Bollywood icon Vyjayanthi Mala is celebrating her 91st birthday today. She was born on August 13, 1933. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Vyjayanthi Mala truly ruled the silver screen. She was known for amazing acting, stunning dance skills, and endless beauty. Her fame stretched from Bollywood to South Indian films. Here are some special facts about her acting journey and private life.
Vyjayanthi Mala came from a film family. Her mother was a famous actress in Tamil cinema. Vyjayanthi Mala was born in Triplicane, Chennai. She started learning Bharatanatyam dance as a child. By the age of 13, she was already giving dance performances on stage. Soon after, she got a chance in films. In the film world, Vyjayanthi Mala played all kinds of roles.
A Star at Sixteen
Vyjayanthi Mala began her film career in 1949. Her first movie was ‘Vazhkai’, a Tamil film. After making a few more films in South India, she joined Bollywood. Her entry into Hindi cinema was with the film ‘Bahar’. Right from her first Hindi film, Vyjayanthi Mala made a huge mark in Bollywood.
Later, she starred in many successful films. These included ‘Nagin’, ‘Ladki’, ‘Devdas’, ‘Madhumati’, ‘Sangam’, and ‘Naya Daur’. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Vyjayanthi Mala worked with many famous Bollywood actors. She acted alongside big names like Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar, and Joy Mukherjee. Audiences loved her pairing with every actor. She was active in Hindi, South Indian, and Bengali films. Her last Hindi film was ‘Ganwaar’ in 1970. After this, she did not appear on the big screen.
– Photo: Instagram @vyjayanthimala_fan_01
When an Award Was Not Enough
Vyjayanthi Mala won the Filmfare Best Actress Award three times. However, in 1955, she refused to accept a Filmfare Award for ‘Devdas’. This award was for Best Supporting Actress. Vyjayanthi Mala argued that her role as Chandramukhi in ‘Devdas’ was not a supporting one. She felt her part was equal to Paro’s, played by Suchitra Sen.
Filmfare also gave her a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. The Indian government honored her too. She received the Padma Shri award in 1968. In 2024, she was given the Padma Vibhushan.
A Bold Choice in ‘Sangam’
Vyjayanthi Mala often played traditional Indian characters. Yet, she also appeared in a swimsuit in the film ‘Sangam’. For this scene, Raj Kapoor needed permission. He had to ask Vyjayanthi Mala’s grandmother, not her. After much convincing, Raj Kapoor finally got the go-ahead. He could then film the swimsuit scene with Vyjayanthi Mala.
Vyjayanthi Mala was highly praised for her dancing in films. In ‘Sangam’, she performed an amazing dance to the song ‘Mujhe Budha Mil Gaya’.
– Photo: X (Twitter)
Addressing Raj Kapoor Rumors
Vyjayanthi Mala made many hit films with Raj Kapoor. Her name also became linked with his. It was said that these rumors put Raj Kapoor’s marriage in danger. However, Vyjayanthi Mala completely denied these claims. In her autobiography, she stated no newspaper ever tried to get her side of the story. Vyjayanthi Mala said some newspapers in North India published the news. She called it a publicity stunt. But Raj Kapoor’s son, Rishi Kapoor, wrote about their relationship. He mentioned it in his autobiography.
Later, Vyjayanthi Mala married Chamanlal Bali. After marrying in 1968, she stepped away from films. She continued to perform Bharatanatyam on stage. Even at 90 years old, she can still be seen performing Bharatanatyam.
Life Beyond the Lens: A Political Path
After saying goodbye to acting, Vyjayanthi Mala decided to enter politics. She contested and won the 1984 Lok Sabha elections. Later, she was nominated to the Rajya Sabha. During her time in politics, she worked for art and cinema.