P. Bhanumathi Ramakrishna (7 September 1925 – 24 December 2005) was an Indian actress, singer, film producer, director, music composer, and writer. Bhanumathi was born on 7 September 1925 in Doddavaram village of Prakasam district, near Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, to Bommaraju Saraswathamma and Venkata Subbayya. She grew up watching her father perform in various stage shows. Bhanumathi’s father: Venkata Subbayya, was a lover of classical music and trained her in music from an early age. Her mother was a music teacher.  

Film career

She made her debut in Telugu cinema in 1939 as Kalindi (a 13 years old girl who is forced to marry an old man and ended her life by committing suicide) in Vara Vikrayam (Telugu), directed by C. Pullayya. She had acted in Malathi Madhavam (1940), Dharma Patni and Bhaktimala. Her first popular film was Krishna Prema. During the shooting of the film Krishna Prema (1943), she met P. S. Ramakrishna Rao (1918–1986), an assistant director for that film and fell in love with him.

Her father was reluctant for this marriage. However, Bhanumathi was adamant and she finally married P.S. Ramakrishna Rao on 8^th August, 1943. After marriage Bhanumathi wanted to stop acting in films and lead the family life as a housewife. But she was destined to continue in the film industry to scale much greater heights. Director B.N. Reddy was planning to produce a film “Swargaseema” and there was a female character with negative shades for which he strongly felt that only Bhanumathi could do justice to that role. B.N. Reddy sent actor Mudigonda Lingamurthy and writer Samudrala Raghavachari to persuade Bhanumathi to do that role.  Swarga Seema, a loose adaptation of Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion.

The film was released in 1945 with Chittor Nagaiah as hero. The film was grand success and Bhanumathi’s role in that film as a theatre artiste with negative shades who is after a married person for her personal benefits won appreciation of the audience and the film critics. The song sung by Bhanumathi, “O Pavurama, Oho Pavurama “(written by Balantrapu Rajaneekantha Rao) became super hit.

Legendary singer Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao made his playback debut in 1945 and sang along with Bhanumathi in the film “Swarga Seema”. Her only son Bharani was born during this time but she was showered with film offers.  In 1947 Bhanumathi and Ramakrishna started their own film production by name “Bharani Films” named after their son. In 1950 they started Bharani Studios.

In 1953, she became the first female director of Telugu cinema with the film Chandirani (made simultaneously in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi), which was her own production.  She played dual role in this film apart from singing songs in this film in all the three languages and wrote the story and screen play! Her first film in Tamil was Ratnakumar in the year 1949 along with the famous hero of those day P. U. Chinnappa. This film was directed by Krishnan–Panju.

C.N. Annadurai (founder of DMK Party and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, writer and author) honoured her with a title “Nadippukku Ilakkanam” (a grammar book for acting) for her remarkable performance in the Tamil film “Rangoon Radha”, 1956 (based on the Hollywood film classic Gaslight). Bhanumathi acted in several Tamil films, including Nallathambi, Kalvanin Kathali, Ambikapathy, Malaikallan, Ali Baba & Forty Thieves and Madurai Veeran. In the last three films, she played the female lead opposite M.G. Ramachandran.

 Bhanumathi acted in two Kannada films Nala Damayanthi (1957) and Immadi Pulikeshi (1967). Her film Malleswari (1951) directed by B.N. Reddy was featured at the Peking Film Festival in Beijing, China on 14, March 1953. On the centenary of Indian cinema in April 2013, CNN-IBN included Mallishwari in its list, “The 100 greatest Indian films of all time”. The film had 17 songs, music composed by S.Rajeswara Rao and all the songs sung by Bhanumathi and Ghantasala in that film became musical all-time hits. The directorate of the International Film Festival of India called Mallishwari a “nostalgic film of kings and proud queens, baroque-style palaces and dancers, and ordinary mortals who dared to fall in love”. Bhanumathi received National best actress award (Rashtrapathi award) for the films Annai (a Tamil film ,1962), Antasthulu (1964) and Palnati Yuddham (1966), both Telugu films. 

She was revered by the actors she had worked with like N. T. Rama Rao, Sivaji Ganesan, M. G. Ramachandran, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, and many others for her bold and prolific versatility. For the movie Anthasthulu (1964), producer VB Rajendra Prasad had approached Bhanumathi for the role of Akkineni Nageswara Rao’s sister. She liked the subject and agreed to do the film immediately. The crew booked a room in a star hotel in Hyderabad and she did not want to waste money, so she offered to stay at Sarathi Studios, which had an open area and snakes. The next morning, she woke up with her nails bitten by rats. The director V. Madhusudhana Rao decided to cancel the shoot, producer VB Rajendra Prasad rushed to see Bhanumathi who was applying iodine casually on the nails and asked him when she could start work. While continuing with the shooting, she said, “If you cancel shoot for small things how will I be a Bhanumathi (which means ‘shining like the sun’ in Sanskrit).”

