Kusalakumari


Thanjavur Damayanthi Kusalakumari was an Indian actress and dancer. She featured in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam language films.

Early life

Born in Thanjavur, Kusalakumari is a niece of T. R. Rajakumari. Her birth name is Kusalambal. Being born in an artistes family, she began learning Bharata Natyam at the age of 3. When she was 5 years old, the family moved to Chennai. She used to go to film shooting with her aunt T. R. Rajakumari.

Film career

Kusalakumari began her film career as a child artiste. Though she has danced in films before, she got a character role in Avvaiyar as the child Avvaiyar. Her major role as the poor woman falling in love with Sivaji Ganesan, was in Koondukili, the only film Sivaji Ganesan and M. G. Ramachandran featured together. Later she acted as the younger sister of Sivaji Ganesan in Kalvanin Kadhali, and then as the younger sister of K. R. Ramasamy in Needhipathi.
The competition dance with Kumari Kamala in Konjum Salangai brought fame to her as a dancer.
She began her film career in Telugu with Raju Peda as a dancer. The film featured N. T. Rama Rao in the main role and was a success. After that, she starred in many Telugu films both as dancer and in character roles.
She was paired with Prem Nazir in Malayalam-language film Seeta in the title role. The film ran for more than 200 days. Another Malayalam film Mariakutty won the President's award.

Awards

Later life

Kusalakumari did not marry. She lived with her brother T. D. Sekar in Chennai. The then Chief minister of Tamil Nadu J. Jayalalithaa learned of Kusalakumari's financial difficulties and sanctioned a monthly allowance of Rs.5000.

Death

Kusalakumari died of old age on 7 March 2019 in Chennai.

Filmography

YearFilm nameLanguageRole
1944MahamayaTamilChild Bala
Credited as Baby Kusalambal
1949Krishna BakthiTamilChild dancer
1950Laila MajnuTamilYoung Laila
1951ManamagalTamil
1951Pelli KoothuruTelugu
1952ParasakthiTamilDancer
1953AmmalakkaluTeluguDancer
1953AvvaiyarTamilChild Awvaiyar
1953MarumagalTamilDancer
1954KoondukkiliTamilSokki
1954Bedara KannappaKannada
1954Vedan KannappaTamil
1954NanbanTamil
1954Pona Machaan Thirumbi VandhanTamilChandra
1954Raju PedaTeluguDancer
1954Ratha KanneerTamilDancer
1955JayasimhaTeluguDancer
1955Donga RamuduTelugu
Dancer
1955Vijaya GauriTelugu
1955JayasimmanTamilDancer
1955Kalvanin KadhaliTamilAbirami
1955MenakaTamilDancer
1955KaveriTamilDancer
1955NeedhipathiTamil
1955Anna ThammuduTelugu
1956Kudumba VilakkuTamilDancer
1956Madurai VeeranTamilDancer
1956IlavelpuTeluguSingari
1956SahasaveeruduTelugu
1956Graha DevathaMalayalam
1957Aandi Petra SelvanTamilDancer
1957ParasakthiTeluguDancer
1957Samaya SanjeeviTamil
1957Sati AnasuyaTeluguRati
1958Mangalya BhagyamTamil
1958MariakuttyMalayalamBetty
1959Kaveriyin KanavanTamilDancer
1959Mahishasura MardiniKannada
1959Nalla TheerpuTamil
1959Raja SevaiTamil
1959Rechukka PagatichukkaTelugu
1959Mahishasura MardiniTelugu
1960 Mahakavi KalidasuTeluguDancer
1960Bhatti VikramarkaTeluguDancer
1960Desingu Raja KathaTeluguDancer
1960PathivrathaTeluguDancer
1960Patti VikramathithanTamilDancer
1960Raja DesinguTamilDancer
1960Rathinapuri IlavarasiTamil
1960SeetaMalayalamSita
1960Durga MaataHindi
1961Bhakta KuchelaMalayalam
1961Bharya BharthaluTelugu
1961Ennai PaarTamil
1961Sita Rama KalyanamTeluguRambha
1961Sita Rama KalyanamTamilRambha
1962Konjum SalangaiTamilKamavalli
1962Muripinche MuvvaluTelugu
1962Mahathma KabirKannada
1964Ramudu BheemuduTeluguDancer
1964RishyasringarTamil
1964Oral Koodi KallanayiMalayalam
1964Sree GuruvayoorappanMalayalam
1964PativrataTelugu
1968HarichandraTamilDancer
1976Manmadha LeelaiTamilRekha's mother
1977Meethi Meethi BaateinHindi
1977Nandha En NilaTamil