Anjali (actress born 1986)

Anjali
Born 11 September 1986[1]
Razole, Andhra Pradesh, India
Occupation Actress, model
Years active 2006–present

Anjali is an Indian film actress and model, who predominantly appears in Tamil and Telugu films. Following a stint in modelling, she was cast in starring roles in two low-profile Telugu productions, before gaining attention with her critically acclaimed performance as Anandhi in Kattradhu Thamizh (2007), for which she received the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debutante. In 2010 and 2011, she won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Tamil for her performances in Angaadi Theru and Engaeyum Eppothum respectively, subsequently becoming recognized as one of the "finest young actors" in Tamil cinema,[2] and noted for mostly playing "performance-oriented roles".[3][4][5] She became one of the prominent actresses in telugu cinema after appearing in Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu along with Venkatesh, Mahesh Babu and Samantha.Gopichand Malineni's Balupu opposite Ravi Teja and Masala, the Telugu remake of Bol Bachan .And Geethanjali as of 2014.

Early life

Anjali was born in Razole, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh. She has two brothers and a sister.[6] She completed her schooling in Razole [7] and later moved to Chennai, Tamil Nadu where she continued her studies, pursuing a degree in Mathematics.[8] After completing her education, she began acting in short films, which paved the way for her entry into the film industry.[9] Anjali remarked that her parents had aspirations to become an actor and that they "realized their dreams" through her.[8]

Career

2006-2008

During one of her modeling assignments, she was spotted by director Siva Nageswara Rao, who offered her a starring role in his Telugu thriller film Photo (2006).[7] Anjali portrayed a ghost haunting her murderers in Photo, which co-starred two more newcomers, Anand and Bhanu.[10] She played the female lead in another Telugu venture, the romance film Premalekha Raasa (2007), directed by lyricist Kulasekhar, opposite a debutant again;[11] both films garnered negative response,[12] and performed poorly at the box office, failing to propel her career in Telugu cinema. She made her Tamil film debut later that year in Kattradhu Thamizh, directed by Ram, which released to strong critical acclaim. Anjali won critical praise for her portrayal of Anandhi, the childhood friend and love interest of a young teacher-turned-psychopath (enacted by Jeeva). A Behindwoods critic wrote that she was "a delight to watch and spellbinds the viewer with her beautiful fresh look and her performance",[13] while Pavithra Srinivasan of Rediff described her as "a breath of fresh air" and "the perfect foil to Jeeva's plethora of emotions".[14] Her performance earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debutante as well as the Vijay Award for Best Debut Actress for that year,[15] and she grew in popularity, leading her to several more offers, albeit the film proved commercially unsuccessful.[16][17] She appeared in two films in 2008; Honganasu, her first Kannada project and Aayudham Seivom in Tamil. The latter, which featured her as the female lead opposite Sundar C., was panned by critics and she was criticized for accepting that role, with reviewers noting that she had nothing to do in the film,[18][19][20] "except roll her eyes".[21]

