Garikapati Varalakshmi

G. Varalakshmi, born Garikapati Varalaxmi (13 September 1926 – 26 November 2006^[1]), was a veteran Telugu and Tamil actress, stage artist, singer and director. She is well remembered for her arrogant roles in movies like Drohi and Letha Manasulu.

Biography

Varalakshmi was born in 1926 in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, India. She left home to act on stage in Vijayawada, when she was 11 years old. She acted along with drama artists Thungala Chalapathi and Dasari Kotiratnam and became popular for her roles in plays like Sakkubai and Rangoon Rowdy.

Her first movies are Barrister Parvatheesam, produced by Raghupathy Prakash, and Bondam Pelli, produced by H. M. Reddy, when she was 14 years old. These two movies were released together as a two-in-one movie. She moved to Bombay to sing in chorus groups for Naushad in 1942. As her career as a singer was not successful, she returned to Madras in 1946. She married filmmaker and studio-owner K. S. Prakash Rao. Her husband and she acted in and produced a controversial and popular movie, Drohi. She played an arrogant daughter role in that movie.

She later acted in popular movies like Kula Gotralu, Kanna Talli and Pelli Chesi Choodu. She acted with all the top heroes in the 1940s and 1950s in Telugu and Tamil. She played roles of both the loving woman and arrogant sister or mother-in-law. She also directed a social movie, Moogajeevulu. She joined politics and supported M.G.R for a short time. She was an active member in Andhra Pradesh Praja Natya Mandali.

Filmography

Note: The list is not comprehensive.

Actress

1. Barrister Parvatishan, 1940
2. Bondam Pelli, 1940
3. Dakshayagnam, 1941
4. Bhakta Prahlada, 1942
5. Vindhyarani, 1948
6. Drohi, 1948
7. Keelugurram, 1949
8. Maya Rambha, 1950
9. Modati Rathri, 1950
10. Shri Lakshmamma Katha, 1950
11. Swapna Sundari, 1950
12. Deeksha, 1951
13. Nirdoshi, 1951
14. Niraparadhi, 1951
15. Manavati, 1952
16. Pelli Chesi Choodu, 1952
17. Kanna Talli, 1953
18. Naa Chellelu, 1953
19. Paropakaram, 1953
20. Jyoti, 1954
21. Maa Gopi, 1954
22. Menarikam, 1954
23. Gulebakavali, 1955
24. Ante Kavali, 1955
25. Melukolupu, 1956
26. Paasavalai 1956
27. Naan Petra Selvam, 1956
28. Dongallo Dora, 1957
29. Aaravalli, 1957
30. Karpurakarasi, 1957
31. Raja Nandini, 1958
32. Mangalya Balam, 1958
33. Sivagami, 1960
34. Iddaru Mitrulu, 1961
35. Kula Gothralu, 1962
36. Bhishma, 1962
37. Antastulu, 1965
38. Kuzhandaiyum Deivamum, 1965
39. Sumangali, 1965
40. Aastiparulu, 1966
41. Letha Manasulu, 1966
42. Bangaru Pichika, 1967
43. Buddhimanthudu, 1969
44. Nindu Hrudayalu, 1969
45. Samsaram Sagaram, 1973
46. Ganga Manga, 1973
47. Athavarillu, 1976
48. Sri Rajeswari Vilas Coffee Club, 1976
49. Gorantha Deepam, 1978

Director

1. Moogajeevulu, 1968

References

External links

• Garikapati Varalakshmi at the Internet Movie Database
• Maverick Varalakshmi