Leelavathi (actress)
Leelavathi | |
|---|---|
 Leelavathi at Kalamandira, Mysore | |
| Born | Leena Sequeira 1937 |
| Died | (aged 86) |
| Occupations | Actress, film producer, writer, philanthropist |
| Children | Vinod Raj |
Leena Sequeira [1] (1937 – 8 December 2023), known by her screenname Leelavathi, was an Indian actress and producer who worked predominantly in Kannada and Tamil films, in addition to Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, and Tulu films. After starting in theatre, Leelavathi made her film debut in a small role as child artist in Nagakannika (1949). She went on to act in more than 600 films throughout her career spanning over five decades.
Leelavathi is known for many performances as a lead actress in films such as Rani Honnamma, Bhakta Kumbara, Valar Pirai, Mana Mecchida Madadi and Santha Thukaram. In the early 1970s, she switched towards performing character roles and was notable in films such as Gejje Pooje, Upasane, Naagarahaavu, Vasantha Geetha, Shravana Banthu and Eradu Nakshatragalu. She was the recipient of the Dr. Rajkumar Award in 1999 and Filmfare Awards.
Early life
[edit]Leena Sequeira was born in Mura, a village in Belthangady town of Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka which was then a part of Madras Presidency.[1] She lost her parents at the age of 6.[2] Leena and her sister Angelina Sequeira were raised under the care of their elder cousin. Both the sisters had a passion for dancing, and they both earned their living by training people in dance.
Film career
[edit]Leelavathi had a small role in Chanchala Kumari and then in Shanker Singh's film Naga Kannika. She later joined the troupe of Mahalinga Bhagavathar's Sri Sahitya Samrajya Drama Company.[3] She got a chance to act in Subbainaidu's 1958 movie Bhakta Prahlada and in movies like Mangalya Yoga, Dharma Vijaya and Ranadheera Kanteerava. It was from Rani Honnamma that Leelavathi became a full-fledged heroine and went on to act in many films as the leading female, like Santha Thukaram, Kantheredu Nodu, Kaivara Mahatme, Gaali Gopura, Kanyarathna, Kulavadhu, Veera Kesari and Mana Mecchida Madadi. She has also starred in key supporting roles in a large number of films and received the Karnataka State Award for Gejje Pooje and Doctor Krishna.
Leelavathi had the rare distinction of working with Rajkumar in various films as heroine as well as in other roles [4] like daughter (Bhoodana), daughter-in-law (Kittur Chennamma), sister (Vathsalya), sister-in-law (elder brother's wife in Premamayi and younger brother's wife in Kalitharu Henne), paternal aunt (Shravana Banthu), and mother-in-law (Vasantha Geetha, Naa Ninna Mareyalare and Jwaalamukhi).[5]
Death
[edit]Leelavathi died at a private hospital in Nelamangala on the outskirts of Bengaluru, on 8 December 2023, at the age of 86.[6][7]
Awards and recognitions
[edit]- Dr. Rajkumar Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000 from the Karnataka Government.[8]
- Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Kannada for Kannadada Kanda in 2006[citation needed]
- Leelavathi was conferred with the honorary doctorate from the Tumkur University in the year 2008 for her contribution to the southern cinema.[9]
Partial filmography
[edit] |
Kannada films
[edit]Other language films
[edit]| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Raja Malaya Simha | Telugu/Tamil | ||
| 1962 | Pattinathaar | Tamil | ||
| 1962 | Sumaithaangi | Tamil | ||
| 1962 | Valar Pirai | Tamil | ||
| 1963 | Valmiki | Telugu | ||
| 1963 | Bandipotu | Telugu | ||
| 1964 | Marmayogi | Telugu | ||
| 1965 | Karthigai Deepam | Tamil | ||
| 1966 | Paduka Pattabhishekam[10] | Kaikeyi | Telugu | |
| 1974 | Aval Oru Thodar Kathai | Parvathi | Tamil | |
| 1974 | Naan Avanillai | Chandrabai | Tamil | |
| 1977 | Avargal | Leelavathi | Tamil | |
| 1977 | Solah Shukrawar | Hindi | ||
| 1978 | Gammathu Goodacharulu | Telugu | ||
| 1979 | Karthika Deepam | Telugu | ||
| 1979 | Idi Katha Kaadu | Telugu | ||
| 1980 | Bhumi Par Aaye Bhagwan | Hindi | ||
| 1980 | Jathara | Telugu | ||
| 1982 | Maro Malupu | Telugu | ||
| 1986 | Pudhir | Vijay's mother | Tamil | |
As producer
[edit]| Year | Film |
|---|---|
| 1990 | College Hero |
| 2006 | Kannadada Kanda |
| 2007 | Shukra |
| 2009 | Yaaradhu |
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Leena Sequeira to Leelavati: A tale of talent and tenacity! | Udayavani – ಉದಯವಾಣಿ". Archived from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
- ↑ "Veteran actor Leelavathi no more". The Times of India. 10 December 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ↑ "ಲೀಲಾವತಿಯವರ ನಿಜವಾದ ಗಂಡ ಯಾರ್ ಗೊತ್ತಾ..? ಕೊನೆಗೂ ಸತ್ಯ ಬಾಯ್ಬಿಟ್ಟ ನಟಿ..!! | Civic News".
- ↑ "Southscope July 2010 - Side A".
- ↑ "Actor Leelavathi passes away at 86 in Bengaluru hosp". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ↑ "Veteran Kannada actress Leelavathi passes away". Deccan Herald. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
- ↑ "Leelavathi Passes Away: ನಟಿ ಲೀಲಾವತಿ ನಿಧನ: 600ಕ್ಕೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಸಿನಿಮಾಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅಭಿನಯಿಸಿದ್ದ ಕಲಾವಿದೆ ಇನ್ನಿಲ್ಲ". TV9 Kannada. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
- ↑ The Hindu. 17 December 2007.
- ↑ "Leelavathi conferred with doctorate". The New Indian Express. 10 January 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Paduka Pattabhishekam (1966) Telugu Movie: Watch Full HD Movie Online On JioCinema". www.jiocinema.com. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
External links
[edit]- Leelavathi at IMDb
- 1937 births
- 2023 deaths
- Actresses in Kannada cinema
- Kannada actresses
- Actresses in Tamil cinema
- Actresses in Telugu cinema
- Filmfare Awards South winners
- Indian film actresses
- 20th-century Indian actresses
- 21st-century Indian actresses
- Actresses from Mangalore
- Karnataka State Film Award winners
- Kannada film producers
- Indian women film producers
- Film producers from Karnataka
- Businesspeople from Mangalore
- 21st-century Indian businesswomen
- 21st-century Indian businesspeople
- Businesswomen from Karnataka
