29-05-2025
7 Heroines In One Family: The Forgotten Queens Of Tamil Cinema
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In India, the influence of family legacies can be seen across sectors, from business to politics, and cinema is no exception. Film families, where generations follow one another into the industry, exist in every regional language cinema. But few can rival the sheer scale of one remarkable family in Tamil cinema.
Would you believe that seven heroines, a director, and a cameraman, all from a single family, once held sway over the Tamil film industry? This is indeed true, and at the heart of it lies Tamil cinema's very first 'dream girl': Thanjavur Radhakrishnan Rajayee, better known by her screen name T. R. Rajakumari. To understand this legacy, we must begin with her grandmother, Kujalambal, a celebrated Carnatic singer of her time. The family hailed from Thanjavur, a cultural hub of Tamil Nadu. The cinematic journey began with S.P.L. Dhanalakshmi, the first-generation actress in the 1930s.
In 1935, the production house National Movie Tone launched its debut film Parvathy Kalyanam. Producer Manickam, in search of talent, discovered S.P.L. Dhanalakshmi performing in Thanjavur and cast her as the lead. Her sister, Damayanthi, also appeared in a handful of films during that era.
The family's rise reached new heights with Rajayee, who caught the attention of director K. Subramaniam during a visit to S.P.L. Dhanalakshmi's home. Struck by her beauty, he renamed her T.R. Rajakumari and cast her in Kacha Devayani (1941). She went on to become one of the most iconic actresses of her generation.
Supporting this growing legacy was D.R. Ramanna, a producer and director, and notably the only filmmaker to produce a film featuring both MGR and Sivaji Ganesan, two titans of Tamil cinema. The next torchbearer was Kusalakumari, T. R. Rajakumari's niece, who starred in films during the 1970s.
From the next generation came Jyothi Lakshmi and Jayamalini, daughters of S.P.L. Dhanalakshmi. The sisters dominated Tamil and Telugu cinema in the 1980s with their bold performances and dance sequences. Notably, Jyothi Lakshmi was adopted by S.P.L. Dhanalakshmi's sister, who had no children of her own.
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Jyothi Lakshmi rose to fame with her performance in Periya Idathu Penn (1963) alongside MGR, particularly with the song Kattodu Kuzhalada Aada. She also contributed to iconic dance numbers such as Kana Karunguilile in Sethu (1999). Jayamalini, meanwhile, gained cult status for her role in the classic film Jaganmohini (1978). Between them, they acted in over 800 films.
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The final known heir to this cinematic dynasty was Jyothi Meena, daughter of Jyothi Lakshmi. She appeared in several films during the 1990s, including Ullathai Allitha (1996), where she was paired with comedian Goundamani. Jyothi Meena also performed with leading stars like Vijay and Ajith, and took on occasional character roles. Her father was a cameraman, yet another film profession represented in this remarkable lineage.
