Television serials have grown in popularity, with their stars often celebrated on par with film actors. In this context, a former leading lady of South Indian cinema, once a household name, is now returning to the screen, this time through television serials.
The actress in question is Yamuna, who acted in more than 50 films during the height of her career. Born as Prema in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, she later moved to Bangalore.
She began her career in Tamil cinema with the 1987 film Manathil Uttam Velai, directed by the legendary K Balachander, who also gave her the screen name ‘Yamuna’.
While her career began in Tamil, Yamuna quickly found fame in Telugu and Kannada cinema, acting alongside top stars, including Sivarajkumar, and appearing in well-known films such as Govinda Govinda (1994) with Sridevi and Nagarjuna. She also found success in television, especially in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada serials, becoming a favourite among family audiences.
However, her flourishing career took a dramatic turn in 2011 when she was reportedly arrested at a five-star hotel in Bangalore in connection with a prostitution ring. A case was registered against her, and the news spread rapidly, bringing her acting career to an abrupt halt.
In a recent interview, Yamuna revealed that the case was entirely fabricated. She stated that she was never present at the hotel on the day in question and was falsely implicated by powerful individuals. She added that the court later acquitted her after finding the allegations baseless.
Yamuna also opened up about the toll the case took on her mental health,. After nearly four years away from the screen, Yamuna has now begun acting again in television serials. Her comeback marks a new chapter in her life and career, one that she hopes will be defined not by scandal, but by resilience and redemption.