Amala Akkineni Explained

Amala Akkineni
Birth Name:Amala Mukherjee
Birth Date:1967 9, df=y
Birth Place:Kharagpur Airforce Base Kalaikunda, West Bengal, India
Children:Akhil Akkineni
Alma Mater:Kalakshetra, Chennai
Yearsactive:1986 - 1993
2012 - present

Amala Akkineni (née Mukherjee) (born 12 September 1967[1]) is an Indian actress, Bharatanatyam dancer, and activist.[2] She has predominantly worked in Tamil films, in addition to Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada-language films. She was a leading actress in the Tamil film industry from 1986 to 1992 and has appeared in many blockbusters in Tamil and other languages. She has won two Filmfare Awards South, namely Best Actress – Malayalam for the 1991 film Ulladakkam[3] and Best Supporting Actress – Telugu for the 2012 film Life Is Beautiful.[4] Amala is the co-founder of Blue Cross of Hyderabad,[5] a non-government organisation (NGO) in Hyderabad, India, which works towards the welfare of animals and preservation of animal rights in India.[6] [7]

Early life

Amala was born in Calcutta (present-day Kolkata) to a Bengali Indian Navy officer and an Irish mother.[8] [9] Their family soon shifted to Madras (present-day Chennai) where she was brought up.[10] She has a brother.

Amala holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Bharatanatyam from Kalakshetra college of fine arts, Madras now Chennai.[11] She gave many live performances worldwide.[12] [13] She is fluent in English, Tamil and Telugu, and can understand Bengali.[14] [15]

Personal life

Amala married Telugu actor Nagarjuna on 11 June 1992 and the couple has a son, actor Akhil Akkineni born in 1994. She is the step-mother of actor Naga Chaitanya.[16] They currently live in Hyderabad.[13]

Career

She was persuaded to join films by T. Rajendar, who visited her home with his wife Usha and convinced her mother to let her act in the film, which would be a classical film featuring her Bharatanatyam dancing.[17] That film was Mythili Ennai Kaathali (1986) which was a box office hit. After the film's success, she acted in several Tamil films such as Mella Thirandhathu Kadhavu (1986), Panneer Nadhigal (1986) and Velaikkaran (1987).[18] She acted with her future husband Akkineni Nagarjuna in hits such as Nirnayam and Siva.[19] She garnered acclaim for her role in the film Ulladakkam (1991).

She quit acting in 1992 following her marriage to Nagarjuna. After a hiatus of 20 years she made a comeback in 2012 with the Telugu film Life is Beautiful.[20] She received a CineMAA Award for Best Outstanding Actress and Telugu category Filmfare Award for best supporting actress in 2013 for her portrayal.

She returned to Malayalam cinema with C/O Saira Banu after a gap of 25 years, since Ulladakkam.[21]

Filmography

style="background:#ffc;"
Denotes films that have not yet been released

Tamil

Year Title Role Note
1986Mythili Ennai Kaathali Mythili
Mella Thirandhathu Kadhavu Noorjahan
Panneer Nathigal Meera
Kanne Kaniyamuthe Kavita
Unnai Ondru Ketpen Gita
Oru Iniya Udhayam Anju
1987Velaikaran Kaushalya
Poo Poova Poothirukku Mary
Koottu Puzhukkal
Vedham Pudhithu VaidehiNominated — Filmfare Award for Best Actress — Tamil
Kavithai Paada Neramillai
Idhu Oru Thodar Kathai Sumathi
1988Agni Natchathiram Anjali
Kodi Parakkuthu Aparna
Sathyaa Geetha Nair
Jeeva Geetha
Illam Saradha
Kaliyugam
Nethiyadi Amala Guest appearance
1989Mappillai Geetha
Varam
Naalai Manithan Prabhu's girlfriend
Uthama Purushan Rekha
Vetri Vizha Lalitha
1990Pudhu Padagan Devi
Mounam Sammadham Hema
1991Vaasalil Oru Vennila Kamal
Karpoora Mullai Maya Vinodini
2022KanamAdhi's motherShot simultaneously in Telugu[22]

