Jayachitra

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Jayachitra
Born
Lakshmi Rohini Devi

(1957-09-09) 9 September 1957 (age 66)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
OccupationActress
Spouse(s)Ganesh (m.1983-2020)(his death)
ChildrenAmresh Ganesh (b.1988)

Jayachitra is an actress in South Indian films of the 1970s and 1980s, her work consisting mostly of Tamil and Telugu films.

Early life[edit]

Jayachitra was born in 1957. Her father Mahendra was a veterinary doctor, who had earlier worked as a lawyer. Her mother Ammaji (a.k.a. Jayasree) was an actress who had acted in films such as the Tamil film Mahaveeran (1955) and Telugu films Rojulu Marai and Daiva Balam (1959). They moved to Chennai for work, which was where Jayachitra was born and raised as Rohini. Her grandmother looked after her when her parents were busy with work. With her mother's encouragement, she became a child star at the age of six in the Telugu film Bhakta Potana.[1]

Lead actress[edit]

When Jayachitra was in her early teens, she screen-tested for a Telugu film titled Beedala Paatlu, but the director felt she was too young and rejected her for the role. However, he did recommend her to K.S. Gopalakrishnan, who was looking for a young, spirited heroine, for the Tamil film Korathi Magan, (1973). He immediately cast her, because he loved the way she delivered her lines. He signed her for three films under his banner and gave her the name Jayachitra. She continued in heroine roles in Ponnukku Thanga Manasu (1973) and played Sivaji's daughter in Bharata Vilas and was one of the 9 heroines in MGR's Navaratnam. She worked for big-name directors, such as K. Balachander in Sollathaan Ninaikiren and Arangetram. She was Kamal Hassan's heroine in the Tamil film Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu (1978) and its Telugu remake Vayasu Pilichindi (1978). As an actress, she was known for her courage and spontaneity as she continued to star in Tamil and Telugu films. She faced a snake up close in Vellikizhamai Viratham (1974), and then a tiger in the Telugu film Cheppindi Chesta (1978). She made other unforgettable films: Ponnukku Thanga Manasu, Sathyam, Kalyanamam Kalyanam, Vandikaran Magan, Cinema Paithiyam (remake of the Hindi hit film Guddi (1971)). Most of her Tamil films are with Kamal Hassan. She memorably played the title role in the Telugu film Kalpana (1977), a remake of the Hindi hit film Anamika (1973).

Later roles[edit]

Later, she became a character actress in K. Balachander's film Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal (1989).[2] After completing 200 films, she turned to television with the serial Sumangali, which she produced, directed and acted in. It became a hit, and she was soon acting and producing other serials, Alaigal and Sivaranjini (2005).[3] She was unanimously elected chairperson of the action committee of the TV Serial Producers' Guild of South India, which in turn led to her involvement in politics. She joined the Congress party and has remained fairly active.[4] She has won numerous awards, including Tamil Nadu's Kalaimamani Award.

As director[edit]

She cast herself as the heroine in the Tamil film Pudhiya Raagam (1991), which marked her debut as a director and producer. Unfortunately, the film flopped. In 2010, she cast her son Amresh Ganesh as the hero in the Tamil film Naane Ennul Illai (2010), which she wrote, produced, and directed.[5]

Personal life[edit]

After more than a decade as a heroine, Jayachitra decided to concentrate on her personal life by marrying an industrialist named Ganesh in 1983. She has a son with him named Amresh, whom she is trying to promote in show business, just as her mother had done with her.[6] Despite giving him a debut through Naane Ennul Illai (2010), the film's failure made it difficult for Amresh to succeed as an actor. In 2011, it was announced that he would work on projects titled Kaliyuga Kadhalan and Machan Ava En Aalu Da, with the former being set in three different eras, but neither film was completed.[7] Later in the year, Jayachitra announced that she was working on three more films with Amresh in the lead role, Mundru Mugangal, Nedunchalai and Scene Podathey, but again neither film materialised.[8] He also shot for a comedy film titled Kadan Vaangi Kalyanam alongside Mansoor Ali Khan during late 2011, but the film also did not release.[9] In 2013, he briefly worked on the making of another incomplete film Thaaru Maaru, which had a grand launch event.[10] In 2015, he was signed on by Raghava Lawrence to work on the music for his forthcoming film Motta Siva Ketta Shiva. Her husband Ganesh died on December 3, 2020, leaving her a widow.[11]

Partial filmography[edit]

Tamil films[edit]

