Suryakumari

Suryakumari (Tanguturi Suryakumari, 1925-2005)[]. Indian performer. The name written Surya Kumari in some sources, and she was also known by her married name Suryakumari Elvin.

Born Tanguturi Suryakumari on 13 November 1925 in Rajahmundry, Madras, she became a famous Indian singer, actress and dancer in Telugu cinema. She passed away on 25 April 2005 in London, England.

As an actress, she has won the Outer Critics Circle Award for best actress, for playing "Queen Sudarshana", in the 1961 Off-Broadway production of Rabindranath Tagore’s The King of the Dark Chamber, under the direction of Krishna Shah.

For information on her international career, see the Wikipedia entry on Suryakumari[1].

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

She visited South Africa in 1961 when Union Artists brought the Indian director Krishna Shah out to remount The King of the Dark Chamber with herself, the renowned dancer Bhaskar and students of AMDA. The production opened in Durban before playing at the Wits Great Hall - in both cases to acclaim.

Sources

Tucker, 1997. p. 158.

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