Yeedi Vijayalakshmi (born 5 June 1976), known professionally as Rambha, is an Indian former actress. She was one of the prominent actresses in Indian cinema in the 1990s and early 2000s. In an acting career spanning almost two decades, Rambha had appeared in more than 100 films across eight languages, predominantly in Telugu and Tamil, in addition to Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada, along with a few Bengali, Bhojpuri and English films. Rambha made her debut with the Malayalam film Sargam. She moved to Toronto, Canada after her marriage.
Early life and background Rambha was born as Yeedi Vijayalakshmi in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh on 5 June 1976 into a Telugu family.References for the subject's ethnicity: She did her schooling at Atkinsons Senior Secondary School, Vijayawada. While she was studying in her seventh standard, she acted as Ammavaru (Mother Goddess) for her school's annual day competition. The event was attended by director Hariharan who stayed in contact and later introduced her as the female lead in Malayalam film, Sargam. Her first on-screen name was Amrutha, which she later changed as Rambha after the character name in her Telugu debut movie Aa Okkati Adakku.
Career Rambha gave up her education aged 15 and then started her career with Hariharan's Malayalam film Sargam (1992) opposite Vineeth. The film performed well at the box office, and she was spotted by director E. V. V. Satyanarayana who then cast her in the Telugu film Aa Okkati Adakku (1992), where she was paired opposite Rajendra Prasad. The film performed well and led to several film offers for the actress from several different film industries across India. At the height of her career in the late 1990s, Rambha deliberately continued to pick glamorous roles to garner film offers. In successful films such as Hitler (1997) starring Chiranjeevi, Rambha appeared in roles which were inconsequential to the plot and purely depicted her as the lead actor's love interest.
She started her career as a producer with help of her brother in Three Roses (2003), in which Jyothika, Laila and Rambha played the lead characters.
Rambha has acted in several languages and maintained a successful balance in Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Bhojpuri and Bengali. In 2010, Rambha shot alongside Prakash Raj for a thriller film titled Vidiyum Varai Kathiru. The film was shot in three languages namely Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam, but it did not have a theatrical release.
After her marriage she gave up films as she felt her popularity in films had faded away as she noticed that she was not getting meaty roles as she used to and has judged a very popular Tamil TV show Maanada Mayilada, and the Telugu dance show Dhee. After a long gap she came back from Toronto, she appeared as a judge of Zee Telugu dance show ABCD-Anybody Can Dance and judged Kings of Comedy Juniors on Vijay TV.
She is a brand ambassador for Kolors health care, Chennai.
Personal life Rambha married Indrakumar Pathmanathan, a Canada-based Sri Lankan Tamil businessman, on 8 April 2010 at Karnataka Kalyana Mandapam in Tirumala. They settled in Toronto. They have two daughters and a son.
Filmography In the order of languages in which she appeared the most to the least.
Telugu Year Film Role Notes 1992 Aa Okkati Adakku Rambha Telugu Debut film1993 Evandi Aavida Vachindi Jhansi Tholi Muddu DivyaPelli GolaRowdy Annayya Jyoti Chinna Alludu Sita Sarigamalu Jyothi 1994 Bhairava Dweepam Yakshini Cameo appearanceYes Nenante NeneRaniNamaste Anna SacchaPachcha Toranam Latha DeviHello Brother HerselfCameo appearance in the song "Kanne Pettaro"Bangaru Kutumbam PushpaMuddula Priyudu Usha Allari Premikudu Bhavani Hello Alludu Rani M. Dharmaraju M.A Seeta1995 Alluda Majaka Bobby Maatho Pettukoku LakshmiMaya Bazaar Herself Cameo appearanceVetagadu Seema Khaidi Inspector 1996 Bombay Priyudu Raga Sudha