Leelavathi: I learnt everything the hard way

Leading lady in hits starring Rajkumar, NTR and MGR, she now lives on a farm near Bengaluru

Leelavathi began acting when she was 16 years old. She was given prominent roles, mostly as the lead opposite actors such as Dr Rajkumar, M G Ramachandran, N T Rama Rao, Sivaji Ganesan, and Gemini Ganesan.

M Leelavathi has acted in five south Indian languages and has more than 650 films to her credit.

Now 83, she lives on a farm just outside Bengaluru. In a chat with Metrolife, she looked back on her childhood, her entry into films, and her rapport with the biggest stars of her time.

Tent-cinema experience

A native of Mangaluru, Leelavathi grew up as Leela Kiran. She became Leelavathi only when she gave herself a screen name.

An only child, Leelavathi lost her parents when she was young and has few memories from the time.

She grew up in her aunt’s house. She was admitted to St Joseph’s Elementary School, but had to discontinue after her second standard.

“When I was 15 years old, I was smitten by the movies shown at the touring talkies (tent cinema) in front of my house. I would never miss a single show. In fact, I would go behind the screen looking for the actors. Someone then told me they were actors, not real people, they were paid for acting, and films were shot elsewhere. I knew so little about cinema,” Leelavathi says.

To Mysuru at 16

But it was poverty that drove her to take up a career in films. “I wanted to earn money to keep the family going,” she says. At 16, she left for Mysuru, hoping to join the film industry. She got a role in a film called ‘Chanchala Kumari’ and then ‘Naga Kannika,’ made by Shankar Singh. In 1958, she got a chance to act in Subbaiah Naidu’s ‘Bhakta Prahlada’. She also got roles in ‘Mangalya Yoga’, ‘Dharma Vijaya’ and ‘Ranadheera Kanteerava.’ But she reckons her role in ‘Rani Honnamma’ brought her ‘real name and fame’.

Leelavathi recalls her early days on the sets: “I was so scared to face the camera. The sound of the camera would scare me so much that I would mumble my dialogues. I had nobody to guide me. Whatever lessons I have learnt are by hard work and observation.”

Actors in those days were terrified of being scolded by the director. She remembers she would memorise her dialogues and prepare well before she went on the sets.

Work with the best

Leelavathi was given prominent roles, mostly as the lead opposite actors such as Dr Rajkumar, M G Ramachandran, N T Rama Rao, Sivaji Ganesan, and Gemini Ganesan.

In later years, she acted with Vishnuvardhan, Shankar Nag, Kamal Hassan, Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi and Ravichandran.

She remembers Rajkumar as a “brilliant actor.” “I don’t know if anybody can weigh his goodness and talk about him, but he was someone who wished good for his costars and wanted them to grow with him,” she says.

Vishnuvardhan spoke to her with much respect. N T Rama Rao was a jovial man who would light up any set. “He would joke with me. There was never a dull moment when he was around,” she says.

Leelavathi also admires Sivaji Ganesan. “He could laugh and cry with his eyes. They were so expressive and powerful,” she says.

Shankar Nag was large-hearted, she recalls. “He once offered to pay my full amount when the producer of one of the films fell short of money. He knew of my hardships,” she recalls.

The biggest challenge in acting, she says, is to be able to deliver a quick reaction to what a fellow-actor does. “There’s no time,” she says.

Leelavathi has won prestigious awards, and received one from Indira Gandhi. “I feel humbled and don’t know if I am really worthy of them. Awards motivated me to get better at my craft,” she says.

She admires the confidence of today’s young actors. “It is the glamour and name that draws them to the industry. But many from my time joined the movies to earn a livelihood,” she says.

Encouraged son to act

Well-known dancer and singer Vinod Raj, son of Leelavathi, was nick-named Michael Jackson during his early days. He was called so because his dance moves were similar to that of the legend. He has acted in over 25 films and also sung for many movies. He gave up his acting career to pursue farming and take over the activities of his family farmhouse. Leelavathi says that she encouraged her son to get into acting, “He has a brilliant voice and is an ace dancer. I always enjoyed watching him on the big screen,” she says.

Life on a farm

Leelavathi lives on a large farm in Soladevanahalli in Nelamangala taluk, where she grows fruits and vegetables.

She is an animal lover. “I have ten dogs on my farm. We also have peacocks straying in from the forest nearby. They come to feed,” she says.

As a child, Leelavathi would take home stray puppies and look after them. “I didn’t have enough to feed myself but I felt they deserved to be protected and looked after,” Leelavathi says.

She grows coconut, sapota, Chinese apple. “My son (actor Vinod Raj) and I supervise the activities on the farm. I know exactly when a plant will yield fruit and how to protect our plants from insects. Living away from the city has taught me the value of simplicity,” she says.