P V Narasimha Bharathi

Actor P V Narasimha Bharathi is known for Tamil language films such as Thirumbi Paar (1953), Kurukshetra (1945) and Pennkulathin Ponnvillakku (1959). He essayed key roles in multiple mythological films such as Abhimanyu (1948), Krishna Vijayam (1950), Sampoorna Ramayanam (1958), and Mahaveera Bheeman (1962). 

Born in Madurai on 24 March 1924, his career in cinema started in the 1940s, with films such as Kanjan (1947), Abhimanyu (1948), Krishna Vijayam (1950), Digambara Samiyar (1950), and Ponmudi (1950). 

The 1945 mythological film Kurukshetra, in which he played Lord Krishna, was directed by R Sharma with a cast that was included K L Saigal and Nawab Kashmiri. The hit Maappillai (transl. son-in-law), which he featured in, in 1952, was directed by T R Raghunath and written by V N Sambandam. The film revolved around an office boy who becomes wealthy in a rags-to-riches manner, and the attempts made by his boss's son to destroy him and usurp his wealth. The 1953 film Thirumbi Paar saw him essay a character named Pandian in the film which had Sivaji Ganesan playing a womaniser. He was also part of the cast of the B Vittalacharya directorial Penn Kulathin Pon Vilakku (transl. golden lamp of womanhood), which dealt with three ladies – Parvathi, a perfect wife and an epitome of womanhood, her sister-in-law Kala, a staunch believer in woman's liberation, and Kala's friend Lalitha, a divorcee, who has no qualms in living with anybody for a little wealth. Kodandam, a self-proclaimed bachelor comes to Kala's house to teach her music. He is forcibly married to her and is burdened with the task of ‘taming the shrew’. The rest of the film deals with the lessons the ladies learn through the experiences they undergo in life. 

His other key characters include Lakshmana in Sampoorna Ramayanam (1958), a medical doctor Kumar in Mappillai (1952), Lord Krishna in Abhimanyu (1948), and Krishna in Kurukshetra (1945). He also acted in films such as En Thangai (1952), Madana Mohini (1953), Muyarchi (1953), Gumastha (1953),  Pudhu Yugam (1954), Kudumba Vilakku (1956), Sampoorna Ramayanam (1958),    Naan Kanda Sorgam (1960), and Mahaveera Bheeman (1962). 

In Ponmudi (1950), directed by the American Tamil filmmaker Ellis R Dungan, his romantic scenes with Madhuri Devi reportedly shocked the conservative audiences of the times. 

He is also known to have recommended his friend T M Soundarajan to S M Subbaiah Naidu, who gave the budding singer his break in playback singing with the films Krishna Vijayam (1950) and Penn Kulathin Pon Villaku (1959).

P V Narasimha Bharathi passed away on 11 May 1978. He was 54.