyabhamaSathyabhamaKannada
1971Duniya Kya JaaneHindi
1971Kula GouravaRadhaKannada
1971Thayi DevaruGirijaKannada
1971SeemaHindi
1971Hum Tum Aur WohAartiHindi
1971Andam Kosam PandemTelugu
1971Namma SamsaraBhamaKannada
1971Meendum VazhvenShanthiTamil
1971Naa ThammuduTelugu
1972Janma RahasyaKannada
1972Jeevana JokaliKannada
1972Jaga Mecchida MagaYaminiKannada
1972Hrudaya SangamaBelli / ChandraKannada
1972Annamitta KaiDr. KalpanaTamil
1972Bangaaradha ManushyaLakshmiKannada
1972Aankh MicholiGeetaHindi
1972Unakkum EnakkumTamil
1972Sub Ka SaathiChitraHindi
1972Chitti ThalliTelugu
1973BidugadeShobhaKannada
1973SwayamvaraKannada
1973Doorada BettaGowriKannada
1973Mane Belagida SoseKannada
1973PonvanduTamil
1973Neramu SikshaSujathaTelugu
1974Mugguru AmmayiluTelugu
1974Anna AttigeHemaKannada
1974Kunwara BaapRadhaHindi
1974ThulasiTelugu
1974Amma ManasuTelugu
1974Anaganaga Oka ThandriTelugu
1974Adapillala ThandriTelugu
1974HarathiTelugu
1975Onde Roopa Eradu GunaKannadaCameo
1975Devara GudiSuchitraKannada
1975KaveriKaveriKannada
1975Kotha KapuramTelugu
1975Bhagya JyothiJyothiKannada
1975SaubhagyavathiTelugu
1975Puttinti GowravamTelugu
1975Pandanti SamsaramTelugu
1975Kathanayakuni KathaTelugu
1975Pellade BommaTelugu
1976Makkala BhagyaKannada
1976Vadhu VaruluTelugu
1977Devare DikkuKannada
1977ManassakshiIndiraTelugu
1977Nee Vazha VendumTamil
1977Nagara HoleMadhuKannada
1978Madhura SangamaLalithambeKannadaCameo
1978PrathimaKannada
1978SandharbhaKannada
1979ManiniKannada
1980ChitrakootaKannada
1980Rahasya RathriKannada
1980Bangarada JinkeBhagyaKannada
1982Pedda GeddaLawyerKannadaCameo
1983Kranthiyogi BasavannaAkka MahadeviKannadaCameo
1984RunamukthaluGodaKannada
1986Tavaru ManeThaiKannada
1986Maneye ManthralayaKannada
1986Namma Oora DevatheKannada
1986Ella HengasarindaKannada
1986UppuKhadeejaMalayalam
1986Padikkatha PadamTamil
1987Uttar DakshinBharathiHindi
1987Bandha MuktaKannada
1987Thaliya AaneKannada
1987Prema KadambariKannada
1988Shanthi NivasaKannada
1988 Chinni Krishnudu Telugu
1988Mutthinantha ManushyaKannada
1989Yuddha KaandaSharada DeviKannada
1990MatsaraBhavanaKannada
1990IzzatdaarSujathaHindi
1990Bannada GejjeVyjayanthiKannada
1990Prema YuddhamVyjayanthiTelugu
1990Urudhi MozhiAbhiramiTamil
1991SanthwanamSubhadraMalayalam
1992KhelKamini / ShardaHindi
1993DevaasuramNeelakandan's motherMalayalam
1994Aao Pyaar KarenAnjaliHindi
1994SarigamaluTelugu
1995DoreKannada
1995Achan Kombathu Amma VarampathuParvathiMalayalam
1996Katta PanchayathuKarthik's MotherTamil
1996Kaadhale NimmadhiKavitha's MotherTamil
1997VarnapakittuSunny's motherMalayalam
1997Oru YathramozhiGovindankutty's motherMalayalam
1998NakshatratharattuSreedeviMalayalam
1998Sundara PandianPandian's motherTamil
2000NarasimhamInduchoodan's motherMalayalam
2001KarumadikkuttanBharathiMalayalam
2002MazhathullikilukkamAlice JohnMalayalam
2003Preethi Prema PranayaSharadha DeviKannada
2005MaharajaAnnapoornaKannada
2006Kallarali HoovagiNeelammaKannada
2006PhotographerDijo's & Joy's motherMalayalam
2006Tananam TananamMurthy's wifeKannada
2009Raaj - The ShowmanHerselfKannada
2012Crazy LokaKannada
2012Kanneerinum MadhuramVijayakumariMalayalam
2016Doddmane HudgaDoddmane Rajeeva's sisterKannada
2017Ambar Caterers[8]Tulu
2018Raja SimhaKannada
2018Edakallu Guddada MeleKannada
2019KurukshetraKuntiKannada

Television

Awards

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Bharathi Vishnuvardhan: Shining on the silver screen for five decades". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 5 February 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  2. ↑ "Jayanthi was like a sister: Bharathi Vishnuvardhan - Times of India". The Times of India.
  3. ↑ "Padma Awards 2017" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 25 January 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  4. ↑ "Bharathi: Parents made me understand ways of the world". Deccan Herald. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  5. ↑ "The accidental star". Bangalore Mirror. 31 December 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "Karnataka mourns Vishnuvardhan's death". 31 December 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  7. ↑ "Pattukunte Padivelu (1967)". Indiancine.ma. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  8. ↑ "Bharathi Vishnuvardhan". 23 September 2016.
  9. ↑ "Padma Awards 2017 announced". Archived from the original on 25 January 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  10. ↑ "List of Kannada Film Artists with Honorary Doctorate Degree". 21 April 2020.
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