Hema Chaudhary

Durga Prabha, known by her stage name, Hema Chaudhary is an Indian actress who has predominantly acted in Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Tamil films. Starting her career as a lead actress in the Telugu film Pelli Kani Pelli in 1976, she switched over to supporting roles in the 1980s.

She is best remembered for her negative roles in Kannada films like Vijaya Vani, Shubhashaya, Deepa, Gaali Maathu and Nee Bareda Kadambari. Among her Tamil films, the K. Balachander directed Manmatha Leelai (1976) opposite Kamal Haasan is the most notable.^[1] Having acted in over 180 films, Hema is considered one of the most popular character artistes in South Indian cinema.

Apart from acting, Hema Choudhary is an accomplished Kuchipudi dancer and has performed for over 700 shows all across the world with her guru Vempati Chinna Satyam. She wasa classmate of Rajanikanth in the acting school at Madras. She is a recipient of the Panorama Award for her dancing skills. She has also been chosen by the National Film Awards committee as the judging panel for three years.^[2]

Hema was born to the popular female dubbing artiste and Telugu film Actress Brundavana Chowdari, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. She graduated from the Chennai Film Institute with Rajini Kanth and others.

After completing her acting course, Hema started her career in the 1976 Telugu film Pelli Kani Pelli directed by Adhiraj Anand Mohan, opposite actor Sreedhar. and was one of the heroines opposite Kamal Haasan in the blockbuster Tamil film Manmatha Leelai (1976).

Su primera película en kannada fue Vijaya Vani (1976), en la que interpretó el segundo papel principal, seguida de Shubhashaya , Devara Duddu , Vamsha Jyothi y Deepa . También trabajó en películas telugu como Bangaru Manishi (1977), Nijam (1978) y Kotta Alludu (1979). Su audaz interpretación de un personaje con matices ambiguos en Gaali Maathu (1981) la convirtió en un nombre conocido en todos los hogares. A partir de entonces, apareció en más de 150 películas como actriz de reparto junto a los directores y actores más importantes del cine kannada.

Hema tiene la costumbre de ofrecer un sari de seda en los templos de diosas hindúes de todo el país tras finalizar cada una de sus películas.

1. Thulavarsham (1976)
2. Premashilpi (1977)
3. Sundarimaarude Swapnangal (1978)
4. Tharoo Oru Janmam Koodi (1978)
5. Kochu Kochu Thettukal (1980)
6. Garuda Rekha (1982)
7. Pattanatil Naradan (1984)

1. Manmatha Leelai (1976) como Madhavai
2. Kungumam Kathai Solgirathu (1978)
3. Paartha Gnabagam Illayo (1985)
4. Estrella (2001)
5. Naan Avanillai (2007)
6. Thotta (2008)

1. Amruthavarshini (2012–2017)
2. Nayaki (2019–2020)

• Premio Karnataka Rajyotsava

Gobierno de Karnataka

• Premio del Festival Internacional de Cine de Kerala otorgado por la Academia Chalanachitra del estado de Kerala.
• Premio de Cine Innovador a la Mejor Actriz en un Papel Negativo ^{[ 3 ]}
• Premio Santhosham a la trayectoria profesional - Por su contribución al cine del sur de la India.
• Premio Suvarna a la trayectoria
• Premio Suvarna Rathna
• Premio Amogha Ratna
• Premio Especial Suvarna Sadhaki
• Premio Jana Mechhida Thare dedicado por Suvarna TV
• Premio Panorama a las Mejores Habilidades de Baile
• Honor en el 82º Premio Kannada Sahitya Sammelana

• Hema Chaudhary en IMDb