KOCHI: Actor-director Vijaya Nirmala, who passed away in Hyderabad on Thursday, was known to Malayalees as the heroine of evergreen Malayalam classic Bhargaveenilayam (1964). She enacted the character of Bhargavi in the movie penned by legendary novelist Vaikom Mohammed Basheer.
She portrayed the first ‘yakshi’ (female ghost) character of Malayalam cinema.
When the then Censor Board gave an “A” certificate to M Krishnan Nair’s Kalyana Rathrikal (1966), Vijaya Nirmala became the heroine of the first adults-only movie of Malayalam. Prem Nazeer was her hero in the movie. She has also played major roles in Rosi, Postumaane Kaananilla, Udyogastha, Nishagandhi, Ponnapuram Kotta and Kavitha. She also directed 47 movies in various South Indian languages.
After realising that making movies in Telegu is costly, Vijaya Nirmala first directed a movie in Malayalam.
The film - Kavitha - saw her playing the lead role, with Thikkurussi, Ummar and Kaviyoor Ponnamma playing other major roles. She produced the movie with her husband Krishna Ghattamaneni.