Pandari Bai

She was the heroine in Rajkumar's debut movie Bedara Kannappa and also Sivaji's debut movie Parasakthi. She has acted in over 1,000 films in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. Bai was honoured by Kalaimamani from the Tamil Nadu government.

• Name — Pandari Bai • Birth Name — Geetha • Born — 18 September 1928 • Birthplace — Bhatkal, Bombay Presidency, British India (now in Karnataka, India) • Died — 29 January 2003 • Place of death — Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 1943–2001 • Works — Full list • Spouse — P. H. Rama Rao • Relatives — Mynavathi (sister) • Honours — Kalaimamani (1965)

Pandaribai began her career in acting in plays based on mythological stories before making her film debut in 1943 with the Kannada language film, Vani. She appeared in the 1954 Kannada film Bedara Kannappa opposite Rajkumar. In the film, she played Neela, wife of Kanna (played by Rajkumar), a hunter. She established herself as a lead actress portraying a woman with a "progressive" image assuming the burdens of a feudal patriarchy in films such as Sant Sakhu (1955) and Rayara Sose (1957). In 1959, she appeared in Abba Aa Hudugi, with her sister Mynavathi. The film is considered a landmark in Kannada cinema. Later in her career, she transitioned to playing maternal roles often for leading men older than her, and many of whom had previously played been her on-screen romantic co-stars.

Pandari was married to P. H. Rama Rao, a physician. The couple had no children. Pandari Bai sustained injuries in a road accident in 1994, and lost her left arm. It was reported that she kept a low profile after that. She died on 29 January 2003 at a hospital in Chennai while being treated for kidney failure.