06/22/08 ~ Early Tollywood

6.22.2008

Name: Vimala Raman

Birth Day: 23 january

Sex : Female

Height: 5'6"

Eye: Black

Hair: Black

Birth Place : Australia

Ethnicity : Tamilian

Profession : Actress

Debut Film : Poi (Tamil) in 2006

Other Talents : Bharatanatyam (Indian Classical Dance)

Dance Education : 'Natanalaya Dance Academy' based in Sydney, Australia

Biography:

Being born and brought up in Sydney, Vimala entered her childhood passion of Bharthanatyam at the age of five. In 1991, she joined her current guru, Smt. Jayalukshmi Kandiah O.A.M and the Natanalaya Dance and Music Academy, based in Sydney, Australia, where she further specialised in Bharthanatyam (Kalakshetra style). In the past 18 years, Vimala has been performing in all of Natanalaya’s annual programs, also taking major roles in all dance dramas.

Vimala graduated in Bharthanatyam in the year 2000. Ever since her arangetram, apart from performing with her dance school, other highlighted performances of Vimala’s, naming a few include: The Opening Ceremony of the Sydney Olympics; Chinnmaya Mission, Sai Baba musical program; Refugee Week; Deepavali festival, the Temple functions and many more.

Vimala took part in a production by the renowned dancer C.V Chandrasekhar from India, “KREEDA” performing both in Canberra and Sydney. Vimala also had the honour of being invited to perform at the Ganesh Temple in New York, America, where she gave a full-fledged program to a complete and appreciative audience.

She went as part of a troupe of “Australian Indians” to perform in numerous places in Sri Lanka and also performed in many places in India, including the Music Academy in Chennai, Kalaimamani Awards (Chennai), Mahabalipuram Dance Festival, Chidambaram Shiva Temple and in the National College,Bangalore.

vimala ramanVimala was also offered and gave a program for one of the main T.V channels in Tamil Nadu India, JAYA TV. Her solo program “Salangai Oli”was broadcasted in February 2004 on JAYA TV. This successful program has seen increasing offers and opportunites for her internationally as a Bharthanatyam artiste.

Vimala furthers her learning in Chennai, India from a well-renowned dancer and dancer teacher, Smt. Roja Kannan, who is a disciple of Sri Adyar Lakshmanan (renowned artiste in India).

Vimala has completed her degree in BSc Information Systems from the University of New South Wales. Along with her passion for being a Bharthanatyam Artiste, Vimala’s other hobbies include modelling assignments for many advertisments and promotions. Vimala also won the Miss India Australia 2004 title in October 2004. Having a strong background in classical dance has enabled Vimala the ability to also choreograph and perform fusion numbers. Incorporating both classical with western, Vimala has performed in many shows elucidating a fusion style dancing allowing east to meet the west.

Her passion and love for Bharthanatyam is the ultimate motivation to continually learn this beautiful art form, and to further pursue her dancing career. Vimala’s ultimate ambition is to aspire as a talented Indian classical dancer and as an embassodor for Indian Australians. Innovating and promoting Bharthanatyam in a western way and creating greater awareness in Australia for one of the oldest forms of dance in the world and the rich Indian culture.

Dance Performances

2005
• Gave solo program for the Singapore Indian Fine Arts "SIFA" Dance and Music Festival in Singapore

2004
• Dance tour cont , performed in Kalaimamani Awards Chennai vimala raman
• Music/Dance season, at Music Academy, Chennai
• Mahaballipuram Dance Festival
• Chidambaram Shiva Temple
• National College, Bangalore
• India Night Dance Festival
• Valentine’s Day Special program on JAYA TV “SALANGAI OLI”, Chennai
• Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan ‘India’s Independance day Celebrations’ – Sydney
• PSA Surgeon’s Conference – Coffs Harbour, Australia

