Surabhi Kamalabai (1913–1977) was an Indian actress who worked in Telugu theatre and Telugu cinema. She has the distinction of being the first Telugu actress in a talkie film with Bhakta Prahlada (1932), directed by H. M. Reddy. She played the role of Leelavathi, the wife of Hiranyakasipa.[1] Since then she acted in about 30 films, including Savitri (1933), Pathala Bhairavi (1951), Malliswari (1951), Illarikam (1959) and Velugu Needalu (1961).[2]
She belongs to the well esteemed Surabhi drama company, in which drama is not only a livelihood but a profession and an art form. There were about 50 drama families during the 1920s to 1950s in Andhra Pradesh. They toured different places, stayed for some time and gave a series of programmes in the nearby towns.[3]
Filmography
- Bhakta Prahlada (1931) as Leelavathi (debut)
- Rama Paduka Pattabhishekam (1932) as Goddess Seetha
- Shakuntala (1932/I) as Shakuntala
- Pruthvi Putra (1933)
- Savithri (1933)
- Shaher Ka Jadoo (1934) as Laila
- Be Kharab Jan (1936)
- Do Diwane (1936)
- Draupadi Manasamrakshanam (1936)
- Bhakta Jayadeva (1938)
- Tukaram (1938)
- Bhookailas (1940) as Vishnu Maya
- Patni (1942)[4]
- Keelugurram (1949)
- Malliswari (1951)
- Patala Bhairavi (1951)
- Mangala (1951)
- Kathal (1952)
- Manavati (1952)
- Rohini (1953)
- Devadasu (1953)
- Vayyari Bhama (1953)
- Pelli Naati Pramanalu (1958)
- Mangalya Balam (1958)
- Jayabheri (1959)
- Illarikam (1959)
- Vagdanam (1961) as Bujjamma
- Velugu Needalu (1964)
References
- ↑ Narasimham, M. L. (19 January 2017). "Reliving the reel and the real". The Hindu. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- ↑ "Surabhi Kamalabai". IMDb.
- ↑ "Movie memories". The Hindu. 29 March 2004. Archived from the original on 1 May 2004. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
- ↑ Narasimham, M. L. (30 October 2011). "Patni (1942) - Hyderabad". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 December 2016.