Year Movie Co-star Notes
1972 Kurathi Magan Gemini Ganesan, Master Sridhar, Kamal Haasan
1972 Vazhaiyadi Vazhai Muthuraman, Prameela
1973 Arangetram Sivakumar, Kamal Haasan, Jayasudha, Prameela
1973 School Master Gemini Ganesan, Sowcar Janaki
1973 Bharatha Vilas Sivaji Ganesan, K.R Vijaya
1973 Ponnukku Thanga Manasu Sivakumar, Vijayakumar
1973 Pennai Nambungal Sivakumar, A.V.M Rajan, Jayanthi
1973 Ponvandu Jai Shankar, Bharathi Vishnuvardhan, Ushanandini
1973 Sollathaan Ninaikkiren Sivakumar, Kamal Haasan, Jayasudha, Sri Vidya, Shubha
1973 Pookkari M. K. Muthu, Manjula Vijayakumar, Vennira Aadai Nirmala
1974 Engamma Sapatham Muthuraman, Sivakumar
1974 Panathukkaga Kamal Haasan, Sivakumar
1974 Akkarai Pachai Jaishankar, Ravichandran
1974 Ungal Viruppam Jaishankar, Manorama
1974 Idhayam Parkirathu Jaishankar, Sreekanth, Shubha
1974 Onne Onnu Kanne Kannu Sivakumar, Cho
1974 Patha Poojai Jaishankar, Pandaribai
1974 Unnaithan Thambi Jaishankar, Sreekanth
1974 Kadavul Mama Muthuraman
1974 Thaai Paasam Sivakumar
1974 Vellikizhamai Viratham Sivakumar, Jayasudha
1974 Kalyanamam Kalyanam Jaishankar
1974 Dheerga Sumangali Muthuraman, Sivakumar Special appearance
1974 Engal Kula Deivam Muthuraman, K.R Vijaya
1974 Kaliyuga Kannan Gemini Ganesan, Sowcar Janaki
1975 Pattikkaattu Raja Sivakumar, Kamal Haasan
1975 Pattampoochi Kamal Haasan
1975 Cinema Paithiyam Kamal Haasan
1975 Yarukku Maappillai Yaro Jaishankar, Sreekanth
1975 Sonthangal Vazhga Jaishankar
1975 Pinju Manam Jaishankar, Lakshmi
1975 Then Sindhudhe Vaanam Kamal Haasan, Sivakumar, Rani Chandra
1976 Inspector Manaivi Jaishankar
1976 Panakkara Penn Jaishankar
1976 Dasavatharam Ravikumar
1976 Thottathellam Pon Aagum Jaishankar
1976 Asai 60 Naal Vijayakumar
1976 Payanam Vijayakumar
1976 Thayilla Kuzhandai Muthuraman
1976 Satyam Sivaji Ganesan, Kamal Haasan
1976 Kumaara Vijayam Kamal Haasan
1976 Varaprasadham Ravichandran, Vijayakumar, M. N. Rajam
1976 Nee Indri Naan Illai Vijayakumar
1977 Aalukkoru Aasai Jaishankar
1977 Navarathinam M.G.R
1978 Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan
1978 Sadhurangam Rajinikanth
1978 Vanakkatukuriya Kathaliye Rajinikanth, Vijayakumar
1978 Sakka Podu Podu Raja Jaishankar, Kamal Haasan
1978 Vandikkaran Magan Jaishankar
1978 Pilot Premnath Sivaji Ganesan, Vijayakumar, Jaiganesh, Sridevi, Sathyapriya
1978 Varuvan Vadivelan Jaiganesh, Vijayakumar, Latha, Chandrakala
1979 Mayandi Jaishankar
1979 Gnana Kuzhandhai Gemini Ganesan, Venirradai Nirmala
1980 Pennukku Yaaru Kaaval Vijayakumar, Pandari Bhai
1980 Ratha Paasam Sivaji Ganesan, Sripriya
1981 Sorgathin Thirappu Vizha Jaiganesh
1981 Srinivasa Kalyanam Ravikumar, Sripriya, Sumithra
1982 Nandri, Meendum Varuga Prathap K Pothan, Suhasini Cameo appearance
1982 Mamiyara Marumagala Suresh, Manju Bhargavi
1982 Nayakarin Magal Sathyaraj 100th film
1983 Kaman Pandigai K.R.Vijaya
1985 Thandanai Vijayakumar
1985 Engal Kural Arjun, Suresh, Nalini, Jeevitha
1985 Yaar? Arjun, Nalini, Jaishankar
1986 Lakshmi Vanthachu Sivaji Ganesan, Padmini
1987 Paruva Ragam Ravichandran, Juhi Chawla, Manorama
1987 Ivargal Varungala Thoongal Prabhu, Ambika
1988 Agni Nakshatram Karthik, Prabhu, Nirosha, Amala
1989 Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal Rahman, Sithara
1991 Pudhiya Raagam Rahman Also director, producer and writer
1995 Maaman Magal Sathyaraj, Meena
1996 Selva Vijay, Swathi
1997 Raasi Ajith Kumar, Rambha
1997 Kaadhali Vignesh, Devayani
1997 Vasuki Rajendra Prasad, Urvashi
2010 Rettaisuzhi K. Balachander, P. Bharathiraja
2010 Naane Ennul Illai Amresh, Nassar, Saranya Ponvannan
2013 Vana Yuddham Arjun, Kishore, Lakshmi Rai, Vijayalakshmi
2019 100% Kadhal G. V. Prakash Kumar, Shalini Pandey

Telugu films[edit]

Malayalam films[edit]

  • Nee Ente Lahari (1976)
  • Pappu (1980)

Kannada films[edit]

Television[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "CineSouth.com Now and Then Jayachitra". Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2006.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ↑ "The Hindu : As charming as ever". Archived from the original on 22 March 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2007.
  4. ↑ "Metro Plus Tiruchirapalli / Cinema : Small screen, big role". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 November 2006. Retrieved 26 October 2006.
  5. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 22 August 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ↑ "Metro Plus Tiruchirapalli / Cinema : Another son rises". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 16 June 2009. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  7. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ↑ http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/itsy-bitsy/article2579782.ece
  9. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ↑ https://irashnews.com/veteran-actress-jayachitras-husband-ganesh-passes-away/

External links[edit]

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