Veteran Kannada film actress Jayanthi passed away this morning (26th July) at her residence in Bangalore due to age-related illnesses. She was 76. Besides Kannada, she had also worked in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi films. In a career spanning five decades, she had acted in over 500 films. She was known as Abhinaya Sharade Jayanthi.
Jayanthi debuted in Kannada Jenu Goodu (1963) which did well at the box-office. Her next was Chandavalliya Thota in which she worked opposite Dr. Rajkumar, who was to be her co-star in a total of over 30 films. She was the leading lady of a number of films from the 1960s to the 1980s. In the Tamil film industry, she had worked with tops like Gemini Ganeshan, M.G. Ramachandran, Muthuraman and Jaishankar in films such as Padagoti, Mugaraasi, Kanna Nalama, Punnagai, Velli Vizha and Iru Kodugal. Among Jayanthi’s Telugu blockbusters were Jagadeka Veeruni Katha, Kula Gauravam and Kondaveeti Simham. In Hindi, the actress was seen in Lal Bungla and Tumse Achha Kaun Hai.