2003
• FAIA (Federation of Australian Indians Association) ‘Australia Day and Indian Republic Day Celebrations’
• World Conference of Religions for Peace N.S.W
• Launch of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan - Sydney
• Formal Launch of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan – Sydney
• ‘Swami Dayananda Saraswati – An evening of devotional music’
• ‘Ganesh Chudhurthi in Sri Venkateswara Temple’
• Dance tour, performing in Colombo Sri Lanka

2002
• Program given in Ganesh Temple, Queens, America
• Sankara Jayanthi
• ‘Kreeda – Games of India’ in Sydney – Choreographed by Prof.C.V.Chandrasekhar
• ‘Kreeda – Games of India’ in Canberra – Choreographed by Prof.C.V.Chandrasekhar
• Yesodha in ‘Yesodha Krishna – Ananda Narthana’ – with Natanalaya Dance Academy
• ‘Ganesh Chudhurthi in Sri Venkateswara Temple’, Sydney

2001
• Sai Baba musical evening
• Chinnmaya Mission – Fund raising
• Sankara Jayanthi

2000
• Vimala’s Bharthanatyam Arangetram (Graduation Ceremony)
• Kannagi in ‘Silambu’ for the Sri RamaKrishna Orphanages and Durgapuram Mahalir Illam, Colombo, Sri Lanka – with Natanalaya Dance Academy
• Opening Ceremony of Sydney Olympics
• Launching of Tamil Society Library, Sydney
• 52nd Indian Independence Day Celebration

1999
• Rathi in ‘Rathi Manmadhan’ – with Natanalaya Dance Academy

1998
• Meenakshi in ‘Meenakshi Kalyanam’ – with Natanalaya Dance Academy

1997
• Step-mother in ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ for Australian Dance Week – in Classical Bhartha Natyam style dancing with Natanalaya Dance Academy
• Darling Harbour’s 10th Anniversary International Dance Festival

1996
• Navrang Festival

Vimala Raman was adjudged Miss India Australia in an impressive function held at Sir John Clancey Auditorium of the University of New South Wales on Sunday, October 24, 2004. As the winner of Miss India Australia title for the year 2004 Vimala Raman has earned the honour of representing Australia in the Miss India Worldwide 2005 to be held in Mumbai on Jan 9, 2005.

Judges for the pageant, included Indian film star Sanjay Suri and Miss India Worldwide 2003 Purva Merchant, Carmen Cromer, an Australian freelance writer, Peter Menzies Jr., Hollywood cinematographer, and Shalini Patel, well-known bharatanatyam and kathak dancer and teacher.

vimala raman - miss india australia 2004Vimala Raman also won the Miss India Australia Cyber Queen honours for attracting the maximum number of votes on the Internet.

"Vimala is very talented girl - she personifies the best of Indian and Australian cultures; a superb bharatanatyam dancer; very sociable and confident. I think she has a very good chance in the pageant to be held in Mumbai Jan 9 around the Bharatya Pravasi Divas celebrations," said a visibly pleased Raj Suri - the organizer of Miss India Australia.

Film Career:

She is a Tamilian but hails from Sydney. She has acted in Tamil films, but now trying her hands at Tollywood. She is Vimala Raman, the heroine of ‘Poi’ and ‘Raman Thediya Seethai’.

"Language is secondary for me. All that I look for is a good script with ample importance to my character. I am ready to work in any film if these two conditions are fulfilled," she says.

The actress, who started her career with veteran director K Balachandar’s ‘Poi’, earned accolades in Kollywood for her performance in ‘Raman Thediya Seethai’, which has filmmaker Cheran in the lead role. "I hope that I can make a mark in Tollywood too," she says.

On acting in glamorous roles, she says, “there is nothing wrong in doing steamy sequences unless they add value to the story. I am ready for it. But at the same time, I have my limits.”

Now the third film is currently on in which she is said to be appearing in a bikini. This Tarun and Vimala Raman starrer is being directed by VN Aditya and produced by Raju Harwani and Gogineni Srinivas under the banner of Supreme Movies. The film supposedly deals with the problems that youth face in the software field .Already one schedule was completed in Bangkok for the movie.

