Introduction
B. Jayashree (born 9 June 1950) is a veteran Indian theatre actress, director and singer, who has also acted in films and television and worked as dubbing artist in films. She is the creative director of Spandana Theatre, an amateur theatre company based in Bangalore, established in 1976.
She was nominated to the Upper house of the Indian Parliament, Rajya Sabha in 2010. She was awarded the Padma Shri, fourth-highest civilian honour by Government of India in 2013.
Her grandfather was noted theatre director, Gubbi Veeranna, who founded the Gubbi Veeranna Nataka Company.
Early life and background
She was born in Bangalore toG.V. Malathamma who was the daughter of Gubbi Veeranna, and later graduated from the National School of Drama, Delhi in 1973, where she trained under noted theatre director and teacher Ebrahim Alkazi.
Career
Over the years, she has worked with notable theatre personalities, including B. V. Karanth. She has acted in Kannada films, like Nagamandala (1997), Deveeri (1999) and Care of Footpath (2006). She has also briefly remained the director of Mysore-based theatre institute, Rangayana.
She was a voice-over artist for Madhavi, Gayathri, Jaya Prada, Ambika , Sumalatha and many other actresses in Rajkumar movies. As a playback singer she has performed in Kannada cinema, including the hit number "Car Car" for Kannada film, Nanna Preethiya Hudugi.
In 1996, she was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for acting, given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama, and the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists, and later she was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2010. She has also received an honorary D. Litt degree from the Karnataka State Open University in 2009.
Personal life
She married K. Ananda Raju and the couple has an adopted daughter, Sushma Veer.