Telugu

Year Title Role Note
1987Kirayi Dada LataTelugu film debut
1988Chinababu Madhu
Raktha Tilakam Radha
1989Shiva Asha
1990Prema Yuddham Latha
Raja Vikramarka Rekha
Aggiramudu Manasa
1991Nirnayam Geetha
rowspan=1993Aagraham Chitra
2012Life Is Beautiful Amma
2014Manam Dance Teacher Cameo appearance
2022Oke Oka JeevithamAdhi's motherShot simultaneously in Tamil

Hindi

Year Title RoleNote
1988 Dayavan Sarita Remake of Nayakan (1987)
Kab Tak Chup Rahungi Geeta
1989 Dost Pooja
Jurrat Renu
1990 Shiva Asha
2013 Listen... Amaya Sujata
2015 Hamari Adhuri Kahani Rohini Ruparel Cameo appearance
2018KarwaanTahira
2023 Tumse Na Ho Payega Pooja

Kannada

Year Title RoleNote
1987Pushpaka Vimana Magician's daughterSilent film Kannada film debut
1990 Bannada Gejje Menaka
1991 Agni Panjara
1992 Ksheera Sagara
Belliyappa Bangarappa Mutthamma

Malayalam

Year Title Role Note
1991 Ente Sooryaputhrikku Maya Vinodini Malayalam film debut
Ulladakkam Reshma
2017 C/O Saira Banu Adv. Annie John Tharavadi
2021The Fall into SpringSulochana RamachandranShort film

Television

YearTitleRoleLanguageNetwork
1991PennTamilDoordarshan
1992SangurshHindiDoordarshan
2010 Super mother Judge Star Vijay
2014–2015Uyirmei Dr. Kavitha Sandeep Tamil Zee Tamil
2019High Priestess Swathi Reddy ZEE5
2020The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke LiyeMaya's mother Hindi Amazon Prime Video

Awards and honours

Year Award Award Category WorkResultRef.
1989 Illam
Agni Natchathiram
[23]
1991 Ulladakkam
2013 Life Is Beautiful [24]
[25]
2013SIIMASIIMA Award for Best Supporting Actress – Telugu
2023Oke Oka Jeevitham[26]
2024 Filmfare Awards South

