Leelavathi (actress)

Leelavathi
Leelavathi at Kalamandira, Mysore
Born
Leena Sequeira

1937
Mangalore, Madras Province, British India
Died (aged 86)
Nelamangala, Bangalore Rural district, Karnataka, India
Occupation(s)Actress, film producer, writer, philanthropist
ChildrenVinod Raj

Leena Sequeira[1] (1937 – 8 December 2023), known mononymously as Leelavathi, was an Indian actress, producer and philanthropist who worked predominantly in Kannada and Tamil films, in addition to few Telugu, Malayalam and Tulu films. After having her stint at the theatre, Leelavathi made her film debut in a small role in Nagakannika (1949). She went on to act in more than 600 films (more than 400 in Kannada alone) throughout her career spanning over five decades.

Leelavathi is known for many memorable performances as a lead actress in films such as Rani Honnamma, Bhakta Kumbara, Valar Pirai, Mana Mecchida Madadi and Santha Thukaram. In early 1970s, she switched towards performing character roles and was notable in films such as Gejje Pooje, Upasane, Naagarahaavu, Vasantha Geetha, Shravana Banthu and Eradu Nakshatragalu. She was the recipient of the Dr. Rajkumar Award in 1999 and Filmfare Awards.

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