Girija (actress)
{{short description|Telugu film actress}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Girija
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_name = Dasari Girija
| birth_date = 3 March 1938
| birth_place = Kankipadu, Madras Presidency, British India
| death_date = 5 September 1995
| death_place = Madras, Tamil Nadu, India
| occupation = Actress, comedian and film producer
| years active = 1950 1977
| spouse = C. S. Raju
| children = Saleema
| awards =
}}
Dasari Girija (3 March 1938 – 5 September 1995) was an Indian actress who has worked in Telugu films. She was active in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s in comic roles.{{cite web | url=http://telugucinemacharitra.com/%E0%B0%A8%E0%B0%9F%E0%B0%BF-%E0%B0%97%E0%B0%BF%E0%B0%B0%E0%B0%BF%E0%B0%9C/ | title=నటి గిరిజ – Telugucinema Charitra }} She appeared in many films with Relangi, the two of them becoming a famous comedic duo.
Film career
She was born on 3 March 1938 in Kankipadu, Andhra Pradesh. Her mother is staging and film actress Dasari Ramatilakam.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sakshi.com/news/family/actress-girija-daughter-saleema-interview-1206068 |title=మా అమ్మపై ఇన్ని పుకార్లా |date=12 July 2019}}
Her first movie was Kasturi Sivarao's Paramanandayya Sishyulu (1950). She acted in many films with Relangi and other leading actors of that period. Her portrayal of titular Pathala Bhairavi in 1951 hit film Patala Bhairavi{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/pathalabhairavi-1951/article4614079.ece |title=Pathalabhairavi (1951) |last=Narasimham |first=M. L. |date=13 April 2013 |work=The Hindu |access-date=28 May 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528063103/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/pathalabhairavi-1951/article4614079.ece |archive-date=28 May 2015}} displayed her talents and resulted in her getting many film offers lasting about two decades. Her role as Usha in Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu (1959) opposite Relangi is memorable.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/appu-chesi-pappu-koodu-1959/article7561720.ece |title=Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu (1959) |last=Narasimham |first=M. L. |date=20 August 2015 |work=The Hindu |access-date=9 June 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609161335/http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/appu-chesi-pappu-koodu-1959/article7561720.ece |archive-date=9 June 2016}} The ever lasting comedy song Kaseeki Poyanu Ramahari has been pictured on them.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/7gxHjJIWg08 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20161127023620/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gxHjJIWg08 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gxHjJIWg08 |title=Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu {{!}}{{!}} Kasi Poyanu Ramahari Full Video Song {{!}}{{!}} NTR, Savitri, Jamuna, SVR |date=18 September 2014 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} The comedy-duo also acted in the award-winning Ramudu Bheemudu (1964) of Suresh Productions. The funny Sarada Sarada Cigarettu song about the habit of Smoking is superhit during that time.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/E_ODm_JQLkw Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20190116111016/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_ODm_JQLkw Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_ODm_JQLkw |title=SARADA SARADA CIGARETTU SONG IN RAMUDU - BHEMUDU |date=16 September 2008 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} She also acted in Tamil films during the fifties.
She along with Relangi acted in small but key roles in the epic film Lava Kusa (1963) by Shankar Reddy and refused to take any extra remuneration for the extratime in shooting the song Ollanori mama née pillanee....{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/LAVA-KUSA-1963/article17032693.ece |title=Lava Kusa (1963) |work=The Hindu |date=13 January 2017 |access-date=18 January 2017 |last=Narasimham |first=M. L. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118065455/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/LAVA-KUSA-1963/article17032693.ece |archive-date=18 January 2017}} In addition to the comedy roles, she played as character actress in the key role of Hemalatha opposite Akkineni Nageswara Rao acting as second heroine in Bharya Bhartalu (1961){{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/bharya-bharthalu-1961/article8532431.ece |title=Bharya Bharthalu (1961) |website=The Hindu |date=28 April 2016 |access-date=1 February 2020 |last1=Narasimham |first1=M. L.}} and as Varalaxmi in Velugu Needalu (1961).{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/velugu-needalu-1961/article8591612.ece |title=Velugu Needalu (1961) |last=Narasimham |first=M.L. |date=13 May 2015 |website=The Hindu |access-date=16 May 2016}} She has played key roles in some mythological and Janapada films, like Dharma Devatha (1952).{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/dharma-devatha-1952/article6452842.ece |title=Dharma Devatha 1952 |work=The Hindu |first=Randor |last=Guy |author-link=Randor Guy |date=27 September 2014 |access-date=19 June 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170619072608/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/dharma-devatha-1952/article6452842.ece |archive-date=19 June 2017 |url-status=dead }}
She started a film company with her husband C. S. Raju as a producer, named Vijaya Giri Dhwaja Productions (named after Girija) and produced few movies including Bhale Mastaru (1969) and Pavitra Hrudayalu (1971), in both films main protagonist is played by N. T. Rama Rao. They met with a heavy financial loss.
Personal life
She married C. Sanyasi Raju, popularly known as C. S. Raju; their daughter Saleema is also an actress who acts mainly in Malayalam movies.{{Cite web |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/mollywood/140317/returning-after-a-long-hiatus-saleema.html |title=Returning after a long hiatus: Saleema |date=14 March 2017}} According to her daughter Saleema, Girija died on 5 September 1995.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sakshi.com/news/family/actress-girija-daughter-saleema-interview-1206068 |title=మా అమ్మపై ఇన్ని పుకార్లా |date=12 July 2019}} Though she has been suffering from Diabetes, in the last moments she experienced some breathing problem and died suddenly in her Chennai residence.
Filmography
{{Incomplete list|date=May 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0006429}}
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Category:Indian film actresses
Category:Indian women comedians
Category:Actresses in Telugu cinema
Category:20th-century Indian actresses
Category:Actors from Krishna district
Category:Actresses from Andhra Pradesh