Veteran Telugu actor, former parliamentarian J Jamuna passes away

In the 1980s, Jamuna entered politics by joining the Congress party and went on to become the president of Andhra Pradesh Mahila Congress

Veteran Telugu film actor and former parliamentarian J Jamuna passed away at her residence in Hyderabad after a brief illness due to age-related issues, her family members said.

Born in Hampi on August 30, 1936, Jamuna made her film debut at the age of 16 with Puttillu (1952). (HT photo sourced)

She was 86.

She is survived by her son and daughter. Her husband Juluri Ramana Rao, a professor of zoology in Osmania University, died in November 2014.

Her remains will be taken to the Film Chamber for public homage, with the last rites to be performed by the end of the day, her family said.

Born in Hampi on August 30, 1936, Jamuna made her film debut at the age of 16 with Puttillu (1952) made by Garikapati Raja Rao of Praja Natya Mandali, cultural wing of the Communist Party of India (CPI).

Before that she acted in several stage plays on behalf of Indian People’s Theatre Association floated by Raja Rao.

Jamuna shot into fame with her role in LV Prasad’s Missamma (1955).

In all, she acted in 198 films in Telugu language, notable among being Bhookailas, Gundamma Katha, Chiranjeevulu, Mooga Manasulu and Ramudu Bheemudu, among others.

She was the most glamorous actress of her era, playing a wide variety of roles such as Satyabhama, wife of Lord Krishna, in “Sri Krishna Tulabharam” and Kaikeyi, wife of King Dasaratha in “Sampoorna Ramayanam.”

Jamuna also acted in a few Hindi films including Sunil Dutt-starrer “Milan” for which she had won the Filmfare award.

She also acted in other South Indian films like in Tamil and Kannada, with her last appearance being in Ammammagari Manavadu in 2021.

In the 1980s, Jamuna entered politics by joining the Congress party and went on to become the president of Andhra Pradesh Mahila Congress.

She also contested the Lok Sabha elections in 1989 and won from Rajahmundry parliamentary constituency.

She lost the 1991 election and quit politics but briefly campaigned for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the late 1990s during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure.

She also established Telugu artist association and has been doing social service through it for the last 25 years.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and his Telangana counterpart K Chandrasekhar Rao, besides governors of both the states and leaders of various political parties expressed their grief over the death of the veteran actress and conveyed their condolences to the bereaved family.