Jayaprada - actress , danseuse , politician

Jaya Prada (b. 1962-04-03), also spelled Jaya Pradha, born Lalita Rani) is a film actress in the Tollywood and Bollywood film industries.

She was born in the historical town of Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. She started her career in film industry, after dropping out of Kandukuri Rajyalakshmi Women's College, with the Telugu film 'Devude Digivaste'.

She received the compliments from the great Indian Director Satyajit Ray as the most beautiful face on Indian Screen. Her personal life has been frequently in doldrums due to which she attempted suicide on two occassions

Her first film in Tamil was 'Ninaithaale Inikkum' with Kamal Haasan and Rajnikanth.

She entered into Bollywood with Sargam in 1979, a remake of her Telugu hit "Sirisiri Muvva." The film became a big hit and earned her first Filmfare nomination as Best Actress. She acted in many Hindi movies. During the 80's Jayaprada had a successful film couple pairing with actors such as Jeetendra and Amitabh Bachchan. She endeared audiences with her sincere portrayal of Amitabh Bachchan's girlfriend in her next favorite film Sharabi, which became another big hit and earned her second Filmfare nomination as Best Actress. She earned her third Filmfare nomination as Best Actress for Sanjog (1985). These films endeared Jayapradha to the traditional conservative section of filmgoers. It was an image that would serve her well when she started a new career as a politician.

In 1986, she created controversy when she married Producer Srikanth Nahata, as he is already a married man with children. He has since continued to be married to both women. She entered into politics by joining Telugu Desam party. She was nominated to be an MP in Rajyasabha by TDP party. Following differences with party Supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu, she left TDP to join Samajwadi Party and contested from Rampur parliamentary Constituency in UP during the last General election in 2004.