Hyderabad, January 27
Veteran Actress and former Lok Sabha member Jamuna passed away here on Friday after a brief illness. She was 86. She breathed her last at her residence Friday morning. Jamuna, who acted in about 200 movies in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi. Jamuna survived by a son and a daughter. Her son Vamsee Juluri, professor of media studies at the University of San Francisco, and her daughter, the artist Sravanthi Juluri.
A flood of condolence messages from Tollywood actors, and political leaders. pertaining to Chief Minister Sri K. Chandrashekhar Rao expressed condolences on the demise of popular film actress, Filmfare awardee and former MP Jamuna.
She started her career @16
Jamuna was born at Hampi in Karnataka on August 30, 1936. Her parents Nippani Srinivasa Rao and Kowsalya Devi moved to Andhra Pradesh. She received her primary education at Duggirala in Guntur district. She was a stage artist in her school days.
Jamuna, whose real name was Jana Bai, made her acting debut at the age of 16 with Puttillu (1953) directed by Garikapari Rajarao.
It was L. V. Prasad’s Missamma (1955) which gave her recognition. She had played a supporting character in the film with the lead roles played by NTR, Savitri and ANR. In a career spanning four decades, she portrayed a variety of roles and acted with these legendary actors of her time other top actors of her times.
Jamuna also acted in 11 Hindi films. She won FilmFare award for best supporting actress for Milan (1967) starring Sunil Dutt and Nutan. It was a remake of Telugu movie Mooga Manasulu (1964) which featured Jamuna along with ANR and Savitri.
Impressed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, she joined the Congress party in 1980 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Rajahmundry in 1989. She quit politics after the defeat in 1991 elections. later Shejoined in BJP and campaigned for the party in late 1990s.
