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Thursday 05, October 2025, 05:39.

Krishna Kumari

Born 6 March 1933,Naihati, West Bengal, India

Died 24 January 2018 (aged 84), Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Occupation Actress

Years active 1951–1976

Spouse Ajay Mohan Khaitan(m. 1969; died 2012)

Relatives Sowcar Janaki (sister)

Introduction:

T. Krishna Kumari (6 March 1933 – 24 January 2018) was an Indian actress. She worked predominantly in Telugu films, in addition to Tamil and Kannada films in the 1950s and 1960s.[2] She was the sister of noted actress Sowkar Janaki.

She starred in over 150 films in her career,[3][4] most notably Pichi Pullayya (1953), Bangaru Papa (1955), Vinayaka Chaviti (1957), Pelli Kanuka (1960), Devanthakudu (1960), Bharya Bhartalu (1961), Vagdanam (1961), Kula Gotralu (1962), Chaduvukunna Ammayilu (1963), Bandipotu (1963), Punarjanma (1963 film), Aggi Pidugu (1964), Doctor Chakravarty (1964), Gudi Gantalu (1964), Antastulu (1965), Chikkadu Dorakadu (1967),Tikka Sankarayya (1968), Neramu Siksha (1973).

Early life:

Krishna Kumari was born on 6 March 1933 in a Kannadiga Madhva Brahmin family in Naihati, West Bengal to T. Venkoji Rao and Sachi Devi. Her family hails from Udupi, Karnataka but settled in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh for her father's business. Owing her father's work, Kumari was schooled at Rajahmundry, Madras, Assam and Calcutta. She completed her matriculation is Assam. Her sister, Sowkar Janaki is also an actress.

Career:

T. Krishna Kumari started her career at the age of 17 with a small role in the Telugu film Pathala Bhairavi (1951). She later played the role of a heroine for the first time in Navvithe Navaratnalu (1951). She featured as leading actress in several Tamil movies, notably Thirumbi Paar (1953), Manithan (1953), Azhagi (1953), Pudhu Yugam (1954), Viduthalai (1954) and Thuli Visham (1954).

Krishna Kumari then began to focus on Telugu cinema, which propelled her to stardom. Her movies Pelli Meeda Pelli (1959), Bharya Bhartalu (1961), Vagdanam (1961), Kulagothralu (1962), Gudi Gantalu (1964) remain some of Telugu cinema's classics.

In the early 1960s, Krishna Kumari entered the Kannada film industry briefly, choosing to return to her preferred Telugu cinema within years. But in the short span of 5–6 years, she gave memorable performances, most of them co-starring Dr. Rajkumar. In fact, her first ever award was for the Rajkumar starrer, Bhaktha Kanakadasa (1960).

In Hindi, she acted in Kabhi Andhera Kabhi Ujala (1958). She was rechristened Rati but again, Hindi cinema held no attraction for Krishna Kumari. Although she had several offers in Hindi cinema, she returned to Madras. Her most successful movies have been with Akkineni Nageswara Rao, N. T. Rama Rao and also several mythological roles with Kantha Rao.

Krishna Kumari acted in 150 Telugu films, and about 30 Tamil and Kannada films. Her repertoire won her fans across Telugu states and the President's Award. Her co-stars include N.T. Rama Rao, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Krishnam Raju, Dr. Rajkumar, Sivaji Ganesan, Kanta Rao, and Jaggayya.

Personal life and death:

In 1969, Krishna Kumari married Ajay Mohan Khaitan, a businessman and journalist who had previously served as Editor of the Indian Express and was the founder of two magazines, Screen and Businessman. Ajay Mohan Khaitan had previously been married to another lady also named Krishna, who was the daughter of Ramnath Goenka, founder and owner of The Indian Express. By his previous marriage, Ajay Mohan Khaitan was the father of two sons, including Vivek, who was adopted by Ramnath Goenka and given the name Viveck Goenka; he is presently running The Indian Express.

After marriage, Krishna Kumari chose to step away from the arclights and moved to her husband's farmhouse near Bangalore, where she devoted herself to her family and developed her interests in cooking and gardening. Krishna Kumari and Khaitan had a daughter, Dipika; according to some reports, Dipika was adopted by the couple. Dipika married Vikram Maiya, the son of the Maiya family which owns the famous MTR restaurant in Bangalore and the MTR brand of ready-to-eat foods.