2010-2012

She next played Kani, a fiery, independent sales girl in a textile showroom in Angadi Theru (2010) which melted everyone's heart was released two years after her last venture. The Vasanthabalan-directed tragedy drama focussed on the lives of young employees who work in retail department stores.[22][23] The film was shot in real location at the Ranganathan Street in T. Nagar, Chennai with hidden cameras,[24] with Anjali disclosing that they wore the uniform of a particular textile company, passing off as real salepeople and selling goods.[8] Angadi Theru opened to rave reviews, whilst also fetching Anjali critical acclaim for her performance, who went on to win several accolades,[25] including the Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Tamil.[26] She subsequently appeared in two family drama films; S Pictures' Rettaisuzhi, in which she shared screen with veteran directors Bharathiraja and K. Balachandar,[27] and Magizhchi, co-starring and directed by Gowthaman. The latter released to favorable reviews,[28][29] and Anjali received positive feedback on her performance, being labelled as "impressive",[29] and "almost perfect as the young, a bit mischievous, village girl";[30] however both films failed to succeed at the box office.[31] In 2011, she first appeared in Payyans alongside Jayasurya, which marked her debut in Malayalam cinema,[32] followed by a lead female role in the Cloud Nine Movies-production Thoonga Nagaram, in which she starred as an anchor in local television,[33] and a cameo appearance in a song in Ko that also featured other lead actors from Tamil cinema.[34] She was then seen in the small-budget drama film Karungali, directed by Kalanjiyam. Kalanjiyam had signed up Anjali, rechristening her as Sundari then, for a film titled Sathamindri Muthamidu, even prior to Kattradhu Thamizh, followed by three more films, all of which were cancelled.[35] Following her rise to fame post Angadi Theru, Kalanjiyam revived one of the projects, namely Karungali, with Anjali agreeing to part of it, owing to her prior commitments.[36] The film featured her as a childless housewife living in an unharmonius relationship with her husband,[37][38] and was a critical and commercial failure. While starring in Thoonga Nagaram, she was offered a minor supporting role in another project of the production studio, Mankatha.[3] The Ajith Kumar-starrer, directed by Venkat Prabhu, was Anjali's first high-budget project and featured her as part of an ensemble cast. The film emerged a financial success and Anjali's highest-grossing film in her career, however her role in the film was small and not well received generally. Meanwhile, she was cast by director A. R. Murugadoss to perform a lead role in his maiden production Engeyum Eppodhum alongside Jai, Sharvanand and Ananya, directed by his assistant M. Saravanan.[39] Anjali essayed the role of a bold and dominating nurse,[40][41] with critics again heaping praise on her performance.[42] The Hindu wrote that she "has given her best [and] steals the show in the climax",[43] while Rediff‍ '​s Pavithra Srinivasan cited it was her "who clearly walks away with the honours", adding that "the extent of her feelings emerges only at the end, and carries you away" and calling it a "noteworthy performance".[44] She had her only starring role in 2012 in Sundar C's Kalakalappu. A critic from Deccan Chronicle wrote that "Anjali scores well with her natural performance".[45]

2013-present

In 2013, she starred in the Telugu multistarrer Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu along with Venkatesh, Mahesh Babu and Samantha. The film went on to be a critical and commercial success, with many applauses for Anjali from the critics. Mahalakshmi Prabhakaran of DNA India commented that Anjali "as the innocent Seetha...gives an easy breezy but endearing performance".[46] She later starred in A. R. Murugadoss' next production venture Vatthikuchi opposite Dhileban.[47] The film received mixed reviews as did her performance. IndiaGlitz commented "Anjali's character though is sugary; it's a reminiscent of so many of her characters in the past and leaves you with a sense of wanting variation".[48] Her next release was Settai, the Tamil remake of Delhi Belly, in which she starred opposite Arya.[49] The film received mixed reviews, though she was appreciated for her performance and looks. S Saraswati of Rediff commented "Anjali, who is better known for deglamorised performances, has been given a brand new avatar for this film. Her clothes, hair and makeup have all been changed to suit her character-- that of a very confident and attractive Mumbai-based journalist".[50] After an item number in Suriya's Singam II, her first in her career, she starred in two Telugu films, Gopichand Malineni's Balupu opposite Ravi Teja and Masala, the Telugu remake of Bol Bachchan, opposite Venkatesh, for the second time in her career. Her upcoming release is Sundar C.'s Madha Gaja Raja opposite Vishal which delayed for many years is yet to release. Her upcoming film is dheera rana vikrama opposite puneeth rajkumar. She also signed a film in Tamil opposite jayam ravi. Her recent film Geethanjali is running successful.She roped in as a female lead for the tamil film titled Mapla singam opposite vimal for the third time in her carrier.she is currently shooting for a women-centric film titled chitrangada featuring Anjali.She has Also been approached for Karthik Subburaj Film Iraivi as one of the female leads...She subsequently Roped in For Balakrishna's 100th Film In Telugu...And She may play An important In Most Awaited Tamil Film Puli Starring Vijay,shruti Hassan,Hansika Motwani.

