T. R. Rajakumari

Thanjavur Radhakrishnan Rajayee (5 May 1922 – 20 September 1999), known by her screen name T. R. Rajakumari, was an Indian actress, Carnatic singer and dancer. She has been called the first "dream girl" of Tamil cinema.[1][2][3]

T. R. Rajakumari
T. R. Rajakumari in Sivakavi (1943).
Born
Thanjavur Radhakrishnan Rajayee

5 May 1922
Thanjavur, Madras Presidency, British India
Died20 September 1999 (age 77)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Years active1936–1963
Parent(s)Father: Radhakrishnan
Mother: Ranganayaki
FamilyT. S. Damayanthi (Sister),
T. D. Kusalakumari (niece),
T. R. Ramanna (brother)

Film career

Rajayee made her film debut in "Kumara Kulothungan" which was produced in 1938–39 but was released in 1941 after Kacha Devayani. In the initial ads her name appeared as T. R. Rajayee but later in the film she was credited as T. R. Rajalakshmi. Her second film was Mandharavathi directed by D.S. Marconi was also released in 1941.[4] Kacha Devayani (1941) was a hit and helped launch her career in movies. There is some confusion about in which film she actually made her debut as Kacha Devayani's director K. Subramaniam later insisted that he was the one who introduced her to films.[5][6] In 1944, Rajakumari starred in the record-breaking film Haridas alongside M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and gained recognition for her glamorous portrayal.[7]

In her Tamil film career, Rajakumari acted as the female lead to many major film stars including Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, T. R. Mahalingam, K. R. Ramasamy, P. U. Chinnappa, M. G. Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan. She also started a film production company (with her brother T. R. Ramanna) called "R. R. Pictures" and produced films like Vaazhapirandhavan (1953), Koondukkili (1954), Gul-E-Bagaavali (1955), Paasam (1962), Periya Idathu Penn (1963), Panam Padaithavan (1965) and Parakkum Paavai (1966). Her last film as an actress was Vanambadi (1963).[1][8]

Later life and death

Rajakumari died on 20 September 1999 after a prolonged illness.[9]

Partial filmography
Year Title[10] Role Notes
1939Kumara Kulothungan
1941Kacha DevayaniDevayani
1941Mandharavathi
1941Soorya Puthiri
1942Sathi Suganya
1942ManonmaniManonmani
1943SivakaviVanji
1943Kubera Kuchela
1944HaridasHaridas' mistress
1944Prabhavathi
1945SaalivaahananChandralekha
1946Valmiki
1946Vikatayogi
1947Pankajavalli
1948ChandralekhaChandralekha
1949Krishna BakthiDevakumari
1949PavalakkodiPavalakkodi
1950Ithaya GeethamThara
1950Vijayakumari
1951VanasundariVanasundari
1952Amarakavi
1953AnbuThangam
1953En Veedu
1953Panakkaari
1953Vazha Pirandavan
1954ManoharaVasanthasenai
1955Gulebagavali
1957Pudhumai Pithan
1957Thangamalai RagasiyamNandhini
1959Thanga Padhumai
1962Paasam
1963Vanambadi
1963Periya Idathu PennGangamma, Murugappan's elder sister

References
  1. Guy, Randor (17 November 1990). "T. R. Rajakumari: 'The dream girl' with many-sided talent". The Indian Express. p. 18.
  2. "தமிழ்ப்பட உலகின் முதல் கனவுக்கன்னி டி.ஆர்.ராஜகுமாரி" [T. R. Rajakumari, the first dream girl of Tamil cinema]. Maalai Malar (in Tamil). 2 August 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  3. "A Legend in her time - the Hindu". www.cscsarchive.org:80. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  4. Guy, Randor (22 March 2014). "Kumara Kulothungan (1941)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 23 March 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  5. Narayanan, Aranthai (2009). Aramba Kaala Tamil cinema (1931–1941). Vijaya Publications. p. 107.
  6. Randor Guy (23 October 2009). "Blast from the Past: Katcha Devayani 1941". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 29 November 2010. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  7. Guy, Randor (11 July 2008). "Blast From the Past : Haridas 1944". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 14 July 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  8. ""கனவுக்கன்னி" டி.ஆர்.ராஜகுமாரி 5 சூப்பர் ஸ்டார்களுடன் நடித்தார்". Maalai Malar. 4 August 2009. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  9. "Actress Rajkumari dies at 79". The Indian Express. 21 September 1999. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  10. "T. R. Rajakumari filmography". Jointscene.com. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
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