Ajay Mohan Khaitan died in 2012 aged 85. Krishna Kumari continued to live at her farmhouse in Bangalore with her daughter, son-in-law and grandson. Krishna Kumari died on 24 January 2018, in Bangalore from bone marrow cancer.

Filmography:

Year Title Role(s) Language(s) Notes Ref.

1951

Navvithe Navaratnalu Meena Telugu

Pathala Bhairavi Gandharva Kanya

1952

Priyuralu

1953

Thirumbi Paar Tamil

Azhagi

Manithan

Pichi Pullayya Kantham Telugu

1954

Bangaru Papa Papa

Pudhu Yugam Tamil

Viduthalai

Thuli Visham

Karkottai

Jaladurga Kannada

1956

Ilavelpu Telugu

1957

Vinayaka Chaviti Rukmini

Veera Kankanam Rajini

Vaddante Pelli Vidyavathi

1958

Raja Nandini

1959

Sathi Sukanya Sukanya

Sati Tulasi

1960

Deepavali Rukmini Devi

Pelli Kanuka Geeta

Abhimanam Kamala

Bhatha Sabari

Nithya Kalyanam Pacha Thoranam Chand

Bhakta Kanakadasa Kannada

Umma Malayalam

Aasha Sundari Hema Kannada

Dashavathara

Santhi Nivasam Raagini Telugu

1961

Bharya Bhartalu Sharada

Vagdanam Vijaya

Sampoorna Ramayana Mandodari Hindi

Shri Shaila Mahathme Kannada

1962

Swarna Gowri

Kula Gothralu Saroja Telugu

Mahathma Kabir Kannada

Thendral Veesum Tamil Simultaneously shot & produced in Telugu and Tamil

Aasa Jeevulu Telugu

1963

Chaduvukunna Ammayilu Vasantha

Lakshadhikari Padma

Punarjanma Radha

Sri Tirupatamma Katha Tirupatamma

Irugu Porugu Chitra / Jikki

Aapta Mitrulu Vimala

Chandrakumara Kannada

Bandipotu Mandaramala Telugu

1964

Doctor Chakravarthy Dr. Sridevi Telugu

Gudi Gantalu Kasthuri

Marmayogi Prabhavathi

Peetala Meeda Pelli

Aggi Pidugu Malathi

Sri Satyanarayana Mahathyam Ratnavalli

Sabhash Suri Jalaja

Kalavari Kodalu Latha

1965

Antastulu Mala

Sri Simhachala Kshetra Mahima Apsarasa Sirisha

Uyyala Jampala

Sathi Savithri Savithri Kannada

1966

Sri Krishna Tulabharam Jambavathi Telugu

Chilaka Gorinka K. Usha Devi

Paduka Pattabhishekam[25] Seetha

Zamindar Saroja

1967

Chikkadu Dorakadu Padmavathi Devi

Iddaru Monagallu

Sri Krishnavataram Lakshana

Ummadi Kutumbam Sarada

Pedda Akkayya

Vasantha Sena Vasantha Sena

Punyavathi Santhi

Bhuvana Sundari Katha Bhuvana Sundari

Rahasyam Rajyalakshmi

1968

Vara Katnam Sujatha

Uyira Maanama Russian woman Tamil

Tikka Sankarayya Suseela Telugu

Nindu Samsaram Jyothi

Pedarasi Peddamma Katha Nagakanya

1971

Sampoorna Ramayanam Mandodari

Varalakshmi Vratam

1972

Manavudu Danavudu

Bharya Biddalu Suseela

1973

Neramu Siksha

1974 Devadasu

Uttama Illalu] Gowri

1975 Yashoda Krishna Devaki

Gunavanthudu

Zamindarugari Ammayi Lakshmi

1976 Padi Pantalu Kamala

Jyothi Vishali

Alludochadu Manikyamma mother of Saroja (Jayasudha)

Secretary Dr. Vijayalakshmi

1978 Patnavasam Parvathi

1980 Bebbuli Yashoda

1982 Bangaru Bhoomi[32] Ravi's step mother

1986 Veer Eklavya Hindi

2003 Fools Telugu Special appearance

In popular culture:

Krishna Kumari was portrayed by actress Pranitha Subhash in the 2019 biographical film NTR: Kathanayakudu, based on the real life and acting career of N. T. Rama Rao.