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Vyjayanthimala Biography: The First dancing Star of Golden Era

Vyjayanthimala is regarded as one of the most prominent actresses of the golden era and one of the finest dancers of Hindi cinema. She once replaced Madhubala in Naya Daur and later, in Ram Aur Shyam, was replaced by Waheeda Rehman. The interesting fact is that in both movies, the lead actor was Dilip Kumar.

vyjayanthimala

Vyjayanthimala Biography

Real NameVyjayanthimala Bali
NicknameTwinkle toes
ProfessionIndian Actress, Dancer, Choreographer and Parliamentarian
Height (approx.)Centimeters- 165 cm
Meters- 1.65 m
Feet Inches- 5’ 5”
Weight (approx.)Kilograms- 62 kg
Pounds- 136 lbs
Eye ColourBlack
Hair ColourBlack
Date of Birth13 August 1933
Age (as in 2022)91 Years
Birth PlaceTriplicane, Madras Presidency, British India
(now in Tamil Nadu, India)
Zodiac sign/Sun signLeo
NationalityIndian
HometownChennai
SchoolSacred Heart Higher Secondary School
CollegeNot Known
Educational QualificationNot Known
DebutTamil Film– Vazhkai (1949)
Telugu Film– Jeevitham (1950)
Hindi Film– Bahar (1951)
FamilyFather– M. D. Raman
Mother– Vasundhara Devi (Actress)
Brother– None
Sister– None
ReligionHinduism
CasteTamil Iyengar Brahmin
HobbiesPlaying Golf, listening to devotional songs
Favourite ActorsDev Anand, Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar
Marital StatusWidow
Affairs/BoyfriendsDilip Kumar
Raj Kapoor
HusbandChamanlal Bali (m. 1968–1986)
ChildrenSon– Suchindra Bali
Daughter– None
Net Worth$6 Million

After leaving Ram and Shyam, there was a long-term rift between Vyjayanthimala and Dilip Kumar, which was later resolved due to Saira Banu. Let us know about her life and film career from start to end.

Vyjayanthimala Early Life

vyjayanthimala childhood pics

She was born on 13 August 1933 in Triplicane, a neighbourhood of Chennai, to M.D. Ramaswamy and Vasundhara Devi. She was born into a Tamilian Brahmin family. Her mother, Vasundhara Devi, was a Tamil actress in the 1940s, and she was only 16 years older than Vyjayanthi.

She will celebrate her 92nd birthday on August 13th. She shares her birth date with another superstar from South Sri Devi, who is also known as a dancing star.

She was chosen at four to perform a classical Indian dance for Pope Pius XII in Vatican City in 1940. Vyjayanthi attended Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School at Presentation Convent in Chennai’s Church Park. Guru Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai taught her Bharata Natyam, and Manakkal Sivaraja Iyer taught her Carnatic music.

Vyjayanthimala Film Career

Once, M. V. Raman saw a dance performance by Vyjayanthimala and was heavily impressed. He wanted to cast her in AVM Production’s Vazhkai, so he contacted her family.

Her grandmother initially rejected the offer, but Raman kept convincing her. Finally, she agreed, and Vyjaynthimala started shooting for her first movie. Initially, Vyjayanthi kept it a secret and did not tell her friends that she is acting in the movie.

Vyjayanthimala remained active from 1949 to 1968. Her first Tamil debut film was Vazhkai in 1949. The movie was a super hit and one of the highest-grossing movies of Tamil in 1949.

After that, she acted in the 1950 Telugu film Jeevitham, a remake of her Tamil movie. She learned Telugu from her father for her first Telugu movies.

Later, she came to Hindi cinema, and she made her debut in the 1951 Hindi film Bahar, which was a remake of her Tamil movie Vazhkai.

Vyjayanthimala and Dilip Kumar movies

Vyjayanthimala and Dilip Kumar first appeared in Bimal Roy’s movie Devdas, which was released in 1955.

naya daur

Vyjayanthimala was selected by Filmfare for the Best Supporting Actress award for the film. However, Vyjayanthimala refused to accept this award, saying that her character is not a supporting actress and that she and Suchitra Sen are the lead actresses of this film.

Due to this, there was some estrangement between Vyjayanthimala and Filmfare, and for the next 2 years, she was not even nominated in any category.

The second film of Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala was Naya Daur, directed by BR Chopra and released on August 15, 1957. Madhubala was initially the leading lady in this film, but Madhubala left the film due to the rift between BR Chopra and Madhubala’s father.

The film was the second biggest hit of 1957 after Mother India ( ₹80 million INR) and collected 54 million INR.

The very next year, 1958, Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala’s film Madhumati was released, and it was one of the biggest hits of that year.

The year 1958 was a memorable year for Vyjayanthimala. Her film Madhumati was a superhit, but her second film, Sadhna, was also a perfect hit. Sunil Dutt was in the male lead role in Sadhana. For the first time, Vyjayanthimala received the Filmfare Award in the Best Actress category for this film.

Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala appeared together again in 1959 in Paigam. Dilip Kumar and Raaj Kumar were seen together for the first time in this movie, and after almost 35 years, they appeared on screen for the second time in Saudagar.

Then came the year 1961, when the film Ganga Jamuna, starring Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala, was released. Dilip Kumar also produced this film and wrote the story.

It is said that at this time, Madhubala and Dilip Kumar’s relationship was broken, and Vyjayanthimala and Dilip Kumar had become very close. It has even been told that Dilip Kumar himself used to choose saris for Vyjayanthimala.

Vyjayanthimala, in her autobiography, has denied any love affair between her and Dilip Kumar.

Vyjayanthimala and Raj Kapoor

The 1964 film Sangam starred Raj Kapoor and Vyjayanthimala in the lead roles. Though the film was released in 1964, its shooting started only in 1960. It is said that Vyjayanthimala and Raj Kapoor came very close during the film’s shooting.

Raj Kapoor was previously in a relationship with Nargis, who later married Sunil Dutt.

Raj Kapoor was married and had children. When Raj Kapoor’s wife Krishna learned of his affair with Vyjayanthi, she went to a hotel in Bombay with her children.

She stayed at Mumbai’s Natraj Hotel for about four and a half months.

But in his autobiography, Vyjayanthimala has denied any romantic relationship with Raj Kapoor.

Vyjayanthimala and Raj Kapoor

Marriage

After being separated from Raj Kapoor, Vyjayanthi got busy with her films, and in the meantime, she developed pneumonia. Chamanlal Bali, the doctor who treated her, was also one of her most loyal fans. Vyjayanthimala and Doctor Bali fell in love during their treatment. They married on March 10, 1968, and had a son named Suchindra Bali.