Nominated-Filmfare Award for Best Actress – TeluguSri Krishnarjuna Vijayam ApasaraAkkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi HerselfCameo appearance in the song "Chaligali Jhummandhi" 1997 Hitler Bujji Mama Bagunnava Jaya1998 Ganesh Priya Bavagaru Bagunnara? Swapna Love Story 1999 Swapna1999 Iddaru Mitrulu HerselfCameo appearance in the song "Hey Rukkuman" Mechanic Mavayya Rani2000 Kodanda Ramudu Mounika Okkadu ChaluRambha Choosoddaam Randi Geeta Moodu Mukkalaata Lahari 2001 Mrugaraju Herself Cameo appearance in the song "Ramaiah Paddaleti"2003 Sriramachandrulu Sundari Devi Neetho Vastha Naaga Herself Cameo appearance 2005 Alex Deepika2006 Neeku Naaku Lakshmi Gopi – Goda Meeda Pilli Goddess Lakshmi Extended Cameo 2007 Desamuduru Herself Cameo appearance in the song "Attaantode Ittaantode" Yamadonga Herself Cameo appearance in the song "Nachore Nachore" 2008 Donga Sachinollu Kavya
Tamil Year Film Role Notes 1993 Uzhavan Eshwari Debut Tamil film1996 Ullathai Allitha Indhu Debut Lead roleSengottai Yamuna Sundara Purushan Valli Sivasakthi Priya 1997 Dharma Chakkaram Vijayalakshmi Arunachalam Nandhini Rangachari Raasi Meena V.I.P Indhu Adimai Changili Radha Janakiraman Gayathri 1998 Ninaithen Vandhai Swapna Nominated-Filmfare Award for Best Actress – TamilKaathala Kaathala Janaki Desiya Geetham Mayil 1999 Endrendrum Kadhal Meenu Kadhalar Dhinam Herself Cameo appearance in song "Oh Mariya" Poomagal Oorvalam Kavitha Suyamvaram Urvashi Minsara Kanna Priya Unakkaga Ellam Unakkaga Indhu Unnaruge Naan Irundhal Herself Guest appearance2000 Sudhandhiram Divya Kunguma Pottu Gounder Alamelu Kandhasamy Anbudan Nimmi 2001 Aanandham Renuka Madhavan Azhagana Naatkal Indhu 2003 Military Lakshmi Three Roses Chaaru Banda Paramasivam Manju Cheran 2004 Thilak Herself Cameo appearance in song "Izhutha Izhuthu" Azhagiya Theeye Herself Cameo appearance in song "Dil Mera Loot Liya" Chatrapathy Herself Cameo appearance in song "Ore Oru Raathirikku" 2005 Sukran Herself Cameo appearance in song "Saathikadi"2009 Oru Kadhalan Oru Kadhali Lakshmi 2010 Pen Singam Mythili Extended Cameo
Hindi Year Film Role Notes 1995 Jallaad Koyal Hindi Debut film1996 Jurmana Priya Kumar SaxenaDaanveer Chitra Jung Madhu 1997 Qahar Radha Judwaa Rupa Sajna 1998 Gharwali Baharwali Manisha Verma Bandhan Jyoti 1999 Main Tere Pyaar Mein Pagal Sonali 2000 Krodh Pooja Varma Beti No.1 Priya Bhatnagar 2001 Kyo Kii... Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta Tara 2002 Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani Nita Pyaar Diwana Hota Hai Cameo appearance 2004 Dukaan: Pila House Kasthuribai
Kannada Year Film Role Notes1993 Server Somanna Sudha Kannada Debut film Kempaiah IPS Chempa 1999 O Premave Prema 2000 Panchali 2001 Baava Baamaida Geetha 2004 Sahukara Ranganayaki 2005 Pandu Ranga Vittala Rambha 2006 Gandugali Kumara Rama 2007 Anatharu Herself Cameo
Malayalam Year Film Role Notes1992 Sargam Thangamani Malayalam Debut film Champakulam Thachan Devi 1998 Sidhartha Hema 2003 Chronic Bachelor Bhama 2004 Mayilattam Mythili 2005 Kochi Rajavu Meenakshi 2007 Payum Puli Malli 2008 Kabadi Kabadi Pooja/SnehaDouble role 2011 The Filmstaar Rambha
Other language films Year Film Role Language Notes2005 Dada Meera Bengali Bengali Debut film Chita Rupa 2006 Refugee Julie 2007 Ram Balram Mausammi Bhojpuri Bhojpuri Debut film Rasik Balma Nandita Banke Bihari M.L.A. Lawyer Manya 2009 Quick Gun Murugun Mango Dolly English
Television Year Series/Shows Channel Notes 2002-2005 Metti Oli Sun TV Special appearance 2009-2012 Manada Mayilada Kalaignar TV As a judge for Season 2, 3, 5 and 7 2011 Dhee Ultimate Dance Show ETV Telugu As a judge for Season 4 2014 Jodi No 1 Star Vijay As a judge for Season 8 2014 Soundarya Lahari E-TV Guest 2017ABCD-Anybody Can Dance Zee Telugu Judge 2017Kings of Comedy Juniors Star Vijay Judge 2025-PresentJodi Are U Ready season 2 Star Vijay Judge
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