Vanisri or Ratna Kumari was born on 3 August 1948 Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. She is also known as Vanisree or Vanishree, is a popular Telugu actress in the mid 1960s to the late 1970s. Her portfolio also includes Kannada and Tamil films.
S V Ranga Rao gave her screen name Vanisri.
Her first film was Marapurani Kadha. She gained attention with a supporting role in a film penned by K. Balachander titled Sukha Dukhalu, where the famous song “idi mallela velayani” was picturized on her. She became a heroine and held the top spot through most of the 1970s. Vanisri had several super hit and silver jubilee movies, such as Krishnaveni, Prema Nagar, Dasara Bullodu, Aradhana, Jeevitha Chakram, Rangula Ratnam, Shri Krishna Tulabharam, Bhakta Kannappa, and Bobbili Raja, etc. She played dual roles in Iddaru Ammayilu (1972), Ganga Manga (1973 remake of the Hindi film Seeta Aur Geeta), Jeevana Jyothi (1975), and Chilipi Krishnudu (1978). She financed and starred in Shyam Benegal’s only Telugu film Anugraham (1977), co-starring Smita Patil. She acted with Sivaji Ganesan in a number of films such as Uyarntha Manithan (1968), Nirai Kudam (1969), Vasantha Maligai (1972), Sivakamiyin Selvan (1974), Vani Rani (1974) and Nallathoru Kudumbam (1979). In the late 1970s, Vanisri left films to get married and have a son and a daughter.
Vanisri returned to film in the late 1980s acting in mother roles, such as her character in Athaku Yamudu Ammayiki Mogudu (1989). She was also in the 1999 hindi film Main Tere Pyar Mein Pagal directed by Telugu director K. Raghavendra Rao. She often portrays arrogant mothers-in-law or aunts. Vanisri has acted in television serials as well.
She also worked as politician in Congress party. Vanisri is married and has a daughter and a son. She lives in Chennai.
Awards
- 1973 – Filmfare Best Actress Award for Jeevana Tarangalu
- 1974 – Filmfare Best Actress Award for Krishnaveni
- 1975 – Filmfare Best Actress Award for Jeevana Jyothi
- Kavignar Kannadasan Award in 2001
- Meena Kumari award at the Vamsi Awards in 2004
- Madhavapeddi Prabhavathi awards by the Siva Foundation in 2005
| Bhishma in Telugu in 1962 | Yedhureetha in Telugu in 1963 |
| Devatha (1964 film) in Telugu in 1964 | Veera Sankalpa in Kannada in 1964 |
| Chitti Chellelu in Telugu in 1965 | Bangaru Panjaram in Telugu in 1965 |
| Mangamma Sapatham (1965 film) in Telugu in 1965 | Shri Krishna Tulabharam in Telugu in 1966 |
| Rangula Ratnam in Telugu in 1966 | Ummadi Kutumbam in Telugu in 1967 |
| Thanga Thambi in Tamil in 1967 | Apoorva Piravaigal in Tamil in 1967 |
| Aada Paduchu in Telugu in 1967 | Kanchukota in Telugu in 1967 |
| Ranabheri in Telugu in 1968 | Uyarntha Manithan in Tamil in 1968 |
| Nindu Hridayalu in Telugu in 1969 | Bhale Rangadu in Telugu in 1969 |
| Aatmeeyulu in Telugu in 1969 | Nirai Kudam in Tamil in 1969 |
| Drohi in Telugu in 1970 | Kathanayika Molla in Telugu in 1970 |
| Prem Nagar in Telugu in 1971 | Jeevitha Chakram in Telugu in 1971 |
| Dasara Bullodu in Telugu in 1971 | Chinnanaati Snehithulu in Telugu in 1971 |
| Chelleli Kapuram in Telugu 1971 | Vichitra Bandham in Telugu in 1972 |
| Vasantha Maligai in Tamil in 1972 | Koduku Kodalu in Telugu in 1972 |
| Iddaru Ammayilu in Telugu in 1972 | Bangaru Babu in Telugu in 1972 |
| Aaradhana in Telugu in 1972 | Datha Puthrudu in Telugu in 1972 |
| Jeevana Tarangalu in Telugu in 1973 | Ganga Manga in Telugu in 1973 |
| Deshoddharakulu in Telugu in 1973 | Sivakamiyin Selvan in Tamil in 1974 |
| Vani Rani in Tamil in 1974 | Krishnaveni in Telugu in 1974 |
| Abhimanavathi in Telugu in 1975 | Chikati Velugulu in Telugu in 1975 |
| Jeevana Jyothi in Telugu in 1975 | Pooja in 1975 |
| Secretary in Telugu in 1976 | Bhakta Kannappa in Telugu in 1976 |
| Aradhana in Telugu in 1976 | Chakradhari in Telugu in 1977 |
| Aalu Magalu in Telugu in 1977 | Simha Baludu in Telugu in 1978 |
| Kondura in Hindu in 1978 | Ramachilaka in Telugu in 1978 |
| Gorantha Deepam in Telugu in 1978 | Devadasu Malli Puttadu in Telugu in 1978 |
| Anugraham in Telugu in 1978 | Shri Vinayaka Vijayam in Telugu in 1980 |
| Devudu Mamayya in Telugu in 1981 | Athaku Yamudu Ammayiki Mogudu in Telugu in 1989 |
| Bobbili Raja in Telugu in 1990 | Qaidi Dada in Telugu in 1990 |
| Seetharathnamgari Abbayi in 1992 | Rajeshwari Kalyanam in Telugu in 1993 |
| Atta sommu alludi Daanam | Attaku koduku mamaku alludu |
| Rao garintlo rowdi | Swathi chinukulu |
| Agni | Collector gari alludu |
| Allari alludu in 1993 | Peddintialludu |
| Bombai priyudu | Hello Alludu |
| Badradri ramudu | Main Tere Pyaar Mein Pagal in Hindi in 1999 |