Bhavana

Nandini Ramanna, better known by her stage name Bhavana Ramanna, is an Indian film actress who works predominantly in the Kannada film industry. A Bharatanatyam dancer, she has received three Karnataka State Film Awards and acted in Shanti, a film that entered the Guinness Book of Records. Bhavana Ramanna is the director of HomeTown Productions, a production house that conducts dance and music shows.[2][3] In the run-up to the 2014 general elections, Bhavana Ramanna was named one of the star campaigners for the Congress party in Karnataka, a role she had performed in the 2013 assembly elections in the state. Bhavana Ramanna was reported as being among the contenders for a nomination to the upper house (Vidhana Parishad) of the Karnataka legislature as an MLC.

Bhavana was born as Nandini Ramanna before her name was changed by Kodlu Ramakrishna.[4][5]

Bhavana trained to be a classical dancer and initially had no intention of acting; “[f]ilms just happened by chance.” She learned Bharatanatyam for nearly ten years and aspired for a career as a stage choreographer. She began her career in films with Maribele, a Tulu film, after she was cast by Krishnappa Uppur who “saw me at a wedding and was pleased with my looks.”[1] The film did not do well, but Bhavana was noted by the Kannada film producers. After Maribale she got noticed further for her role as a cop in No.1, a Kannada film. As she found the going easy her inconsequential film Nee Mudida Mallige brought her sour experience.[6]

Bhavana was cast in Seetharam Karanth’s musical hit Chandramukhi Pranasakhi, where she acted alongside Ramesh Aravind, and Prema.[6] Bhavana did Kavitha Lankesh’s Deveeri which got Aravindan Puraskar award. In Rashtrageethe she got a vamp role from noted director K. V. Raju. She was not in a position to denounce the offer, as the director was a stalwart. Director and cinematographer of Malayalam films Dinesh Babu offered her a role opposite Ramesh Aravind, but to Bhavana’s bad luck Deepavali, also starring Vishnuvardhan failed at the box office.[6] She was also in a song in Vishnuvardhan’s Parva .[7] Bhavana did an Item Dance in film Ninagagi.[8] Bhavana acted in Kavita Lankesh’s second film, Alemaari.[9][10] Alemaari, made for the National Film Development Corporation, was previewed at many prestigious film festivals.[11] but the Films Division did not release her film.[12] Shanti, an off-beat Kannada film directed by the noted writer, Baragur Ramachandrappa, has earned the rare distinction of being the second Indian film to enter the Guinness Book of World Records.[13][14] It has entered the Guinness Book for in the category `Fewest actors in a narrative film’. It was adjudged the second best film for the State award.[15] Bhavana moved to Mumbai and even did a Bollywood film, Family, which also starred Amitabh Bachchan.[16]

Bhavana was adjudged the “Best Actress” for her role in Bhagirathi.[17][18] She was one of Top Kannada Actresses of 2010 by Rediff.