Vyjayanthimala Birthday: Legendary actress who challenged norms and refused supporting actress award, turns 91

MUMBAI : The 91-year-old legendary actress was named Vyjayanthimala, after a unique pearl necklace that Lord Vishnu wore. She continues to astound audiences with her dance abilities. The seasoned actress received a lot of attention for her acting and dance abilities, but she also faced criticism for her personal life. Others associated her with the renowned Dilip Kumar, saying he was so in love with her that he supposedly hand-picked the shade of saree Vyjayanthimala would wear in every scene of Gunga Jumna (1961).

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Some dubbed her a home-breaker for falling in love with a married man. The actress referred to the elderly star's relationship with Raj Kapoor as a publicity gimmick, which caused a public spat with the actor's son Rishi Kapoor.

The actress repeatedly questioned traditions, from entering the tinsel town at the age of 16 following her arangetram—a Bharatnatyam dancer's maiden performance—to becoming a politician and breaking social mores.

The actress made her feature debut in 1949 in the Tamil film Vaazhkai. She then went on to play Chandramukhi in Bimal Roy's 1955 Devdas. She has acted in a number of Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil films. She was by no means the first candidate for the position, though. After Suraiya, Bina Rai, and Nargis declined to play the courtesan, it dawned on her.

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She was also the first actress from South India to appear on screen in a bikini, which was daring given that she was raised in an Iyengar Tamil Brahmin household in Chennai. Actresses were expected to fit within a sanskari stereotype during this period, and breaking it was frowned upon. The actress appeared in Raj Kapoor's Sangam wearing a bikini. She was one of the earliest pan-India stars and the undisputed first female superstar of India, dominating three different sectors.

Vyjayanthimala is not just a talented dancer and performer, but also a formidable politician. The actress joined the Congress in 1984 and defied all odds to win the Tamil Nadu general election the same year with a remarkable margin.

The Indian government bestowed the Padma Shri upon Vyjayanthimala in 1968, and more recently, the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honor, was bestowed upon her. The actress is still a competitive dancer. Her elegant performance at her 90th birthday celebration caught everyone off guard online.

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Credit- IndianExpress