G. Varalakshmi


G. Varalakshmi, born Garikapati Varalaxmi, was a veteran Telugu and Tamil actress, stage artist, singer and director. She is well remembered for her arrogant roles in movies like Drohi and Letha Manasulu.

Biography

Varalakshmi was born in 1926 in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, India to a Telugu Kapu family. She left home to act on stage in Vijayawada when she was 11 years old. She acted along with stage actors Thungala Chalapathi and Dasari Kotiratnam and became popular for her roles in plays like Sakkubai and Rangoon Rowdy.
Her first two movie roles aged 14 were in Barrister Parvatheesam, produced by Raghupathy Prakash, and Bondam Pelli, produced by H. M. Reddy. These two movies were released together as a two-in-one movie. She then moved to Bombay to sing in the chorus for Naushad in 1942. As her career as a singer was not successful, she returned to Madras in 1946. She married the filmmaker and studio-owner Kovelamudi Surya Prakash Rao. Her husband and she acted in and produced a controversial and popular movie, Drohi in which she played the part of an arrogant daughter.
Drohi was followed by popular movies like Kula Gotralu, Kanna Talli and Pelli Chesi Choodu in which she acted with all the top heroes of Indian films of the 1940s and 1950s in Telugu and Tamil, playing roles ranging from the loving woman and arrogant sister to the mother-in-law. She also directed a social movie, Moogajeevulu. She got involved in politics and supported M.G.R for a short time and was an active member of Andhra Pradesh Praja Natya Mandali. She was the mother of two children, one daughter Kovelamudi Kanaka Durga and a son Kovelamudi Siva Prakash who became a famous cameraman. She is also the step-mother of the famous director Kovelamudi Raghavendra Rao.

Filmography

Note: The list is not comprehensive.

Actress

  1. Barrister Parvateesam
  2. Bondam Pelli
  3. Dakshayagnam
  4. Bhakta Prahlada
  5. Vindhyarani
  6. Drohi
  7. Maya Rambha
  8. Modati Rathri
  9. Sri Lakshmamma Katha
  10. Swapna Sundari
  11. Deeksha
  12. Nirdoshi
  13. Niraparadhi
  14. Manavathi
  15. Pelli Chesi Choodu
  16. Kanna Talli
  17. Naa Chellelu
  18. Paropakaram
  19. Jyoti
  20. Maa Gopi
  21. Menarikam
  22. Gulebakavali
  23. Ante Kavali
  24. Melukolupu
  25. Paasavalai
  26. Naan Petra Selvam
  27. Dongallo Dora
  28. Aaravalli
  29. Karpurakarasi
  30. Pathini Deivam
  31. Raja Nandini
  32. Mangalya Balam
  33. Sri renuka devi mahatyam
  34. Sivagami
  35. Iddaru Mitrulu, 1961
  36. Kula Gothralu
  37. Bhishma
  38. Antastulu
  39. Kuzhandaiyum Deivamum
  40. Sumangali
  41. Aastiparulu
  42. Letha Manasulu
  43. Bangaru Pichika
  44. Buddhimanthudu
  45. Nindu Hrudayalu
  46. Vazhaiyadi Vazhai
  47. Samsaram Sagaram
  48. Ganga Manga
  49. Athavarillu
  50. Sri Rajeswari Vilas Coffee Club
  51. Gorantha Deepam

    Director

  52. Moogajeevulu