Missamma  is a 1955 Indian Telugu-language romantic comedy film directed by L. V. Prasad. It was produced by Nagi Reddi and Aluri Chakrapani on Vijaya Productions banner. Initially Bhanumathi was chosen for the heroine’s role. After shooting few reels, one day she came late for the shooting and the film’s co-producer and writer Chakrapani got very angry. He wanted Bhanumathi to apologise for coming late. She refused to apologize saying that she already informed the manager one day in advance saying that she would come late by an hour as she had to perform Varalakshmi puja at her house.

Chakrapani became furious and destroyed the reels that were already shot with Bahnumathi. Bhanumathi returned back home dejected but did not apologise. Nagi Reddi advised Bhanumathi to render apology to Chakrapani at least over phone so that the issue could be resolved. Still, she refused and Chakrapani replaced Bhanumathi with Savitri and completed the film.

The film became super hit and Savitri attained stardom. Bhanumathi was very happy and said Telugu film industry got a good actress in Savitri through the film Missamma, though she missed that role. Interestingly, cordial relationship between Bhanumathi and Chakrapani continued even thereafter and, in every year, Diwali edition of “Yuva” Telugu monthly magazine (published by Chakrapani) invariably a story written by Bhanumathi was published. 

Due to clash with Aluri Chakrapani, Bhanumathi produced a satirical movie on him titled Chakrapani (1954) which was a huge hit and became a classic in Tollywood and for this movie she also worked as music director. The story for this film was penned by Ravuri Satyanarayana Rao and directed by Bhanumathi’s husband P. Ramakrishna Rao. A. Nageswara Rao acted as hero matching Bhanumathi’s action with his comic timing and expressions.

She also started doing editing for her films from 1972 with her film, “Anta Mana Manchike”. She told her dialogues in this film extempore while shooting and film the crew later wrote it and included it in the script. This film became a hit with the audience. She produced a film with all child artists, “Bhakta Dhruva Markandeya.” Her last film was made in 1998, Pelli Kanuka.  In those days many famous film actresses were giving advertisements for Lux soap. Though Bhanumathi too was offered very huge sum of money she declined to give their advertisements saying she does not use their soap and therefore she cannot promote their soap asking the people to use that soap.

Singer & music director

Music was in her jeans. Her father Venkata Subbayya was a lover of classical music and her mother Saraswathamma was a music teacher. Apart from being a fine actress, she was also a talented musician. She was adept in both Carnatic and Hindustani music. Some of her songs are still popular like Manasuna Mallela maalaloogene, Pilichina biguvatara, Oh baatasaari, Kila Kila Navvulu, Oh Pavurama, Preme Neramauna, Srikara karunaalavaala, Sharanam nee divya charanam and many more in Telugu; and Azhagaana Ponn Naan, Vaarai Inbam Thaaraai, Nilaa Nilaa Odi Vaa, Thalai Vaari Poochoodi Unnai, Kannile Iruppathenna and Annai Enbadhu Neethaanaa in Tamil.

On record she composed music for five films (though she composed music for several songs in many films without her name in the titles) and sang many songs in her own voice. Bhanumathi has privately recorded Purandaradasa’s bhajans. In 1953 when Andhra Pradesh state was formed from the Madras province she recorded a song along with Balantrapu Rajaneekantha Rao (who wrote the lyrics and composed music) “pasidi merungula talatalalu “for All India Radio, Vijayawada.

She gave a word to her father that she would sing Carnatic music (particularly Thyagaraya krutis) in her films. She was the first singer to sing thyagaraya kruti in Telugu films with the song, “Palukavemi Naa Daivama” in her first film Varavikrayam (1939). She made a point to sing one Carnatic song in all her films produced under her home production Bharani Studios. M.G. Ramachandran used to like Bhanumathi’s songs. When he was Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu he appointed her as the principal and director of the prestigious Madras Government Music College. Bhanumathi took her music college teachers and students in 1986 to Thiruvaiyaru, the birth place of Saint Thyagaraja and performed Carnatic concert in the group along with the legends like M.S. Subbulakshmi to sing Thyagaraja Pancharatna Keerthanas. 

