K R Vijaya was born as Deivanayaki in 1948. She is an Indian actress who has done Tamil, Malayalam, Telegu, Kannada and Hindi language films. The actress started her career in the 1960s. She has acted for more than six decades in the South Indian film industry. The star has worked with almost all the legends of the South Indian cinema and has acted in about five hundred movies.
Table of Contents
K R Vijaya Actress, Age, Biography, Movies
| Name | K R Vijaya |
| Real name | Deivanayaki |
| Birthplace | Trichur (Present-day Kerala), India |
| Nickname | Punnagai Arasi |
| Date of birth | 1948 (Date and month Unknown) |
| Profession | Actress |
| Years active | 1963- Present |
| Age | 71-72 |
| Husband | M. Sudarshan Velayudhan (m. 1966 to until his demise on 26th March 2016 aged 82) ( Businessman and producer) |
| Children | Hemalatha ( born on 1967) |
| Father | Ramachandran (army) |
| Mother | Kalyani (housewife) |
| Sisters | K.R. Vatsala, K.R. Savithri, K.R. Sashikala and K.R. Radha |
| Brother | K.R. Narayanan |
| Niece | Ragasudha, Anusha and Swathi |
| School | Government Higher Secondary School, Punkunnam, Thrissur |
| College | Unknown |
| Educational Qualifications | Unknown |
| Height | 5’2” or 157.48cm or 1.57m |
| Weight | 65kg or 143lbs |
| Figure measurement | 34-32-36 |
| Eye colour | Black |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Debut | Karpagam in 1963 |
| Hobbies | Reading and writing |
Early life and Background
K R Vijaya was born as Deivanayaki to parents Ramachandran and Kalyani in Trichur, Kerala. Her father was from Andhra Pradesh and mother was from Thrissur, Kerala. Ramachandran was in the army and Kalyani was a housewife. She has a younger brother K.R. Narayanan and four younger sisters – Vatsala, Savithri, Sashikala and Radha.
She did her schooling from Government Higher Secondary School at Thrissur. The actor’s father always wanted her to be an actress as he himself was acting in M.R. Radha’s drama troupe after his retirement from the army. She made her dut with the film Karpagam in 1963. She was the first actress to ever own a private jet.
Personal life
The actress married a businessman named M. Sudarshan Velayudhan in 1966. He was the CEO of Sudarshan trading company and a movie producer. The couple has a daughter together named Hemalatha in 1967. The couple were together until Velayudhan’s demise on 26th March 2016, aged 82.
Personal favourite’s
| Actor | Chiranjeevi |
| Actress | Meena Kumari and Madhubala |
| Director | K.S. Gopalakrishnan |
| Film | Nathayil Muthu |
| Colour | Blue, red and white |
| Cuisine | South Indian |
| Food | Dosa and vada |
| Destination | Kerala |
Career
K.R. Vijaya made her debut in 1963 with the lead role in the film Karpagam directed by K.S. Gopalakrishnan. The director also was the director of her 100th film Nathayil Muthu.
She has done almost four hundred films in all South Indian language films, including 100 films each in Tamil, Malayalam and Telegu. The actor has done half a dozen films in Kannada and one in Hindi, Oonche Log in 1965.
Her Hindi movie debut had two other stars – Raaj Kumar and Feroz Khan. She has acted in a bunch of successful movies. She starred opposite M.G. Ramachandran and played supporting roles in Naan Aanaiittal. The actor acted opposite Sivaji Ganesan and did successful films like Kai Koduttha Dheivam, Saraswati Sabatham etc. She also acted opposite Muthuraman in films like Thozhilali, Kanni Thaai etc.
The actress stopped acting temporarily in movies in 1994 when her husband suddenly fell sick and made a comeback in television and continued till 2007. After her husband’s death in 2016, she became active in both movies and television.
