Pandari Bai

Pandari Bai (18 September 1928 – 29 January 2003)^[2][3] was an Indian actress who worked in South Indian cinema, mostly in Kannada cinema during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. She is considered Kannada cinema's first successful heroine.^[4] She has acted as both heroine and mother to stalwarts such as Rajkumar, M. G. Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan. She was the heroine in Rajkumar's debut movie Bedara Kannappa and also Sivaji's debut movie Parasakthi.^[5][3][6] She has acted in over 1,000 films in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.^[7] Bai was honoured by Kalaimamani from the Tamil Nadu government.^[8]

Pandari Bai
Born	Geetha[1] (1928-09-18)18 September 1928[2] Bhatkal, Bombay Presidency, British India (now in Karnataka, India)
Died	29 January 2003(2003-01-29) (aged 74)[2][3] Chennai, India
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1943–2001
Works	Full list
Relatives	Mynavathi (sister)
Honours	Kalaimamani (1965)

Career

Pandaribai began her career in acting in plays based on mythological stories before making her film debut in 1943 with the Kannada language film, Vani. She appeared in the 1954 Kannada film Bedara Kannappa opposite Rajkumar. In the film, she played Neela, wife of Kanna (played by Rajkumar), a hunter. She established herself as a lead actress portraying a woman with a "progressive" image assuming the burdens of a feudal patriarchy in films such as Sant Sakhu (1955) and Rayara Sose (1957).^[4] In 1959, she appeared in Abba Aa Hudugi, with her sister Mynavathi. The film is considered a landmark in Kannada cinema.^[9]

Later in her career Pandari Bai played the mother of stars older than her, most of whom had played the lead with her in her earlier years.^[10]

Awards and honours

• The lesson "Gunasagari Pandari Bai" is added to the class IX Kannada Language Textbook in Karnataka state to honour the legendary actress.^[11]
• 2001 - Filmfare Awards South - Lifetime Achievement Award^[12]
• 1994–95 - Dr. Rajkumar Lifetime Achievement Award from Karnataka Government
• 1968–69 - Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actress - Namma Makkalu
• 1967–68 - Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actress - Belli Moda
• 1965 - Kalaimamani Award from Tamil Nadu Government^[8]

Filmography

Main article: Pandari Bai filmography

References

1. "Sirikannada class 9 solutions". Karnataka State Education and Examination Board. 10 December 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
2. "Pandari Bai", British Film Institute, archived from the original on 9 November 2019, retrieved 14 July 2020
3. "Pandari Bai dies at 74". The Times of India. 29 January 2003.
4. Ashish Rajadhyaksha; Paul Willemen (10 July 2014). Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-135-94325-7.
5. "Remembering Pandari Bai". Screen. 21 February 2003.^{[dead link‍]}
6. "Pandari Bai dead". The Hindu. 30 January 2003. Archived from the original on 19 February 2003.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
7. "Tribute to Pandari Bai". Deccan Herald. 13 March 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
8. "Redirecting to Google Groups".
9. "A rousing end planned for H.L.N. Simha's birth centenary fete". The Hindu. 21 July 2004. Archived from the original on 15 September 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
10. "Actress who glowed with inner beauty". The Hindu. 14 February 2003. Archived from the original on 7 May 2007. Retrieved 14 November 2006.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
11. "Lesson on Pandari Bai". KSEEB. 10 December 2019.
12. "Lifetime Achievement Award for Pandari Bai". The Times of India.

External links

• Pandari Bai at IMDb
• Potpourri of titbits about Pandari Bai