Vyjayanthimala is an Indian actress, dancer and parliamentarian. A prolific and influential performer during the "Golden Age" of Hindi cinema, she is the recipient of several accolades, including two BFJA Awards and five Filmfare Awards. She made her screen debut at the age of 16 with the Tamil film Vaazhkai, and followed this with a role in the Telugu film Jeevitham. Her first work in Hindi cinema was the social guidance film Bahar, which she headlined, and achieved her breakthrough with the romantic film Nagin.
Vyjayanthimala garnered critical acclaim for her role in the period drama film Devdas, where she played Chandramukhi, the "hooker with a heart of gold". The film and her acting was praised, later considered to be her magnum opus. For Devdas, she won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress which she refused, stating that she played a leading role equal to that of Suchitra Sen, her co-star, and so she could not accept the award for a supporting role. She went on to star in series of commercial successes, which include the romance film New Delhi, the drama film Naya Daur and the comedy film Aasha.