K. R. Vijaya

{{Infobox person

| name = K. R. Vijaya

| image =

| caption = KR vijaya in a film

| birth_name = Deivanayaki

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|11|30}}

| birth_place = Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

| other_names = Punnagai Arasi

| occupation = Actor

| years_active = 1963–present

| works = Full list

| children = Hemalatha (b. 1967)

| parents = Ramachandran Nair
Kalyani

| spouse = {{Marriage|Madathil Velayuthan|1966|2016|end=died}}

| relatives = K. R. Savithri
K. R. Vatsala

}}

Deivanayaki, better known by her stage name K. R. Vijaya, is an Indian actress who has featured in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada films. She started her career in 1963 and has been acting for more than six decades in South Indian cinema. The actress has worked with almost all the stalwarts of South Indian cinema and has played many key roles.{{cite web |url=https://www.ap7am.com/lv-291365-senior-actress-kr-vijaya-open-heart-with-rk-promo.html |title=Senior Actress K.R Vijaya: Open Heart with RK- Promo {{!}} ap7am |access-date=3 April 2021 |archive-date=20 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220420005610/https://www.ap7am.com/lv-291365-senior-actress-kr-vijaya-open-heart-with-rk-promo.html |url-status=dead }}

Early life

Vijaya was born as Deivanayaki, eldest children to Malayali Parents Ramachandra Nair and Kalyani at Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Her father was in the army and her mother was a housewife. She has a younger brother, Narayanan and four younger sisters, K. R. Vatsala, K. R. Savithri, Sashikala and Radha. She had her primary education at Government Higher Secondary School, Adyar, Chennai.{{cite web |url=http://www.mangalam.com/news/detail/58081-celebrity.html |title=യവനികയിലെ മണവാട്ടി |website=mangalam.com |access-date=7 December 2016 |archive-date=6 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206163634/http://www.mangalam.com/news/detail/58081-celebrity.html |url-status=live}} Her father wanted her to become an actress since he was himself acting in M. R. Radha's drama troupe at the time after retiring from army. She made her film debut with Karpagam in 1963. She was the first ever actress to own a private jet.{{cite web |url=https://silverscreen.in/features/kr-vijaya-interview/ |title='Back Then, There Was No Pressure To Maintain Our Waistlines': Interview With KR Vijaya |last=Vandhana |date=24 September 2017 |website=Silverscreen.in |language=en-US |access-date=5 February 2019 |archive-date=7 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207014946/https://silverscreen.in/features/kr-vijaya-interview/ |url-status=dead}}

Personal life

She married a businessman, Madathil Velayuthan in 1966. Her husband was the CEO of Sudarshan trading company and a movie producer. The couple have a daughter Hemalatha (born 1967).{{cite book |title=The Illustrated Weekly of India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vqCbp5XbiIEC |year=1988 |publisher=Published for the proprietors, Bennett, Coleman & Company, Limited, at the Times of India Press |access-date=5 February 2019 |archive-date=12 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201012041222/https://books.google.com/books?id=vqCbp5XbiIEC |url-status=live}} M. Velayuthan died on 26 March 2016, aged 82.{{cite book |author=S. N. Sadasivan |title=A Social History of India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Be3PCvzf-BYC&pg=PA679 |year=2000 |publisher=APH Publishing |isbn=978-81-7648-170-0 |pages=679–682}}

Career

Vijaya's first break itself was as a heroine in her debut film Karpagam (1963). Her notable films include Idhaya Kamalam (1965), Odayil Ninnu (1965), Saraswathi Sabatham (1966), Selvam (1966), Nenjirukkum Varai (1967), Iru Malargal (1967), Namma Veettu Deivam (1970), Dheerga Sumangali (1974), Thangappathakkam (1974), Thirisoolam (1979) and Ithiri Poove Chuvannapoove (1984). In the year 1967 she had a distinct record of starring in 18 films in lead role besides having child born in the same year.

