Raavu Balasaraswathi

R. Balasaraswathi, Raavu Balasaraswathi or Rao Balasaraswathi Devi (Telugu: రావు బాలసరస్వతీ దేవి. Tamil: ராவ் பாலசரஸ்வதி தேவி) (born 28 August 1928) is a famous singer and actress of 1930 to the 1960s in Telugu and Tamil cinema.
She has the distinction of being the first light music singer on All India Radio and the first playback singer of the Telugu cinema industry.

She was born in 1928 at Venkatagiri. She learned music from Allathuru Subbayya and lent her voice for the first solo gramophone by HMV recording company at the age of six.

She acted as child actor Ganga and also sang in the films Sati Anasuya and Bhakta Dhruva, both directed by C. Pullaiah in 1936. Observing her talent, director K. Subramaniam invited her to act in Tamil films. In the following years, she acted in Tamil films like Bhaktha Kuchela (1936), Balayogini (1937), and Thiruneelakantar (1939). She played the role of Tukaram's daughter in Tukaram (1938). The Tukaram role was portrayed by Musiri Subramania Iyer in the Tamil version and by C. S. R. Anjaneyulu in the Telugu version. In 1940, she acted with S. Rajeswara Rao in Illalu, directed by Gudavalli Ramabrahmam.

In Bhagya Lakshmi (1943) of Sri Renuka Films of Chittor V. Nagaiah, she made history when she sang for Kamala Kotnis on screen. It was the first instance of playback singing in Telugu cinema. The song Thinne Meedha Sinnoda was composed by Bhimavarapu Narasimha Rao.

She gradually reduced her screen appearances. After some time, she resumed her career as a playback singer to sing many memorable songs in Telugu and Tamil. Although she has rendered songs in many genres and moods such as religious, romantic and dance, her strong point is sorrow and lullabies. The immortal song of neela vaNNa kaNNa vaada, nee oru muttham thaadaa in Mangaiyar Thilakam in Tamil and Dharaniki Giri Bharama, Giriki Tharuvu Bharama, Taruvuku Kaaya Bharama, Kanipenche Talliki Pilla Bharama in Manchi Manasuku Manchi Rojulu in Telugu languages is one of her best tunes.

She lived for some years in Mysore, and then shifted to Hyderabad. After her husband's death, she is now living with her son in her grandson's house in Secunderabad.

Music composers she sang for

She worked under G. Ramanathan, K. V. Mahadevan, C. R. Subburaman, S. V. Venkatraman, Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy, Bhimavarapu Narasimha Rao, R. Chinnaiah, S. Hanumantha Rao, S. Rajeswara Rao, P. Adinarayana Rao, G. Aswathama, Ogirala Ramachandra Rao, Balantrapu Rajanikanta Rao, Adepalli Rama Rao, C. N. Pandurangan, Chittor V. Nagaiah, T. V. Raju, Ghantasala, Naushad, L. Malleswara Rao, S. Dakshinamurthi, Vedha, M. Ranga Rao, Master Venu, R. Sudharsanam, Pamarti Krishna Murty, G. Govindarajulu Naidu and M. B. Sreenivasan.

Playback singers she sang with

She sang immemorable duets mostly with Ghantasala and A. M. Rajah. She also sang along with T. M. Soundararajan, T. A. Mothi, Seerkazhi Govindarajan, S. Rajam, M. S. Ramarao, Pithapuram Nageswara Rao and Subramanyam.

She also sang duets with female singers with A. P. Komala, M. S. Rajeswari, K. Rani, Jikki and P. S. Vaidehi.

Playback singer

1959 || Maa Inti Mahalakshmi|| Telugu || Chivurullo Chilukalaga|| G. Aswathama|| P. S. Vaidehi

Actress

1. Sati Anasuya (1936) Telugu
2. Bhakta Dhruva (1936) Telugu
3. Bhaktha Kuchela (1936) Tamil
4. Balayogini (1936) Tamil
5. Tukaram (1938) Telugu & Tamil
6. Thiruneelakantar (1939) Tamil
7. Illalu (1940) Telugu
8. Apavadu (1941) Telugu
9. Chandrahasa (1941) Telugu
10. Dhaasippen (1943) Tamil
11. Radhika (1947) Telugu
12. Bilhana (1948) Telugu & Tamil
13. Shantinivasam (1960) Telugu
14. Sabash Raja (1961) Telugu

• Ramineni Foundation Award was given to her in 2003.