Bhanumathi also sang an English song, “when I was just a little girl” in the Telugu film “Todu Needa” (1965) and in the Tamil film “Pattu Maada Bandham” (1974).  Bhanumathi had a unique voice with nasal tone and could sing with ease difficult gamakas.  Her favourite raga was Yaman Kalyan.

India’s First Vice-President Sarvepalli RadhaKrishna was a fan of her work. Telugu cinema Veteran actresses like Jamuna, Savitri and many other actresses cited Bhanumathi as an inspiration for entering into movies. she is widely recalled by her close associates as ‘Epitome of Self-Respect and Versatility’. In India, she was the first woman to have owned a film studio, first actress to act in a dual role and the first woman to have directed a movie simultaneously in three languages. She produced 10 films and directed 14 films (including 2 Tamil films) in her career. She acted in few Hindi films, Nishan (1948), Mangla (1951), Rani (1952), Chandirani (1953), Shamsheer (1953, she starred against Ashok Kumar), Nai Roshni (1967), two Kannada films and several Telugu and Tamil films, in all more than 100 films in her career.

Literary career

Bhanumathi was also a talented and accomplished writer with a number of short stories to her credit. Her autobiography Nalo Nenu was published in Telugu and later, released in English as Musings. Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Academy awarded her as the best short story writer for her popular short stories “Attagari Kathalu” (Mother-in-law’s tales). She was a Member of Lalit Kala Academy for 5 years, and Sahitya Academy, Andhra Pradesh for 10 years.

She considers Jnanapeet awardee Kavi Samrat Viswanadha Satyanarayana as her guru in her literary works. Bhanumathi was very good at humorous writings and she gives the credit for that to Viswanadha Satyanarayana. Her first short story, “Mara Chembu” which she wrote when she was 14 years, was curated by Viswanadha Satyanarayana before it was published. Her auto biography, “Naalo Nenu” was produced as TV serial in Telugu and Tamil languages by her. Her short stories,” Attagari Kadhalu’ was produced as TV serial (6 episodes) in Hindi by her.

 She was a Member of State Film Awards Committee for two years. She was also a Visiting Professor at the Film Institute for one year. She was Member of Children Film Society for 5 years, from 1965 to 1970.

Philanthropy

She was an eminent social worker who was closely associated with a number of Social Service Organizations. She was the founder member and treasurer of Madras branch of Altrusa International Inc., Chicago for lifelong starting from 1963. She was a life member of the ‘Red Cross Society’. She established an educational institution named “Dr. Bhanumathi Ramakrishna Matriculation School” at Saligramam, Chennai providing free education to the poor.

She had in depth knowledge in palmistry and astrology. She was very religious minded person and took upadesha from Sringeri Peetadhipathi in 1960.

 Awards & honours

Rashtrapati Award in acting for the films

• Annai in 1962
• Antasthulu in 1975
• Palnati Yuddham in 1966
• Padma Bhushan in 2001
• Padma Shri in 1966

(She is first south Indian actress to receive Padma Awards.)

• Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award – South (1987)
• Raghupathi Venkaiah Award, from the Government of Andhra Pradesh, in 1985
• Nandi Award for Best Director in 1986
• NTR National Award, from the Government of Andhra Pradesh, in 2000
• Tamil Madu State Film Honorary Award- “Arignar Anna Award” in 1992
• Kalaimamani (connoisseur of arts), Government of Tamil Nadu, in 1983

Other honors

• Kalaprapoorna, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, in 1975
• Honorary Doctorate, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupathi, in 1984
• Raja-Lakshmi Award for the year 1998 from Sri Raja-Lakshmi Foundation, Chennai
• C. N.Annadurai honoured her with a title “Nadippukku Ilakkanam” for her remarkable performance in “Rangoon Radha”.
• She received Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Academy award for her compilation of humorous short stories, “Attagari Kadhalu”.
• She was one of the dignitaries been honoured by Andhra Pradesh government at the time of state formation in 1956.
• She figured among the 50 prominent film artists honoured with postal stamps in their names in 2013 when the Indian film industry celebrated its centenary year.

Overall, she received four National Film Awards, six Filmfare Awards (South) and nine Nandi Awards from the Government of Andhra Pradesh. She was honoured among “women in cinema” at the 30th International Film Festival of India in 1999. Her husband who was film editor, producer and director in his own right passed away in 1983. They lived a very happy married life for four decades and despite her being a famous and busy film artist Bhanumathi lived a simple and middleclass housewife.

Though she was a multifaceted personality she used to say that her role as an author was one that was very close to her heart. She passed away on 24 December 2005 at the age of 80 in Chennai. Unarguably, Bhanumathi left behind a rich legacy in Indian Cinema and South Indian Cinema in particular.