Prathima Devi, veteran actor, passes away

Prathima Devi, veteran actor and one of the early pioneers of Kannada cinema, passed away owing to age-related ailments in the city on Tuesday. She was 88. She is survived by three children, including

Prathima Devi, veteran actor and one of the early pioneers of Kannada cinema, passed away owing to age-related ailments in the city on Tuesday. She was 88. She is survived by three children, including noted film-makers S.V. Rajendra Singh Babu and Vijayalakshmi Singh. Ms. Prathima Devi, hailing from Udupi, joined professional theatre at the age of 11 and made her debut in films with Krishnaleela in 1947. The film was produced by Mahatma Pictures, owned by film businessman and freedom fighter D. Shankar Singh, whom Ms. Prathima Devi later married. She was the lead actor in Jaganmohini, a 1951 film that turned out to be the first Kannada film to run for 100 days. It was also the directorial debut of Shankar Singh. Ms. Prathima Devi later starred as the lead actor in many films produced by Mahatma Pictures and in later years worked as a character actor in several Kannada films. She acted in over 60 films.