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 29 August 2015 . Akkineni Nagarjuna rings in 56th birthday in Thailand . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150903044512/http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/akkineni-nagarjuna-rings-in-56th-birthday-in-thailand/ . 3 September 2015 . 10 July 2023 . The Indian Express.
  2. Web site: Amala for a fit mind, body . S.B.VIJAYA MARY . The Hindu.
  3. Web site: 39th Annual Filmfare Malayalam Best Film Actress : santosh : Free Dow… . https://archive.today/20170208064602/https://archive.org/details/39thAnnualFilmfareMalayalamBestFilmActress . dead . 8 February 2017 . 8 February 2017 . Archive.is . 21 March 2019.
  4. Web site: Sangeetha Devi Dundoo . Amala Akkineni : Behind the glamour of cinema . The Hindu . 16 August 2015 . 12 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112232456/https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/amala-akkineni-behind-the-glamour-of-cinema/article7374487.ece . live.
  5. Web site: Blue Cross of Hyderabad – The Team . Blue Cross of Hyderabad . 26 January 2011 . 26 January 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080804000535/http://www.bluecrosshyd.in/team.php . 4 August 2008 . dead.
  6. Web site: 'I treasure my quiet time': Amala Akkineni . S.B. Vijaya Mary . The Hindu . 16 August 2015 . 28 December 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161228135346/http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/i-treasure-my-quiet-time-amala-akkineni/article3558589.ece . live.
  7. Web site: Respect saniation [sic] workers, Amala Akkineni tells people ]. T.Lalith Singh . The Hindu . 16 August 2015 . 12 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210412042210/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/respect-saniation-workers-amala-akkineni-tells-people/article7130108.ece . live.
  8. Web site: Amala Akkineni on Her Return To Acting . Subhash K Jha . 17 June 2015 . SKJ Bollywood News . 16 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150619050512/http://skjbollywoodnews.com/2015/06/amala-akkineni-on-her-return-to-acting/4131937.html . 19 June 2015 . dead.
  9. Web site: J Rao . Subha . 7 December 2012 . The measure of a woman . 4 January 2023 . . 10 February 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140210140621/http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/the-measure-of-a-woman/article4174412.ece . live.
  10. Web site: Lakshmi . L. . 3 April 1987 . I never aspired for money or fame . 27 December 2022 . . 14 . 10 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220610094527/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19870403&printsec=frontpage&hl=en . live.
  11. Web site: Amala Akkineni, The Person with the Most Beautiful Heart . 11 September 2018 . Hixic . en . 25 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190525092721/https://www.hixic.com/sweetyangel/amala-akkineni-the-person-with-the-most-beautiful-heart . 25 May 2019 . dead.
  12. Web site: February '13 – Crusading for a cause . RITZ . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150829161323/http://www.ritzmagazine.in/2013/08/dancing-through-life-crusading-for-a-cause/ . 29 August 2015.
  13. Web site: A day in the life of Amala Akkineni . The Times of India . 16 August 2015 . 10 August 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180810235836/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/hyderabad-times/A-day-in-the-life-of-Amala-Akkineni/articleshow/1612443872.cms . live.
  14. Web site: Jain . Rupam . 11 July 2011 . Amala Akkineni can't speak Bengali . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150817231254/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/Amala-Akkineni-cant-speak-Bengali/articleshow/9185371.cms . 17 August 2015 . 4 January 2023 . The Times of India.
  15. Web site: 10 September 2022 . When Amala Akkineni Made Sweets For The Whole Unit Of 'Kanam' . 4 January 2023 . Outlook . Indo-Asian News Service . 28 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221128115128/https://www.outlookindia.com/art-entertainment/when-amala-akkineni-made-sweets-for-the-whole-unit-of-kanam--news-222437 . live.
  16. Web site: A Kinder Vision . Himalayan Academy . hinduismtoday.com . 16 August 2015 . 31 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200731075123/https://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=3204 . live.
  17. Web site: 24 June 2011 . Amala . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140612104048/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4facuGogBY . 12 June 2014 . 29 March 2013 . Gorantha Deepam.
  18. News: Lakshmi . I. . 3 April 1987 . I never aspired for money or fame . 14 . . 16 June 2023.
  19. Web site: Akkineni Nagarjuna and Amala celebrate 26th wedding anniversary . 11 June 2019 . The Times of India . 16 June 2023 . 30 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190630180952/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/akkineni-nagarjuna-and-amala-celebrate-26th-wedding-anniversary/articleshow/69738497.cms . live.
  20. Web site: Amala Akkineni makes comeback with 'Life Is Beautiful' . https://web.archive.org/web/20120831011533/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/amala-makes-comeback-with-life-is-beautiful/286289-71-180.html . dead . 31 August 2012 . 1 September 2012.
  21. News: Digital Native . Amala-Manju Warrier starrer 'C/o Saira Banu' ready for release . 5 March 2017 . . 20 February 2017 . 6 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170306034618/http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/amala-manju-warrier-starrer-co-saira-banu-ready-release-57511 . live.
  22. Web site: 5 October 2020 . Amala Akkineni returns to Tamil cinema after two decades with upcoming bilingual . 13 May 2021 . The News Minute . en . 13 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210513141222/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/amala-akkineni-returns-tamil-cinema-after-two-decades-upcoming-bilingual-134539 . live.
  23. News: 11 March 1989 . Cinema Express readers choose Agni Nakshathiram . 4 . . Express News Service . 19 February 2021.
  24. Web site: List of Winners at the 60th Idea Filmfare Awards (South).
  25. Web site: CineMAA Awards 2013 Winners . 16 June 2013 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20171115155228/http://www.idlebrain.com/news/today/maaawards2013announced.html . 15 November 2017 . 2 March 2020.
  26. News: SIIMA Awards 2023: RRR, 777 Charlie win big; Jr NTR, Yash named Best Actors; Sreeleela and Srinidhi Shetty are Best Actresses . 2023-09-15 . Indian Express.