Jamuna

30 Aug, 1936 | Hampi, Karnataka

Actress

Biography

Jamuna is an Indian actress and politician who appeared mainly in Telugu films. She made her acting debut at the age of 15 in Dr. Garikapati Rajarao's Puttillu (1953) and received her breakthrough with L. V. Prasad's Missamma (1955). She worked also in Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi films. She was a Member of Parliament in the 9th Lok Sabha (1989–1991) representing the Rajahmundry constituency. Early life Jamuna was born in Hampi, Karnataka to Nippani Srinivasa Rao and Kowsalya Devi. Jamuna was named Jana Bai. Her father is a Madhva Brahmin, while her mother is a Vaisya and they had an inter-caste love marriage. Her father was involved in the business of turmeric and tobacco and their family moved to Duggirala, in the Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh when Jamuna was seven years old. She grew up in Duggirala. When Savitri was performing drama in Duggirala, she stayed in Jamuna's house. Later, Savitri invited Jamuna to act in films. She entered as a heroine in movies at the age of 15. Jamuna's mother tongue is Kannada. Film career Jamuna was a stage artist in school. Her mother taught her vocal music and harmonium. Dr. Garikipati Raja Rao (see Indian People's Theatre Association IPTA) watched her stage show Maa Bhoomi and gave her the offer to act in his film Puttillu in 1952. She acted in 198 films in Telugu and other south Indian languages. She also acted in Hindi films, winning the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for Milan (1967), repeating her role from the original Telugu film Mooga Manasulu (1964). She also established the Telugu artist association and doing social service through it for the last 25 years. Political career Jamuna joined the Congress party in the 1980s and was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Rajahmundry constituency in 1989. She lost the 1991 election and quit politics but briefly campaigned for the BJP in the late 1990s during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure. Personal life Jamuna married Professor Juluri Ramana Rao, a zoology professor at SV University, in 1965; he died on 10 November 2014 aged 86 due to cardiac arrest. They have a son, Vamsee Juluri, and a daughter, Sravanthi. They live in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.  Death Jamuna, who was suffering from age-related issues, passed away today. She is 86 years old.