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Jayachitra
Jayachitra
Born	Lakshmi Rohini Devi; Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1968-present
Spouse	Ganesh (m.1983-2020)
Children	Amresh Ganesh (b.1988)

Jayachitra is an Indian actress films who works mostly in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films.

Early life

Her father Mahea was a veterinary doctor, who had earlier worked as a lawyer. Her mother Ammaji (a.k.a. Jayasree) was an actress who had acted in films such as the Tamil film Mahaveeran (1955) and Telugu films Rojulu Marai and Daiva Balam (1959). They moved to Chennai for work, which was where Jayachitra was born and raised as Rohini. Her grandmother looked after her when her parents were busy with work. With her mother's encouragement, she became a child star at the age of six in the Telugu film Bhakta Potana..^[1]

Lead actress

When Jayachitra was in her early teens, she screen-tested for a Telugu film titled Beedala Paatlu, but the director felt she was too young and rejected her for the role. However, he did recommend her to K.S. Gopalakrishnan, who was looking for a young, spirited heroine, for the Tamil film Korathi Magan, (1972). He immediately cast her, because he loved the way she delivered her lines. He signed her for three films under his banner and gave her the name Jayachitra. She continued in heroine roles in Ponnukku Thanga Manasu (1973) and played Sivaji's daughter in Bharata Vilas and was one of the 9 heroines in MGR's Navaratnam. She worked for big-name directors, such as K. Balachander in Sollathaan Ninaikiren and Arangetram. She was Kamal Haasan's heroine in the Tamil film Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu (1978) and its Telugu remake Vayasu Pilichindi (1978). As an actress, she was known for her courage and spontaneity as she continued to star in Tamil and Telugu films. She faced a snake up close in Vellikizhamai Viratham (1974), and then a tiger in the Telugu film Cheppindi Chesta (1978). She made other unforgettable films: Ponnukku Thanga Manasu, Sathyam, Kalyanamam Kalyanam, Vandikaran Magan, Cinema Paithiyam (remake of the Hindi hit film Guddi (1971)). Most of her Tamil films are with Kamal Haasan. She memorably played the title role in the Telugu film Kalpana (1977), a remake of the Hindi hit film Anamika (1973)...

Later roles

Later, she became a character actress in K. Balachander's film Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal (1989).^[2] After completing 200 films, she turned to television with the serial Sumangali, which she produced, directed and acted in. It became a hit, and she was soon acting and producing other serials, Alaigal and Sivaranjini (2005).^[3] She was unanimously elected chairperson of the action committee of the TV Serial Producers' Guild of South India, which in turn led to her involvement in politics. She joined the Congress party and has remained fairly active.^[4] She has won numerous awards, including Tamil Nadu's Kalaimamani Award.

As director

She cast herself as the heroine in the Tamil film Pudhiya Raagam (1991), which marked her debut as a director and producer. Unfortunately, the film flopped. In 2010, she cast her son Amresh Ganesh as the hero in the Tamil film Naane Ennul Illai (2010), which she wrote, produced, and directed.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

After more than a decade as a heroine, Jayachitra decided to concentrate on her personal life by marrying an industrialist named Ganesh in 1983. She has a son with him named Amresh, whom she is trying to promote in show business, just as her mother had done with her.^[5] Despite giving him a debut through Naane Ennul Illai (2010), the film's failure made it difficult for Amresh to succeed as an actor. In 2011, it was announced that he would work on projects titled Kaliyuga Kadhalan and Machan Ava En Aalu Da, with the former being set in three different eras, but neither film was completed.^{[citation needed]} Later in the year, Jayachitra announced that she was working on three more films with Amresh in the lead role, Mundru Mugangal, Nedunchalai and Scene Podathey, but again neither film materialised.^[6] In 2013, he briefly worked on the making of another incomplete film Thaaru Maaru, which had a grand launch event.^[7] In 2015, he was signed on by Raghava Lawrence to work on the music for his forthcoming film Motta Siva Ketta Shiva. Her husband Ganesh died on 3 December 2020.^[8]

Partial filmography

Tamil films

Year	Movie	Role	Notes
1972	Kurathi Magan
1972	Vazhaiyadi Vazhai
1973	Arangetram
	School Master
	Bharatha Vilas
	Ponnukku Thanga Manasu
	Pennai Nambungal
	Ponvandu
	Sollathaan Ninaikkiren
	Pookkari	Dhanam
1974	Engamma Sapatham
	Panathukkaga
	Akkarai Pachai
	Ungal Viruppam
	Idhayam Parkirathu
	Onne Onnu Kanne Kannu
	Patha Poojai
	Unnaithan Thambi
	Kadavul Mama
	Thaai Paasam
	Vellikizhamai Viratham
	Kalyanamam Kalyanam
	Dheerga Sumangali		Special appearance
	Engal Kula Deivam
	Kaliyuga Kannan
1975	Pattikkaattu Raja
	Pattampoochi
	Cinema Paithiyam
	Yarukku Maappillai Yaro
	Sonthangal Vazhga
	Pinju Manam
	Then Sindhudhe Vaanam
1976	Inspector Manaivi
1976	Panakkara Penn
	Dasavatharam
	Thottathellam Pon Aagum
	Asai 60 Naal
	Payanam
	Thayilla Kuzhandai
	Satyam
	Kumara Vijayam
	Varaprasadham
	Nee Indri Naan Illai
1977	Aalukkoru Aasai
1977	Navarathinam
1978	Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu
	Sadhurangam
	Vanakkatukuriya Kathaliye
	Sakka Podu Podu Raja
	Vandikkaran Magan
	Pilot Premnath
	Varuvan Vadivelan
1979	Mayandi
1979	Gnana Kuzhandhai
1980	Pennukku Yaaru Kaaval
1980	Ratha Paasam
1981	Sorgathin Thirappu Vizha
1981	Srinivasa Kalyanam
1982	Nandri, Meendum Varuga		Cameo appearance
	Mamiyara Marumagala
	Nayakarin Magal		100th film
1983	Kaman Pandigai
1985	Thandanai
	Engal Kural
	Yaar?
1986	Lakshmi Vanthachu
1987	Paruva Ragam
1987	Ivargal Varungala Thoongal
1988	Agni Nakshatram
1989	Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal
1991	Pudhiya Raagam		Also director, producer and writer
1995	Maaman Magal
1996	Selva
1997	Raasi
	Kaadhali
	Vasuki
2008	Nadigai	Herself	uncredited
2010	Rettaisuzhi
2010	Naane Ennul Illai
2019	100% Kadhal
2022	Ponniyin Selvan: I	Sembiyan Madevi
2023	Ponniyin Selvan: II	Sembiyan Madevi