GUNTUR: As news about the demise of veteran actress Jamuna reached Duggirala on Friday, her friends recalled their association with the amazing personality. Born in Hampi in 1936, Jamuna’s family shifted to Duggirala near Tenali when she just five years old.
Before entering into the film industry, she studied at Duggirala Zilla Parishad High School till she was 15. In a telephonic conversation with TNIE, Jamuna’s friend Kusuma Kumari described her as an honest person, a loyal friend, a movie buff and an amazing actress. “The last time we met was before the Covid-19 pandemic. She had been planning to come to Guntur later, but could not. I never thought that that would be the last time I would see her,” a tearful Kusuma said.
From the time Jamuna’s family shifted to Duggirala, we both became friends and would go to school together, Kusuma recalled.She was very enthusiastic about films. Becoming an actress was her childhood dream, she said.“Jamuna loved the movie ‘Balaraju’. We must have watched it over 20 times. She would force me to go to the cinema with her. While I would get bored watching the film over and over again, she would observe every scene with such admiration,” Kusuma said.
To pursue her dream of becoming an actress, Jamuna learnt classical dance, music, and theatre from her school headmaster Brahmanandam and his wife Mallika Devi.“Every time she would come to Tenali or Duggirala, she visited them without fail until they passed away. She used to call me every week to check on me,” Kusuma added.
Recalling his association with the actress, All India Panchayat Parishad president Jasti Veeranjaneyulu said, “She was enthusiastic about visiting the Amaravathi museum as she wanted to donate a rare artifact, but she postponed her visit as she was not feeling well. I can’t believe she is no more. We had met three months ago.”