P. Bhanumathi Ramakrishna, who passed away on 24 December 2005, aged 80,
in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, was an Indian actress, singer, film producer,
director, music composer, writer, editor, studio owner and novelist. She is
regarded as the first female superstar of Telegu cinema. She is
also considered the first female director of Telugu cinema with her debut
directorial Chandirani (1953). Bhanumathi appeared in over 100
films predominantly in Telegu and Tamil languages. She also acted in few Hindi
and Kannada films. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2001 for her
contribution to the Indian cinema. She was honoured among
"Women in Cinema" at the 30th International Film Festival
of India.
