Does one even need to introduce a legendary actress like Ramya Krishnan? She debuted in 1983 with the Tamil film Vellai Manasu and since then has featured in nearly 260 movies. She acted in languages like Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. Just a few years into the movies, she came to be known to be not just stunning but a bankable actress who can deliver power-packed performances. From playing an arrogant villain in Narasimha to a goddess in Ammoru, the actress, lit up theatres, each time she is on the screen. In nearly three decades of her career, she has received four Filmfare Awards, three Nandi Awards, and the Special Prize for Tamil Nadu State Film Award.
As she turns 52 today, we take a look at some of her career-defining roles that stayed with us!
Criminal (1994)
Nagarjuna, Ramya Krishna, and Manisha Koirala feature in Mahesh Bhatt’s action-thriller Criminal from 1994. The movie was simultaneously filmed in Telugu and Hindi. The movie’s album was scored by MM Keeravani and is still adored by people. Inspired by the 1993 American film The Fugitive, the thriller sees Ramya deliver a subtle and outstanding performance.
Ammoru (1995)
The 1995 mythological-fantasy film, Ammoru, directed by Kodi Ramakrishna, saw Ramya in her fiercest form. Though she is not the central character of the movie, her role as Goddess Ammoru is often considered to be one of her best. If you haven’t had a chance to watch Ammoru, then we suggest you do it right away!
Padayappa/Narasimha (1999)
In the cult classic Padayappa (Narasimha in Telugu), Ramya Krishnan portrayed Nilambari, a rich US-returned brat who falls in love with Padayappa played by Rajnikanth. He doesn’t reciprocate her love, which later becomes an obsession, eventually leading to her death. Ramya and today beautifully played the character, Neelambari is remembered as one of the most iconic female antagonists ever! Remember her short co-ord skirt set that she wears in the movie, paired with black leather boots? She was a fashion icon too!
Neelambari (2001)
Ramya and the name Neelambari seem to be a match made in heaven. Stunning, spiteful, and greedy, Ramya is in all her glory in this Kannada-language horror flick, Neelambari. Fantasy and mystic elements add more gravitas to her role and she is sure to give you chills with her performance.
Baahubali (2015 and 2017)
Did you know that the role of Sivagami in the Baahubali franchise was first offered to the late Sridevi? While we love the English Vinglish actress, we just cannot imagine anybody but Ramya as the Rajamata of Mahishmati. Fans were blown away by Ramya’s portrayal as a full-of-spirit Sivagami in this pan-Indian movie with Prabhas in the lead role.
Super Deluxe (2019)
What happens when a teenage boy finds out that his mother, perhaps, lived a life he has no idea about? His rage nearly gets him killed and Ramya plays the role of a former porn star, a doting mother desperately trying to save her son’s life in Super Deluxe. This is one of her boldest roles and the actress admitted in an interview that it was one of her most challenging roles to date.
Republic (2021)
Directed by Deva Katta, Republic is an intense political drama. Ramya portrays the role of a power-hungry and corrupt politician, Vishaka Vani. She is delightful as the baddie, and even when she is playing power games or plotting your end, she will smile on your face, which makes her character, even more, menacing. In one of the scenes with the movie’s lead Sai Dharam Tej, the duo interprets the work of Darwin and Gandhi, in their way. She portrays a mix of arrogance and strength in this scene with such ease, that it looks like it is a cakewalk for her!
P.S: Besides movies, Ramya did some great work in digital space too! She played the role of late Jayalalitha, actress and former chief minister of Tamil Nadu in the web series, Queen. We get to see her in a salt-pepper look and she displayed pure brilliance in the series.