Surabhi Kamalabai (b. 1913)

Telugu actress born in the famed Surabhi Theatres troupe of AP: her mother developed labour pains during a show, absented herself briefly and then the troupe presented the newly born infant to the audience. Kamalabai became a top actress with Surabhi; film début when H.M. Reddy hired the troupe for Telugu cinema’s first sound film, Bhakta Prahlada. Worked in the Telugu films of the Sagar Studio (Bombay) and East India Film (Calcutta). Also in the film version of Bellari Raghava’s stage classic Draupadi Manasamrakshanam. Starred alongside C.S.R. Anjaneyulu in the Saint film, Tukaram. Later acted middle-aged women in Telugu and Tamil films.

FILMOGRAPHY: 1931: Bhakta Prahlada; 1932: Paduka Pattabhishekham; Shakuntala; 1933: Savithri; Prithvi Putra; 1936: Draupadi Manasamrakshanam; 1937: Tukaram; 1938: Bhakta Jayadeva; 1942: Patni; 1948: Chandralekha; 1949: Keelugurram/Maya? Kudhirai; 1951: Patala Bhairavi/Pataal? Bhairavi; Mangala; 1952: Manavati; Prema/Kathal; 1953: Rohini; Vayyari Bhama; Ammalakalu/ Marumagal; 1955: Vijayagauri; 1959: Shabash Ramudu; 1961: Velugu Needalu; 1968: Umachandi Gauri Shankarula Katha.

Actor