50 Years Since Jayasudha Stepped Into the Spotlight as a Heroine in “Lakshmana Rekha”!
On 12th September 1975, the film “Lakshmana Rekha” was released — a film that laid a strong, unshakable foundation for Jayasudha’s career as a leading lady.
With her natural and effortless acting, Jayasudha earned the title “Sahajanati” (Natural Actress), and it all began with her debut as a heroine in this pathbreaking film. Released exactly 50 years ago, Lakshmana Rekha also marked the directorial debut of N. Gopalakrishna, whose very identity became synonymous with the film.
A revolutionary, female-oriented film for its time, Lakshmana Rekha featured Jayasudha and Murali Mohan in the lead roles, with Chandramohan playing a key role with negative shades. Veteran actors Gummadi and Allu Ramalingaiah played other important roles. The music, composed by the legendary Satyam, was a sensation at the time.
Produced under the banner of A.V.K. Productions by Shanmugam Chettiar and Krishna Rao, the film became a turning point in many careers.
On the occasion of the film’s 50th anniversary, director Gopalakrishna shared his memories:
“When I selected Jayasudha for the lead role, many senior industry members openly criticized the decision. They warned the producers about taking such a big risk — making a heroine-oriented film with a first-time director. But my producers had faith in me and in the subject, and didn’t back down. Their risk paid off — ‘Lakshmana Rekha’ not only became a hit with table profits but also became my identity. I still take pride in the fact that this was the first film to conduct area-wise business deals and it made history as my debut as a director.”