Controversies

In April 2013, Anjali issued a press notice claiming she was being harassed by her step-mother Bharathi Devi and by director Kalanjiyam and threatened to lodge a police complaint. She subsequently moved to Hyderabad from Chennai, fearing from further threats from the pair. In a turn of events, it was reported that the actress had gone missing from her hotel in Hyderabad.[51] Later, it was reported that Anjali had made an appearance before police stating that she had been in Mumbai for a week merely out of stress.[52]

Awards

Filmfare Awards South
Vijay Awards
Other awards

NOMINATIONS:

Filmography

Year Film Role Language Notes
2006 Photo Swapna Telugu
2007 Premalekha Rasa Sandya Telugu
2007 Kattradhu Thamizh Anandhi Tamil Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut - South
Vijay Award for Best Debut Actress
2008 Honganasu Impana Kannada
2008 Aayudham Seivom Meenakshi Tamil
2010 Angadi Theru Sermakkani (Kani) Tamil Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
Vijay Award for Best Actress
2010 Rettaisuzhi Susheela Tamil
2010 Magizhchi Kuzhali Tamil
2011 Payyans Seema Malayalam
2011 Thoonga Nagaram Radha (Kalaivani) Tamil
2011 Karungali Amudhanila Gunasekharan Tamil
2011 Mankatha Suchitra Sumanth Tamil
2011 Engaeyum Eppothum Manimegalai Ramasamy Tamil Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
Vijay Award for Best Actress
2011 Thambi Vettothi Sundaram Lourd Mary Tamil
2011 Maharaja Priya Tamil
2012 Kalakalappu Madhavi Tamil
2013 Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu Seetha Telugu Nominated-Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Telugu
2013 Vatthikuchi Meena Tamil
2013 Settai Shakthi Tamil
2013 Balupu Dr. Anjali Telugu
2013 Masala Sania / Sarita Telugu
2014 Geethanjali Geethanjali / Ushanjali Telugu http://www.selliyal.com/?p=76861|SICA-South Indian Cinematographers Association Award For Best Actress
2015 Dheera Rana Vikrama Gowri Kannada Blockbuster Hit
2015 Appa Takkaru Tamil Filming
2015 Mapla Singam Tamil Filming
2015 Geethanjali-2 Chitrangada Chitrangada Telugu/Hindi Filming
2015 Iraivi Tamil Announced[57]
2015 Balayya’s 100th film Telugu Announced[58]

Others

Year Film Role Language Notes
2010 Semmozhiyaana Thamizh Mozhiyaam Computer Student Tamil
2011 Ko Tamil In a Cameo Role
2012 Aravaan Vanchi Tamil
2013 Singam II Tamil Cameo Appearance (Item Number in Intro Song)
2015 Madha Gaja Raja Meena Tamil Delayed

