Then an actress in Tulu cinema; now a minister - The Journey of Jayamala

Mangaluru: Coastalwood reminiscences a memory. Coastalwood which has crossed the milestone of 80 movies is now making its mark at the Legislative Council in the capital. Because, Jayamala who acted in four Tulu movies then, has now become the ‘floor leader’ in the Legislative Assembly.

Jayamala entered the field of movies through Tulu cinema. She later entered Sandalwood and then the political arena. Jayamala who is an MLC is now also a ‘floor leader’. Also, she recently became the Minister of Women and Children welfare.

Before this, she has worked as the female president of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce and also at many different positions in the film industry.

Jayamala was born in 1959 in Panambur and in 1963 she migrated to Chikmagalur along with her parents. When she was in high school, she grew a bond with Tulu films through the movies of the famed Tulu actor/director K.N. Tailor. By the time she finished her SSLC, she had acted in four Tulu movies. She then entered Sandalwood through the movie titled “Bootayyana Maga Ayya”.

Jayamala first entered the arena of cinema through Geetapriya directed, A. Vishwanath Attavar produced movie titled “Yaan Sanyasi Aape”, whose screenplay was by K.N. Tailor. The cast of this movie included K.N. Tailor, B.V. Kirodiyan, Ramachandra Kulur, B.V. Radha, Leelavati and others. P.B. Srinivas, S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki and others were the playback singers in this movie. This movie was released in 1973 and became the 8^th movie release of Tulu cinema industry.

In 1973, “Kasdaye Kandane” a Tulu movie directed by Geetapriya and produced by Anand Shikhar was released. Jayamala was seen in a different role here. Amitabh Bachchan had lent his voice for the title card of this movie. The main cast of the film included Anand Shikhar, Somashekhar Putran, Ramachandra Kulur, Taranath Natak, K.N. Tailor, B.V. Radha, Ratnamala and Hemalata.

Jayamala also acted in the 1974 movie “Yer Maltina Tappu’ which was produced and directed by K.N. Tailor. The main cast of this movie included K.N.Tailor, Ramu Moorti, Ramanna Rai, Ramachandra Kulur, B.V. Radha and Ratnamala.

“Bayya Mallige” a Tulu movie produced by Sanjeeva Dandekere and directed by Aruru Pattabhi displayed the acting skills of Jayamala. The movie which gained its fame through the song “Brahman Baravu Majande Pova” with its cast including Devdas, Sanjeeva Dandekere, G. Ravindra, Ramanna Rai, Devasya Ramanna Shetty, Pandharibai and many others, remembers art critic Tammalaxmana.