Balachander's black-and-white film Anthuleni Katha (1976) showcased her dramatic skills K. She became a huge star in 1976 with major hit films. Major filmmakers offered her starring roles in quality films, and she accepted them. She was paid only 10 rupees for her work in the film, but the rushes of those three minutes of film were shown to the major figures of the Telugu film industry. She was hesitant, but her family encouraged her to accept it. A film director in the audience offered her a three-minute dance number in the Telugu film Bhoomi Kosam. When Jaya Prada was a teenager, she performed a dance at her school's annual function. Jayaprada with actress Raadhika at 62nd Filmfare Awards South. She has been considered by many as the most beautiful face to grace Indian cinema, courtesy the reticent cinematic maestro Satyajit Ray who called her "the most beautiful face on the Indian screen". She has also been awarded Filmfare Special Award for her performance in Siri Siri Muvva & Anthuleni Katha (1976). She won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu for her performance in Sagara Sangamam. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) from Rampur from 2004 to 2014.
She left the film industry at the peak of her career, as she joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1994 and entered politics. Jaya Prada is the recipient of three Filmfare Awards South and has starred in many Telugu and Hindi films along with several Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali and Marathi films. She is hailed as one of the most iconic, influential and highest paid actresses in both Telugu and Hindi film industries in late 70s, 80s and early 90s. Jaya Prada (born Lalita Rani 3 April 1962) is an Indian actress and politician.