Bhavana (Kannada actress)

Nandini Ramanna, better known by her stage name Bhavana , is an Indian actress who works predominantly in the Kannada film industry. A Bharatanatyam dancer, she has received three Karnataka State Film Awards and acted in Shanti, a film that entered the Guinness Book of Records. Bhavana Ramanna is the director of HomeTown Productions, a production house that conducts dance and music shows.

Career
Bhavana was born as Nandini Ramanna before her name was changed by Kodlu Ramakrishna.

Bhavana trained to be a classical dancer and initially had no intention of acting; "films just happened by chance." She learned Bharatanatyam for nearly ten years and aspired for a career as a stage choreographer. She was cast by Krishnappa Uppur in Maribele, a Tulu film, who "saw me at a wedding and was pleased with my looks." The film did not do well, but Bhavana was noticed by Kannada film producers. She was cast as heroine in Kodlu' Ramakrishna's romance-drama Nee Mudida Mallige and in Seetharam Karanth's musical hit Chandramukhi Pranasakhi starring Ramesh Aravind, and Prema. In Rashtrageethe directed by stalwart K. V. Raju she played a vampish role. Director Dinesh Babu offered her a leading role opposite Ramesh Aravind, in Deepavali, also starring Vishnuvardhan. She made a guest appearance in Vishnuvardhan's Parva. and Ninagagi.

Bhavana did Kavitha Lankesh’s Deveeri which got the Aravindan Puraskar award. Bhavana also acted in Kavita Lankesh's second film, Alemaari made for the National Film Development Corporation, which was previewed at many prestigious film festivals but unable to find a commercial release. Bhavana was the only star in Shanti, an off-beat Kannada film directed by noted writer, Baragur Ramachandrappa, that has earned the rare distinction of being the second Indian film to enter the Guinness Book of World Records. in the category `fewest actors in a narrative film'. It was adjudged the second best film for the State award. Bhavana was adjudged the "Best Actress" for her role in Bhagirathi. She was one of the top Kannada Actresses of 2010 per Rediff.

Bhavana moved to Mumbai for a few years and even did a Bollywood film, Family, that was headlined by Amitabh Bachchan.

Filmography

 * Note: all films are in Kannada, unless otherwise noted.

Television

 * Godrej Game Aadi
 * Life Change Maadi
 * Ramachaari

Politics
Bhavana campaigned for Congress candidates in the 2013 assembly elections in Davanagere among other constituencies. In 2012, she had campaigned for Jayaprakash Hegde of the Congress in Chikmagalur by-election to the Lok Sabha. In 2018 Bhavana Ramanna officially joined BJP