Anjali Devi

Anjali Devi, theatre and film actress, producer, multiple award winner and Telugu cinema’s quintessential Sita, whose initial role had a controversial kissing scene, passed away in Chennai at the age of 86. In a career spanning five decades, she acted in over 350 films playing a vamp with as much ease as a housewife, and a siren with as much conviction as a saint. Today when much is made of heroines continuing their careers after marriage, Anjali Devi was encouraged by her husband to take on lead roles after the birth of their second son. She played Sita to NT Rama Rao’s Ram in ‘Lava Kush’ and had such an impact that women in Andhra Pradesh began treating her like a Goddess, often prostrating at her feet. She won four Filmfare Awards for Best Actress, was awarded the Raghupati Venkaiah Award (2005) for her lifetime service to the Telugu film industry, the Ramineni Award (2006) in the fine arts category and the ANR National Award in 2008.