Some movies
- Karpagam
- Nathaiyil Muthu
- Oonche Log
- Ninaivil Nindraval
- Thenmazhai
- Ooty Varai Oravu
- Patanathil Bhootam
- Server Sundaram
- Kandan Karunai
- Paladai
- Anarkali
- Idhayakamalam
- Thozhilali
- Thazhampoo
- Panama Padaithavan
- Kanni Thaai
- Naan Aanaiyittal
- Vivasayee
- Naan Yen Piradhen
- Nalla Neram
- Kai Koduttha Dheivam
- Saraswati Sabatham
- Selvam
- Thangai
- Kandhan Karunai
- Nenjirukkum Varai
- Paaladai
- Thiruvarutselvar
- Ooty Varai Uravu
- Iru Malargal
- Thirumal Perumai
- Thirudan
- Raman Ethanai Ramanadi
- Ethiroli
- Sorgam
- Thavapudhalavan
- Bharatha Vilas
- Thangs Pathakkam
- Girahapravesam
- Naam Pirandha Mann
- Justice Gopinath
- General Chakravarthi
- Thirisoolam
- Naan Vazhavaippen
- Rishi Moolam
- Kalthoon
- Sathey Sundharam
- Oorukku Oru Pillai
- Neethibathi
- Miruthanga Chakravarthi
- Sathanai
- Simma Soppanam
- Krishna Vandhaan
- Server Sundaram
- Naanal
- Manam Oru Kurangu
- Dheerga Sumangali
- Engal Kula Deivam
- Kanne Papa
- Seetha
- Maligai Poo
- Panchavaarna Kili
- Nathayil Muthu
- Nenjirukumvarai
- Murugan Adimai
- Sondheim
- Kasturi Vijayam
- Kannada
- Intho Enthan Deivam
- Roshakari
- Namma Veetu Deivam
- Annai Abhirami
- Deivam
Television
- Madisaar Maami in 1994 (Sun TV, Tamil)
- Adiparashakthi ( DD Podhigai), Daivathin Makkal ( Surya TV, Malayalam) and Pettamma (DD Malayalam) in 1995
- Kudumbam (Sun TV, Tamil) in 1998
- Mangai ( Sun TV, Tamil) from 2000-2003
- Anandham (Sun TV, Tamil) in 2004
- Raja Rajeswari ( Sun TV, Tamil) fron 2005-2007
- Sthree 2 (Asianet, Malayalam) in 2006
- Namma Kudumbam (Kalaignar TV, Tamil) from 2008-2009
- Shree Krishna Leela (Asianet, Malayalam) from 2008-2009
- Shree Mahabhagavatham (Asianet, Malayalam) in 2009
- Devimahathmyam (Asianet, Malayalam) in 2010
- Adi Parasakthi (Star Vijay, Tamil) from 2010-2011
- Shabarimala Shri Dharmashashtha (Asianet, Malayalam) in 2011
- Bhairavi Aavigalukku Priyamanaval (Sun TV, Tamil) from 2012-2016
- Sathyam Shivam Sundaram (Amrita TV, Malayalam) from 2016-2018
- Ithikkarapakki (Surya TV, Malayalam) from 2020
Awards
- Doctorate from Satyabama College in 2009
- Best Actress for Iru Malargal from Tamil Nadu State Film Awards in 1967
- Best Actress for Namma Veetu Dheivam from Filmfare Awards South in 1970
- Filmfare Special Award South for Dheerga Sumangali in 1974
- Lifetime Achievement Award from Kerala State Film Awards in 2004
- Second Best Actress for Ithiripoove Chuvannapoove from Kerala State Film Awards in 1984
- Chalachitra Rathnam Award from Kerala Film Critics Association Awards in 2013
- Best Character Actress for Sathyam Sivam Sundaram from Janmabhoomi Television Awards in 2018
- Nagi Reddy Memorial Awards in 2013
- Congress Managalir Awards in 2017
- Nakshathira Sathanaiyalar in 2019
Lesser-known Facts
- The actor has a doctorate from Satyabama College which she procured in 2009.
- Her birth name is Deivanayaki and was born in 1948 in Trichur.
- The star has acted for more than six decades in the South Indian cinema.
- K.R. Vijaya has done over five hundred films all through her career.
- She is also known as Punnagai Arasi.
- Her father Ramachandran, ex-army acted in M.R. Radha’s drama troupe.
- Her debut film was Karpagam, released in 1963 and her hundredth film is Nathayil Muthu.
- K.R. Vijaya’s husband M. Sudarshan was the CEO of Sudarshan Trading Company and a movie producer.
