Jamuna (1936-2023) was a veteran Indian actor, director and politician. He is known for working mainly in the Telugu film industry. He was a member of the Indian National Congress, and later, he supported members of the BJP. In 2023, he died of an age-related illness at the age of 86.
Wiki/Biography
Jamuna Ramana Rao was born Jana Bai on Sunday, 30 August 1936 (age 86 years; at death) in Hampi, Madras Presidency, British India (now Karnataka, India). His zodiac sign is Virgo. When Jamuna was 7 years old, her family moved to Duggirala in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, India. He attended school in Duggirala, where Kongara Jaggaiah, a veteran Indian actor, lyricist and politician, was his school teacher. He completed his high school education by taking private tuition. He used to perform on stage at school. An Indian actress, Savitri, introduced Jamuna to the film industry and invited her to act in a film, when she stayed at Jamuna’s house to perform a play in Duggirala, Andhra Pradesh.
Image of Jamuna’s youth
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 5″
Weight (approx): 75 kg
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Black
Family
He belongs to a Kannada family in Duggirala, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Parents & Siblings
His father, Nippani Srinivasa Rao, used to run a turmeric and tobacco business. His mother’s name is Kowsalya Devi. His father was a Madhva Brahmin, and his mother was a Vaishya. The couple had a mixed love marriage. He has a sister.
Husband & Son
In 1965, he married Juluri Ramana Rao, a zoology professor at SV University in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. On November 10, 2014, he died of a heart attack at the age of 86.
Jamuna with Juluri Ramana Rao
The couple has 2 children; a daughter named Sravanthi Juluri, a painter, and a son named Vamsee Juluri, who is a professor of media studies at the University of San Francisco in San Francisco, California, USA.
Jamuna with her daughter
Career
Movie
At the age of 15, he started acting in films. Reportedly, Garikipati Raja Rao, a filmmaker, watched her act in the stage play ‘Maa Bhoomi’ at school and cast her in the 1952 Telugu film ‘Puttillu.’ In an interview, she revealed that Garikipati Raja Rao came to see Jamuna’s performance in the drama ‘Maa Bhoomi’ as he had heard a lot about her acting and cast her in the film ‘Puttillu’ as she resembled veteran Indian actress Nargis. He said,
I was just a teenager when Raja Rao came to Duggirala from Rajahmundry looking for me because he had heard I was a good actor. He saw me perform and asked a photographer to take a picture of me without makeup. I was signed for ‘Puttilu’ because they thought I looked like Nargis. I earned Rs 500 per month for the project. The film didn’t work because Raja Rao was much older than me, but I clicked.”
Telugu
In 1952, he started his career with the film ‘Puttillu.’
‘Puttillu’ movie poster
In 1954, he worked in the film ‘Maa Gopi’ directed by BS Ranga. He played Santha in the 1955 film ‘Bangaru Papa.’ In 1956, she played the role of Kamala in the political drama film ‘Tenali Ramakrishna.’ In 1958, he appeared as Mandodari in the Hindu mythological film ‘Bhookailas.’ She appeared as Subhadra in a 1964 film based on the Battle of Bobbili titled ‘Bobbili Yuddham.’
Tamil language
In 1954, he started his career with the film ‘Panam Paduthum Padu.’
‘Panam Paduthum Padu’ movie poster
She played the role of Sita in the 1955 romantic comedy film ‘Missiamma.’ In 1957, she appeared as Amutha in the adventure film ‘Thangamalai Ragasiyam.’ She was cast to play Leela in the 1958 comedy film ‘Kadan Vaangi Kalyaanam.’ In 1961, she played the role of princess Rathna in the swashbuckler ‘Marutha Nattu Veeran.’ In 1973, she was cast in the lead roles as Rani Malini Devi and Kamala in the film ‘Anbu Sagodharargal.’ In 1983, she appeared as Anu in the film ‘Thoongathey Thambi Thoongathey.’
Kannada
In 1955, he started his career with the film ‘Aadarsha Sathi.’ He worked in the 1957 film ‘Rathnagiri Rahasya.’ In 1971, she played the role of Uma in the drama film ‘Sakshatkara.’ In 1979, he worked in the movie ‘Mayeya Musuku.’ He worked in the 1980 film Guru ‘Sarvabhowma Sri Raghavendra Karune.’ In 1991, he was cast in a supporting role in the action film ‘Police Matthu Dada.’