She was called as "Punnagai Arasi" (Queen of the smiles - in Tamil) by her fans at a function held in Trichy.{{cite web |url=http://www.kalyanamalaimagazine.com/Content/Thiraichuvai/Feb11_1_15/Potpourri_of_titbits_about_Tamil_cinema_KR_Vijaya.html |title=Kalyanamalai Magazine - Serial story, Thiraichuvai - Potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema, K. R. Vijaya}} Vijaya was always the first choice of directors to portray the roles of Hindu goddesses due to her looks which was similar to conventional depictions. Apart from her essaying the role of Goddess Shakti in Mel Maruvathoor Arpudhangal (1986), she essayed the Mariamman avatar in the film Mahasakthi Mariamman (1986) and Kandhan Karunai (1967).{{cite web |url=https://newsable.asianetnews.com/india/women-s-day-from-ramya-krishnan-to-nayanthara-actresses-with-divine-presence-on-reel-q6uunw |title=Women's Day: From Ramya Krishnan to Nayanthara, actresses with divine presence on reel}} K R Vijaya reminisces about her first director "who gave her life" K. S. Gopalakrishnan who also directed her in her 100th film Nathayil Muthu (1973). Apart from acting in many films, she has also acted in Raja Rajeswari and Kudumbam, two teleserials.

Vijaya returned to a mythological role in Sri Rama Rajyam (2011). K.R Vijaya also played Kausalya for the first time in Bapu's mythological extravaganza.{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/screen-goddess/article2642189.ece |title=Screen goddess - The Hindu |website=The Hindu |date=19 November 2011}} She has acted in over 500 films.

Awards

; Satyabama College

2009 - Doctorate

;Nandi Awards{{cite web |date=13 March 2010 |title=నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964–2008) |trans-title=A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964–2008) |url=http://ipr.ap.nic.in/New_Links/Film.pdf |access-date=22 January 2021 |work=Information & Public Relations of Andhra Pradesh |language=te}}

1989 - Nandi Special Jury Award for Sutradharulu

;Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

1967 - Best Actress for Iru Malargal
1970 - Best Actress for Namma Veetu Dheivam

;Filmfare Awards South

1974 - Filmfare Special Award - South for Dheerga Sumangali{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6gkfAQAAMAAJ&q=k+r+vijaya |title=The Times of India Directory and Year Book Including Who's who |first=Sir Stanley |last=Reed |date=5 February 1980 |publisher=Bennett, Coleman & Company |via=Google Books}}
2004 - Lifetime Achievement Award

;Kerala State Film Awards

1984 - Second Best Actress - Ithiri Poove Chuvannapoove

;Kerala Film Critics Association Awards

2013: Chalachitra Rathnam Award

;Janmabhoomi Television Awards

2018: Best Character Actress - Sathyam Sivam Sundaram

;Other Awards

2013: Nagi Reddy Memorial Awards
2017: Congress Managalir Awards
2019: Nakshathira Sathanaiyalar 2019

Filmography

Television serials

class="wikitable" !Year!! Title !! Channel !! Language !! Role!!Notes
1993	Adhiparasakthi	Rajshri Tamil	Tamil	Mahadevi	debut
1994	Madisar Maami	Sun TV	Tamil
1998	Kudumbam	Sun TV	Tamil
	Oorvashi	Gemini TV	Telugu
	Pettamma	Doordarshan	Malayalam	Ambalika
2000	Daivathin Makkal	Surya TV	Malayalam
2000–2003	Mangai	Sun TV	\|Tamil	Mangai	Lead
2003	Vikramadithian	Sun TV	\|Tamil	Paatti
2004	Anandham	Sun TV	\|Tamil	Vijay's mother	Special Appearance
2004–2006	Raja Rajeswari	Sun TV	\|Tamil	Abhirami Amma
2005-2007	Sthree 2	Asianet	Malayalam
2007–2008	Shree Krishna Leela	Asianet	Malayalam	Kururamma
\|2008–2009	Namma Kudumbam	Kalaignar TV	Tamil	Satya
2009	Shree Mahabhagavatham	Asianet	Malayalam	Kunthi Devi
2010–2012	Devimahathmyam	Asianet	Malayalam	Devakiyamma	Bilingual in Tamil as Adiparashakthi
2012-2013	Sabarimala Shri Dharmashashtha	Asianet	Malayalam	Savithri
2012–2016	Bhairavi Aavigalukku Priyamanaval	Sun TV	Tamil	Chintamani
2014	Sreekrishna vijayam	Janam TV	Malayalam	Devakiyamma
2016–2018	Sathyam Sivam Sundaram	Amrita TV	Malayalam	Valliamma
2020	Ithikkarapakki	Surya TV	Malayalam	pakki's umma
2021	Anbe Vaa	Sun TV	Tamil	Ulganayagi	Special Appearance
2021-2022	Kanakanmani	Surya TV	Malayalam	Puthanmadathil Kadambariyamma
2023	Madhanakamarajan	YouTube	Malayalam	Indràpuri muthassi	Web serial
2023–2025	Malikappuram: Apathbandhavan Ayyappan	Asianet	Malayalam	Devakiyamma