Acting
Madhavi
Born 1941-01-01 · Singapore
Madhavi Krishnan (born 1941) is a Singaporean dancer and actress who appeared predominantly in Tamil cinema during the 1960s. After studying Kathakali and Bharatanatyam dance in Chennai, Madhavi made her film debut in 1963 in Aayiram Kalathu Payir, introduced by comedian actor T.S. Durairaj. She portrayed varied roles with leading stars and earned herself a respectable place in the Tamil film world with her acting prowess and charisma. Madhavi made history being the first and only artiste from Singapore in the 1960s, a milestone not repeated for another 30 years. She worked with top actors and actresses of the Tamil film world, including MGR, Asokan, and Nagesh. She was paired opposite Nagesh in films such as Pannakara Kudumbam, Periya Edathu Penn, Aayirathil Oruvan, Arasa Kattalai, Enga Veettu Pillai, Naan, and Adhey Kangal. Despite her significant contributions to Tamil cinema's comedy repertoire, Madhavi has remained largely overlooked in the historical narrative of Tamil film comedy. A persistent and problematic myth persists in Tamil cinema circles and media: that no female comedy actress after Manorama achieved sustained success or cultural recognition. This erasure obscures the legacies of accomplished performers like Madhavi. Similar to Kumari Sachu, who worked in over 500 films, and Ammukutty Pushpamala, who appeared in over 400 films, Madhavi delivered accomplished comic performances alongside Nagesh, one of Tamil cinema's greatest comedians, yet was displaced by shifting industry preferences and historiographical negligence. Her exceptional timing, versatility, and ability to anchor scenes opposite leading comedians demonstrate a level of artistry that merits recognition beyond the footnotes of cinema history. The dismissal of these performers—their erasure despite genuine artistic contribution—represents a significant gap in how Tamil cinema has chronicled and honored its own comic traditions. In 1970, Madhavi returned to Singapore and became a founding member and principal dancer of the newly-established National Dance Theatre Company. She was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 1979 and was inducted into the Indian Hall of Fame Singapore in 2022, honors that acknowledge her pioneering dual legacy as both a cinema performer who carved a distinctive niche in Tamil film comedy and as a cultural custodian who represented Singapore's Indian classical dance heritage on international stages.
Acting credits
4.0Despite being his daughter, Rani is not allowed to acknowledge Muthiah as her father. She works in his office and falls in love with a co-worker, but Muthiah opposes their relationship.
Panakkara Kudumbam
1964
Murugappa is a small time farm labourer living in a village with his widowed sister, Gangamma. He often questions the landlord's authority which results in frequent clashes with him and his family.
Periya Idathu Pen
1963
Devaki goes missing, leaving behind her husband Ravi and her only child, Amudha. Sugana tries to impress Ravi but he falls for Rangitham, who saves Amudha from robbers and takes care of her.
Amma Enge
1964
Shyamala, a young woman, and her father try to find of an ideal life partner for her. Worried about her marriage, the father falls ill and therefore, Shyamala introduces him to Kantan, a young man.
Kumari Penn
1966
Jeeva decides to protect Kala Devi who joins a circus company after her father's death as she inherits enormous wealth and has a threat to her life.
Parakkum Paavai
1966
7.0After four brothers get killed in succession, Vimalanathan and his niece, Susila, are the sole survivors. So, Bhaskar, Susila's lover, tries to find the stalker who is hunting his lover's family.
Athey Kangal
1967
7.0Sadanand, a successful businessman, has two business partners, Nithyanand and Murthy. Things take an unexpected turn when Murthy murders Sadanand out of greed.
Anbu Vazhi
1968
5.3Enslaved convicts for treason plan escape but get caught by pirates and work for them before gaining their support and fighting back their country's authoritarian rule.
Aayirathil Oruvan
1965
Sundaram marries Jaya, an orphaned girl, against the wishes of his family. When he leaves the city to get a new job, his family members torture his wife.
Nee!
1965
Three childhood friends take divergent career paths after growing up. Their lives intersect again when one of them gets kidnapped.
Naam Moovar
1966
No synopsis available yet.
Penne Nee Vaazhga
1967
A wealthy man son gets lost at a very young age. His father searches for him in vain and dies after few years. Years later, 3 men come up to the palace claiming they are the lost son. The story unfolds as to who is the real lost son.
Naan
1967
7.2Ramu is an innocent son of a rich landlord who is afraid of his brother-in-law Narendran and his whiplash. To escape from his punishments, Ramu leaves his house and his look-alike replaces him. Enga Veettu Pillai is a remake of NTR’s Ramudu Bheemudu 1963 Telugu movie. Both are directed by same director Tapi Chanakya
Enga Veettu Pillai
1965
Before dying, a king requests Vijayan, a righteous man, to be his successor. But a minister in the king's court also wants to occupy the throne and decides to kill Vijayan.
Arasa Kattalai
1967
No synopsis available yet.
Uyir Mel Aasai
1967
7.0A rich man decides to take a vacation after working for two years straight. However, upon arrival, he is shocked to find that his caretaker, Krishnaiah, is missing after renting his Shimla bungalow.
Anbe Vaa
1966
In a distant village in Tamil Nadu, a young man and woman fall in love and decide to live together. However, unbeknownst to them, a series of troubles await them and their family.
Aayiram Kalathu Payir
1963