Filmography

YearMovie TitleDirectorProducerBudget (INR, Approx.)Box Office Collection (INR, Approx.)Opposite Actor/ActressNotes
1949Vazhkai (Tamil)M.V. RamanAVM Productions5 lakh (est.)25 lakh (superhit)S.V. SahasranamamDebut at 13; Tamil blockbuster
1950Jeevitham (Telugu)M.V. RamanAVM Productions5 lakh (est.)20 lakh (superhit)C.H. Narayana RaoTelugu remake of Vazhkai
1951BaharM.V. RamanAVM Productions10 lakh (est.)1 crore (blockbuster)Pandari Bai (co-star)Hindi debut; 3rd highest grosser
1953LadkiM.V. RamanAVM Productions10 lakh (est.)80 lakh (superhit)Kishore Kumar2nd highest grosser of 1953
1953Penn (Tamil)M.V. RamanAVM Productions8 lakh (est.)30 lakh (hit)Gemini GanesanRemake of Ladki
1954NaginNandlal JaswantlalFilmistan15 lakh (est.)2 crore (blockbuster)Pradeep KumarTop grosser of 1954; dance hit
1955DevdasBimal RoyBimal Roy Productions20 lakh (est.)1 crore (superhit)Dilip KumarFilmfare Best Supporting (refused)
1955YasminA.R. KardarMusical Pictures10 lakh (est.)40 lakh (hit)SureshRomantic drama
1955JashanS. ShamsuddinCine Art Productions8 lakh (est.)20 lakh (moderate)Pradeep KumarLesser-known film
1955Pehli JhalakM.V. RamanDeep & Pradeep Prod.10 lakh (est.)30 lakh (hit)Kishore KumarComedy drama
1956PatraniVijay BhattPrakash Pictures15 lakh (est.)50 lakh (hit)Pradeep KumarHistorical drama
1956TajNandlal JaswantlalFilmistan15 lakh (est.)40 lakh (hit)Pradeep KumarHistorical romance
1956New DelhiMohan SegalDeluxe Films20 lakh (est.)1 crore (superhit)Kishore KumarSocial comedy
1956Kismet Ka KhelShankar MukherjeeFilmkar Productions10 lakh (est.)30 lakh (moderate)Sunil DuttDrama
1956DevtaPattannaNityakalyani Films10 lakh (est.)40 lakh (hit)Gemini GanesanSupporting role; Tamil remake
1956AnjaanM. SadiqSadiq Productions10 lakh (est.)30 lakh (moderate)Pradeep KumarRomantic drama
1957Naya DaurB.R. ChopraB.R. Chopra25 lakh (est.)5 crore (blockbuster)Dilip KumarTop grosser of 1957; colorized 2007
1957AashaM.V. RamanRaman Productions15 lakh (est.)1 crore (superhit)Kishore KumarMusical hit
1957Ek JhalakKalidasDeep & Pradeep Prod.10 lakh (est.)30 lakh (moderate)Rajendra KumarRomantic drama
1957KathputliAmiya ChakravartyBimal Roy Productions15 lakh (est.)50 lakh (hit)Balraj SahniEmotional drama
1958MadhumatiBimal RoyBimal Roy Productions20 lakh (est.)4 crore (blockbuster)Dilip KumarReincarnation hit; Filmfare nom.
1958SadhnaB.R. ChopraB.R. Chopra20 lakh (est.)2 crore (superhit)Sunil DuttFilmfare Best Actress win
1958Raj TilakS.S. VasanGemini Pictures25 lakh (est.)1 crore (hit)Gemini GanesanHistorical drama
1958Vanjikottai Valiban (Tamil)S.S. VasanGemini Pictures20 lakh (est.)1 crore (superhit)Gemini GanesanTamil blockbuster; dance duel
1959PaighamS.S. VasanGemini Pictures25 lakh (est.)2 crore (superhit)Dilip KumarSocial drama
1959JawaniUnknownUnknown10 lakh (est.)20 lakh (moderate)UnknownLesser-known film
1960College GirlT. Prakash RaoRawal Films15 lakh (est.)50 lakh (hit)Shammi KapoorRomantic drama
1960Baghdad Thirudan (Tamil)T.R. SundaramModern Theatres15 lakh (est.)50 lakh (hit)M.G. RamachandranTamil adventure hit
1960Parthiban Kanavu (Tamil)D. YoganandJubilee Films15 lakh (est.)40 lakh (hit)Gemini GanesanHistorical drama
1960Irumbu Thirai (Tamil)S.S. VasanGemini Pictures20 lakh (est.)1 crore (superhit)Sivaji GanesanTamil social drama
1961Gunga JumnaNitin BoseCitizens Films30 lakh (est.)7 crore (blockbuster)Dilip KumarFilmfare Best Actress win; top grosser
1961Then Nilavu (Tamil)S. SoundararajanSaravana Films15 lakh (est.)50 lakh (hit)Gemini GanesanTamil romantic hit
1962RungoliShankar MukherjeeRajshri Productions20 lakh (est.)50 lakh (moderate)Kishore KumarFamily drama
1962Dr. VidyaRajendra BhatiaEagle Films15 lakh (est.)40 lakh (moderate)Manoj KumarSocial drama
1962JhoolaK. ShankarShemaroo Films20 lakh (est.)50 lakh (moderate)Sunil DuttRomantic drama
1963IshaaraK. AmarnathK. Amarnath Productions15 lakh (est.)40 lakh (moderate)Joy MukherjeeRomantic drama
1964LeaderRam MukherjeeR.M. Films25 lakh (est.)1 crore (hit)Dilip KumarPolitical drama
1964SangamRaj KapoorR.K. Films40 lakh (est.)8 crore (blockbuster)Raj KapoorFilmfare Best Actress win; top grosser
1964ZindagiRamanand SagarGemini Pictures20 lakh (est.)2 crore (hit)Rajendra KumarRomantic drama
1964Phoolon Ki SejInder Raj AnandAnjali Pictures15 lakh (est.)50 lakh (moderate)Manoj KumarRomantic drama
1966AmrapaliLekh TandonEagle Films50 lakh (est.)1 crore (flop)Sunil DuttCritically acclaimed; box office failure
1966SurajT. Prakash RaoVenus Pictures40 lakh (est.)4 crore (blockbuster)Rajendra KumarAction romantic hit
1966Do Dilon Ki DastaanR.L. MalhotraR.L. Malhotra20 lakh (est.)50 lakh (moderate)Pradeep KumarRomantic drama
1967Jewel ThiefVijay AnandNavketan Films40 lakh (est.)4 crore (blockbuster)Dev AnandSuspense thriller; top grosser
1967Chhoti Si MulaqatAlo SarkarB.R. Ishara25 lakh (est.)50 lakh (flop)Uttam KumarRomantic drama
1967Hatey Bazarey (Bengali)Tapan SinhaPriya Films15 lakh (est.)30 lakh (hit)Ashok KumarNational Award; critical acclaim
1968DuniyaT. Prakash RaoVenus Pictures30 lakh (est.)1 crore (hit)Dev AnandDrama
1968SaathiC.V. RajendranVenus Pictures25 lakh (est.)2 crore (superhit)Rajendra KumarRomantic drama
1968SunghurshHarnam Singh RawailRahul Theatres40 lakh (est.)1 crore (average)Dilip KumarCritically acclaimed
1969PrinceLekh TandonEagle Films40 lakh (est.)4 crore (blockbuster)Shammi KapoorAction romantic hit
1969Pyar Hi PyarBhappi SonieRajshri Productions30 lakh (est.)2 crore (superhit)DharmendraRomantic comedy
1970GanwaarNaresh KumarNaresh Kumar25 lakh (est.)1 crore (hit)Rajendra KumarRural drama

Latest about Vyjayanthimala

There was false news in March 2025 that Vyjayanthimala had died at 91. “Dr Vyjayanthimala Bali is in good health, and any news that says otherwise is false,” her son Suchindra Bali swiftly stated on social media in response to the rumours. Please confirm the news source before sharing. Girijashankar Sundaresan, a musician and family friend, also denounced the allegations and urged people to refrain from making unfounded accusations.

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