This actress was cheated in love by a superstar, became a single mother to two daughters, and later her daughter become a superstar.
Every day, many people come to Bollywood hoping to become stars, but only a few achieve their dreams. Today, we’ll talk about Pushpavalli, an actress who was once one of the highest-paid child stars but never made it as a leading heroine.
She was cheated in love by a superstar, became a single mother to two daughters, and later helped her daughter become a superstar.
1. Pushpavalli
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Pushpavalli was an Indian actress known for her work in Telugu and Tamil films. She began her career as a child star to support her family financially and became popular, eventually becoming one of the highest-paid child actresses in the 1930s.
2. Was only working member of family
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Pushpavalli was the only working member of her family and earned Rs 300 for her role in Sampoorna Ramayanam. As the sole respectable earner, she had to work from the age of 9.
3. Got married at 14
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She married a lawyer named I.V. Rangachari when she was just 14. However, the marriage ended quickly, and they lived separately. The couple had two children, Babji and Rama.
4. Was cheated in love
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After Pushpavalli met Gemini Ganesan during the shoot of Miss Malini, they worked together again in the Tamil film Chakradhari (1948), where Pushpavalli was the heroine and Ganesan played a small role.
Later, Ganesan became a huge star, while Pushpavalli started getting only supporting roles. The two fell in love and had two daughters together out of wedlock. Ganesan did not acknowledge paternity or give Pushpavalli the status of his wife, leading to the end of their relationship.
5. Her daughter Rekha became top Bollywood star
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Pushpavalli and actor Gemini Ganesan had two daughters out of wedlock, Radha and Rekha. As Pushpavalli grew older, she fell into gambling debt. Because of this, Rekha was taken out of school at 14 and made to work in films. Rekha has said, “I used to refuse to go to the sets, and occasionally my brother beat me up.”
Rekha became a Bollywood superstar at a young age, despite facing criticism for her weight and dark skin. She starred in several hits and blockbusters, including Umrao Jaan, Khoon Bhari Maang, Silsila, Khubsoorat, and Kalyug. Having worked in over 180 films, she is considered one of the finest actresses in Bollywood.
