She was one of the highest-paid actresses in the 70s.
The actress used to get paid the same as the main leads of that time like Sivaji Ganesan and Gemini Ganesan.
From owning expensive clothes, luxurious bungalows to private jets, celebrities enjoy a lavish lifestyle. While flying in business class is common for some celebrities, there are a number of them who travel in their private jets. Do you know who was the first actress to own a private jet in the Tamil film industry? It is none other than actress Deivanayaki aka KR Vijaya. She ruled the screens during the 70s and 80s in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada films. KR Vijaya was one of the highest-paid actresses in the 70s. She used to get paid on par with the main leads of that time like Sivaji Ganesan and Gemini Ganesan. KR Vijaya started her career in 1963 and has been a familiar face of southern cinema for nearly six decades. She has worked with almost all the big stars like Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan and Jaishankar.
She made her debut in the Tamil film industry in 1963 at the age of 15 by acting in the film Karpagam and has been travelling in the Tamil film industry for more than 60 years. KR Vijaya, who turned 75 recently, last acted in the film Vishanagudi which was released in 2023.
KR Vijaya was also called as Punnagai Arasi, which means Queen of Smiles in Tamil. Her on-screen charisma was such that she was the first choice of every director and producer as a leading lady. She even portrayed the roles of Hindu goddesses due to her stunning looks. She played the role of Goddess Shakti in Mel Maruvathoor Arpudhangal and later in Mahasakthi Mariamman where she portrayed Mariamman. Apart from films, she has also ventured into television serials like Raja Rajeswari and Kudumban, which aired in India and Sri Lanka. In her illustrious career, she has acted in more than 500 films. She even played a mythological role in Sri Rama Rajyam (2011).
In the year 2023, she has appeared in movies like Kodai, Rayar Parambarai and Moothakudi. Her fans were ecstatic to see her on the silver screen after she starred in the 2021 movie Chakra. She is currently gearing up for her upcoming movie Randam Pranayamahayudham.