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Pioneering Telugu Songstress Ravu Balasaraswathi Devi Passes Away at 97
19 Oct
Summary
- Ravu Balasaraswathi Devi, Telugu cinema's first playback singer, dies at 97
- Sang over 100 songs in Tamil and Telugu films, though only 25 are readily available today
- Married the Maharaja of Kolanka, but was later duped of her wealth and spent final years in poverty
Ravu Balasaraswathi Devi, a renowned Telugu playback singer who captivated audiences from the 1930s to the 1950s, passed away last month at the age of 97 in Hyderabad. Balasaraswathi was a child prodigy, performing as a singer and actor from the age of six, and becoming the first playback singer in Telugu cinema as well as the first light-music artist on All India Radio.
Over the course of her illustrious career, Balasaraswathi sang more than 100 songs in Tamil and Telugu films, though only around 25 of them remain readily available today. She also acted in several films, including the Telugu movie "Sati Anusuya & Bhaktha Druva" in 1936 and the Tamil films "Bhaktha Kuchela," "Balayogini," and "Thiruneelakantar."
Balasaraswathi's life took an unfortunate turn after she married the Maharaja of Kolanka in Chennai. Though the marriage was initially a love story, she was later duped of her wealth and assets after her husband's death, leaving her to spend her final years in poverty. Fortunately, she had the support of fellow actors like Bhanumathi, who helped her continue singing for films in the later stages of her career.
