Rise to fame
Jenu Goodu, Jayanthi's first Kannada film was commercial success. Her next Kannada film as heroine was T. V. Singh Thakur's Chandavalliya Thota, the first film that paired her with Rajkumar. Based on T. R. Subba Rao's novel the film was a huge success and even won the President's Medal for Best Film in Kannada. The next major film that Jayanthi starred in was the 1965 Miss Leelavathi directed by M. R. Vittal in which she played the title role. Considered a film with a bold theme at the time, Jayanthi was launched as the glamour-diva wearing skirts, T-shirts and nighties which was a first for a Kannada film. The film was a huge success and catapulted Jayanthi to fame. She is credited with being the first Kannada actress to wear swimsuit on screen. The film won Jayanthi the President's award. Jayanthi recalled the occasion in one of her interviews that Indira Gandhi (then Ministry of Information and Broadcasting), after giving the award, gave her a kiss and wished her good luck. She went on to act in over 30 films with Rajkumar.
Jayanthi featured in Tamil films from 1962 to 1979 and acted with all major stars as the leading lady. She costarred with M. G. Ramachandran in Padagotti and Mugaraasi, with Gemini Ganesan in Kanna Nalama, Velli Vizha, Punnagai, Ganga Gowri and Iru Kodugal, with Jaishankar in Nil Gavani Kadhali and Kaadhal Paduthum Paadu and Ethir Neechal with Nagesh. She was director K. Balachander's regular actress and they went on to work in films such as Iru Kodugal, Bama Vijayam, Ethir Neechal, Punnagai, Velli Vizha and Kanna Nalama. She acted with Jayalalithaa and Manorama in Mugaraasi. The song Aadhi Naadan Ketkindraan picturised on her sung by TMS-Janaki was very popular.
During the late 1970s and the 1980s Jayanthi starred in many Kannada movies that required a slightly mature actress, often paired with Srinivasa Murthy and Prabhakar.