It is rare occurrences for a heroine in Malluwood to become part of five films, even before the release of her debut film. But Vimala Raman who is debuting into Malayalam with Suresh Gopi starrer Time is going
for such a busy start. After completing Time, she is appearing in Pranayakam, a love story, this is also planned to start this month.

She has signed one more film in Malayalam, Suryan directed by VM Vinu. In the film Jayaram will be the hero of Vimala.

Now the latest grapevine says that she may replace Gopika for the Mohanlal starrer Alibhai, planned to start within months.

Vimala will be luckier if she is selected to become Mammootty’s heroine in the next Joshy directed film. Scriptwriter Renjith who is writing for thefilm has already asked to get her dates for the film.The Mallu actress Vimala Raman is truly a possesor of amazing talents and is a veratile actress.

Other Facts:

Vimala Raman is a well known Bharatanatyam dancer as well as actress in Kollywood and Malayalam Film Industry

She was born & brought up in Sydney. She started practicing Bharatanatyam at the age of five. In 2004 she won Miss India Australia title as well as Miss India Australia cyberqueen title.

Her first Malayalam movie was Time with Suresh Gopi. Her first movie was Poi in Tamil.

She was the pair of Ajmal Ameer in Pranayakalam. She also acted with Mammooty in Nasrani & Dileep in Romeo.

Vimala's latest release is Calcutta News with dileep. She last appeared in College Kumaran with Mohanlal.

Vimala raman is known to have attended natanalaya Dance Academy based in Sydney, Australia. She was taught dance under the strict tutelage of Smt, Jajalukshmy Kandiah and Vanamadi Pundamon

Filmography:

Movie: Aptha Rakshaka (2009)
Language: Kannada
Director: P Vasu
Producer: Krishnakumar
Co - Stars: Vishnuvardhan

Movie: Chukkalanti Ammayi Chakkanaina Abbayi (2009)
Language: Telugu
Director: V N Aditya
Producer: Raju Hurwani and Gogineni Srinivas
Co - Stars: Tarun

Movie: Kadhal Thozhi (2009)
Language: Malayalam
Director: Nitin Ramakrishnan
Producer: N V Prasad
Co - Stars: Satheesh

Movie: Evaraina Eppudaina (2009)
Language: Telugu
Director: Marthand K Shankar
Producer: A V M productions
Co - Stars: Varun Sandesh

Movie : Apoorva (2008)
Language : Tamil
Director : Jagan
Producer: Moserbaer Productions
Starring: Cheran, Vimala

Movie:Time (2006)
Language : Malayalam
Director:Shaji Kailas
Producer: Bhagayachitra Films
Actor:Suresh Gopi

Movie:Raman Thediya Seethai (2008)
Language : Tamil
Director:Jaganji
Producer: Radha
Actor:Cheran

Movie:Twenty- 20 (2008)
Language : Malayalam
Director: Joshi
Actor:Mohanlal, Mammooty

Movie:Romeo (2007)
Language : Malayalam
Director:Rajasenan
Producer: Rafi Mecartin
Actor: Dileep, Sumvrutha Sunil

Movie:Pranayakalam (2007)
Language : Malayalam
Director:Udhayan
Producer: AVA Films
Actor:Ajmal Ameer

Movie: Poi (Abaddam) (2006)
Language : Tamil
Director: K.Balachander
Producer: Prakash Raj
Actor: Uday Kiran

Movie: Nazareni (2007)
Language : Malayalam
Director: Joshy
Producer: Horizon Entertainment
Actor: Mammooty, Vimala

Movie: Calcutta News (2008)
Language : Malayalam
Director: Blessy
Producer: Kayal Films
Starring: Dhileep, Vimala

Movie: Sooriyan (2007)
Language : Malayalam
Director: V M Vinu
Producer: Sri Chakra Films
Starring: Jayaram, Vimala

Movie: College Kumaran (2008)
Language: Malayalam
Director: Thulaseedas
Producer: Fairy Queen Productions
Starring: Mohanlal, Vimala