References

  1. ↑ "Anjali celebrates her birthday". Times of India. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "Anjali eyeing mass films?". Sify. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Anjali wants to do commercial cinema". The Times of India. 17 January 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  4. ↑ "I want people to say there's no one like me". Rediff.com. 15 September 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  5. ↑ "Image makeover for Anjali". The Times of India. 20 August 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  6. ↑ "My first break – Anjali". The Hindu (Chennai, India). 9 April 2010.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Anjali – Interviews in Telugu Movies". Totaltollywood.com. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Meet the fiery Kani of Angadi Theru". Movies.rediff.com. 13 April 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  9. ↑ "Photo Muhurat Gallery – Telugu Cinema, Tollywood". Ragalahari.com. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  10. ↑ "Photo Telugu Movie Review". IndiaGlitz. 1 September 2006. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  11. ↑ "Premalekha Raasa Telugu Movie Preview cinema review stills gallery trailer video clips showtimes". IndiaGlitz. 20 November 2006. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  12. ↑ "Photo Review – Telugu Movie Review by Kishore". Nowrunning.com. 6 September 2006. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  13. ↑ "Cast crew Jeeva Anjali Karunas Direction Ram Music Yuvan Shankar Raja M R Film Productions". Behindwoods. 26 November 2006. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  14. ↑ "Katrathu Thamizh review". Rediff.com. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  15. ↑ "'Happy Days' at the 55th Tiger Balm Filmfare South Awards". bollyspice.com. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  16. ↑ "Anjali gets busy". indiagltz. Archived from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  17. ↑ "Movie Review : Tamil M.A". musicindiaonline.com. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  18. ↑ "Movie Review:Ayudham Seivom". Sify. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  19. ↑ "Aayudham Seivom – Movie review". behindwoods. Archived from the original on 26 February 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  20. ↑ "Aayudham Seivom Tamil Movie Review". IndiaGlitz. 30 June 2008. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  21. ↑ "Ayudham Seivom makes no impact". Rediff. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  22. ↑ "Movie Review:Angadi Theru". Sify. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  23. ↑ Bhama Devi Ravi (27 March 2010). "Angadi Theru movie review: Wallpaper, Story, Trailer at Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  24. ↑ "Angadi Theru shot with hidden cameras!". Sify. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  25. ↑ "Anjali: Damsel in delight!". The Times of India. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  26. ↑ "'An unforgettable evening'". The Times of India. 4 July 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  27. ↑ "Anjali about acting with veteran directors". Ayngaran. Archived from the original on 11 March 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  28. ↑ "Bonding, bucolic style". The Hindu (Chennai, India). 21 November 2010.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 "Magizhchi Tamil Movie Review". IndiaGlitz. 19 November 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  30. ↑ "Magizhchi Movie Review". Behindwoods. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  31. ↑ "Very happy to be part of 'Magizhchi' – Anjali | startrack – Movies". ChennaiOnline. 16 September 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  32. ↑ "Anjali is Jayasurya's heroine". Sify. 9 July 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  33. ↑ "Review: Thoonga Nagaram has its moments". Rediff. 7 February 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  34. ↑ "It's cameo craze for Kollywood actors!". The Times of India. 1 March 2011.
  35. ↑ "Anjali signs handful". IndiaGlitz. 27 July 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  36. ↑ "Anjali an actress with no tanturms!". Reviews.in.88db.com. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  37. ↑ "The Role Turned Down By Top Heroines". Behindwoods. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  38. ↑ "Movie Review:Karungali". Sify. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  39. ↑ "Anjali to star in A R Murugadoss' next". The Times of India. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  40. ↑ Subha J Rao (27 August 2011). "Arts / Cinema : Courting the camera". Chennai, India: The Hindu. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  41. ↑ "Engaeyum Eppodhum: A different equation!". The Times of India. 9 September 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  42. ↑ "Movie Review:Engeyum Eppodhum". Sify. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  43. ↑ Shyam G, Sai (21 September 2011). "Accidental success". The Hindu (Chennai, India).
  44. ↑ "Review: Go for Engeyum Eppodhum". Rediff.com. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  45. ↑ "Kalakalappu review: Served with a lot of fun". Deccan Chronicle. 13 May 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  46. ↑ "Film review: Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu (Telugu)". DNA India. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  47. ↑ "A R Murugadoss's 'Vathikuchi'". IndiaGlitz. 6 September 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  48. ↑ "Vathikuchi – An Ingenious matchstick that illuminates you". IndiaGlitz. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  49. ↑ "Arya and Santhanam's next to go on floor". Behindwoods. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  50. ↑ "Review: Settai, not a patch on Delhi Belly". Rediff.com. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  51. ↑ Anjali goes missing, her brother files police report. Hindustan Times. 10 April 2013
  52. ↑ http://www.indianexpress.com/news/missing-southern-actress-anjali-appears-before-police/1101700/
  53. ↑ "Reliance Mobile Vijay Awards – The Awards Ceremony". Star Vijay. Archived from the original on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
  54. ↑ "Madrasapattinam wins four awards". Sify. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  55. ↑ "Dhanush And Anjali – Best Actor And Actress". Behindwoods. 3 January 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  56. ↑ "சீகா விருது விழாவில் நடிகை அஞ்சலி (படத்தொகுப்பு 4)". 11 January 2015.
  57. ↑ http://tamilcinema.com/tamilnews/%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%9E%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%BF-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF-%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95/
  58. ↑ http://malligadu.com/anjali-balakrishnas-100th-film/

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