Jayalalithaa: From Silver Screen Icon to Charismatic Leader

Amma braved through a tough childhood and a film career before becoming the people’s beloved leader.

Jayalalithaa at various stages of her life. (Image Altered by The Quint)

Jayalalithaa’s journey from Mysore to Chennai is dotted with intriguing textures and hues. The scholarly girl from an Iyengar family in Mysore, who wanted to be a lawyer while studying at Bishop Cotton Girls’ school in Bangalore, stepped into the film industry instead.

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After her tryst with the Tamil film industry, life changed completely.

Jayalalithaa offering flowers at the portrait of MG Ramachandran, her film industry colleague and political mentor. (Photo Courtesy: PTI)

Komalavalli aka Jayalalithaa Jayaram – once a classical dancer, later a popular actress –became the face of the Tamil Nadu’s politics in the 21st century. Jayalalithaa Jayaraman, as she is known today in politics and revered as ‘Amma’ by lakhs of her loyalists, has had one of the most interesting expeditions any modern politicians have had.

Video Editor: Sashant Kumar