‘Polis Matthu Dada’ movie poster
Hindi
In 1957, he started his career with the comedy film ‘Miss Mary.’
‘Miss Mary’ movie poster
In 1963, he worked in two films titled ‘Ek Raaz’ and ‘Hamrahi.’ She played the role of Lakshmi in the 1963 film ‘Beti Bete.’ She was cast to play the role of Kalpana in the 1965 film ‘Rishte Nate.’ In 1967 she played the role of Gouri in the film ‘Milan,’ which was a remake of the famous Telugu film ‘Mooga Manasulu.’ In 1974, she was cast in the film ‘Dulhan’ where she played the role of Padma. In 1990, he worked in the movie ‘Lady Tarzan.’
Politics
In the 1980s, he joined the Congress party. In 1989, he became a member of the Lok Sabha from the Rajahmundry constituency. In 1991, he again contested the Lok Sabha elections; however, he lost the election. Later, he quit politics for several years. In the late 1990s, he campaigned for BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya for a short period during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure.
Controversy
Facing Backlash for Kicking NTR
In 1965, Jamuna was cast to play the role of Satyabhama opposite the famous actor Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR), who played the role of Krishna in the Telugu film ‘Sri Krishna Tulabharam.’ In one of the scenes in the film, Jamuna kicks NTR, which NTR’s fans cannot accept and criticize Jamuna for doing so. In an interview, she talked about the scene and said that it was just acting and her role demanded her to act like that and felt bad about kicking her. He said,
I have a soft corner for Lord Krishna and NTR. I have prayed to Krishna to make me a star, and NTR is one of the few actors who really respects women. In the song ‘O Cheli Kopama’ from ‘Sri Krishna Tulabharam,’ I had to kick him, and I felt so bad that I apologized profusely after the incident. “Aaha em paravaledu (it’s okay), after all, it’s an act,” he replied in his baritone tone, making me feel better.”
Awards & Honors
- 1968: Won the Best Supporting Actress Award at the Filmfare Awards for the 1967 Hindi film Milan
- 1972: Won the Special Jury Award at the Filmfare Awards South for the 1972 Telugu film ‘Pandanti Kapuram’
- 1999: Awarded with the MGR Award at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
- 2008: Awarded NTR National Award by Andhra Pradesh government
Jamuna won the NTR National Award from the Andhra Pradesh government in 2008
- 2010: Received a Lifetime Achievement Award with the Padma Bhushan B. Saroja Devi National Award
- 2019: Received the Santosham Lifetime Achievement Award at the 17th Santosham Film Awards
Death
On 27 January 2023, he died at his residence in Hyderabad due to age-related ailments at the age of 86.
Facts/Trivia
- Jamuna’s mother tongue is Telugu; however, he has done films in Tamil, Kannada and Hindi.
- He was trained by his mother in vocal music and playing the harmonium.
- Jamuna along with actress Savitri organized a toy fair, traditionally called ‘Bommala Koluvu.’
Jamuna celebrates Bommala Koluvu
- According to sources, when Jamuna’s parents were looking for a husband for her, they published matrimonial advertisements in various newspapers to find suitable matches for their daughter, especially IAS, IPS, professors, and highly educated professionals.
- In an interview, she shared that she stopped acting when she started accepting roles of old women. She wants to be remembered for her glamor as an ‘andala tara’ (beautiful star). He said,
My contemporaries today play the roles of ammama and nanamma; I never wanted to do that. I stopped acting when the type of roles I was offered started to change. I want to be remembered for my glamor as an andala tara (beautiful star). I have looked glamorous on screen for years, and apart from my acting, the image aa, ala undipote bavunundi.”
- He owns a cinema in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
- Reportedly, Jamuna was barred from working with actors Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) and Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR) for over 3 years due to a clash of egos. Later, he started working with actor Harnath. In an interview, she spoke about her being boycotted from working with NTR and ANR and said,
ANR is always playful and never takes anything too seriously. But he once unofficially boycotted me for three years because I demanded the same respect and pay that he and NTR got. It is a difference of opinion. I continued to act with young heroes like Ramanamurthy and Sridhar. But my pairing with ANR was very popular; Nagi Reddy, Chakrapani and KV Reddy brought me back into the fold for ‘Gundamma Katha.’”
Jamuna with ANR (left) and NTR (right) in a still from the film
- According to sources, he once walked out of a film shoot, when he came to know that his opposite actor Harnath was drunk on the sets of the film.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
