Padmini (actress)

Padmini Ramachandran

Padmini in Payal (1957)
Born Padmini
(1932-06-12)June 12, 1932[1]
Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore
Died September 24, 2006(2006-09-24) (aged 74)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Other names Natiya Peroli, Pappima
Religion Hindu
Spouse(s) Ramachandran (m.1961)
Children Premanand (b.1963)
Parent(s) Gopala Pilla, Saraswathiyamma
Relatives Shobana (niece)
Ambika Sukumaran
Vineeth (nephew)
Sukumari (cousin)
Family Lalitha (elder sister)
Ragini (younger sister)
Chandra kumar (brother)
Naveen (grandson)

Padmini (12 June 1932 24 September 2006) was an Indian actress and trained Bharathanatyam dancer, who acted in over 250 Indian films.[1] She acted in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi language films. Padmini, with her elder sister Lalitha and her younger sister Ragini, were called the "Travancore sisters".[2]

Padmini was born and raised in Thiruvananthapuram in what was then the princely state of Travancore (now the Indian state of Kerala). She was the second daughter of SreeThankappan Pillai and Saraswathi Amma both comes from noble Nair families.[1] Her sisters, Lalitha and Ragini, were also well known film actresses. Together, the three were known as the Travancore sisters.[2] Padmini and her sisters learnt bharathanatyam from Thiruvidaimarudur Mahalingam Pillai. The trio were the disciples of Indian dancer Guru Gopinath. They learnt Kathakali and Kerala Natanam styles of dancing from him. N.S. Krishnan noticed her talents while she was presenting Parijatha Pushpapaharanam in Thiruvananthapuram. After that performance, he said that in the future she would become an actress. She was thus cast as heroine in his own production Manamagal. The Travancore Sisters grew up in a joint family tharavadu 'Malaya Cottage' in Poojappura, Trivandrum. The matriarchial head of the family was Karthiyayini Amma whose husband was PK Pillai (Palakunnathu Krishna Pillai of Cherthala) alias 'Penang Padmanabha Pillai'. PK Pillai had six sons of whom Satyapalan Nair (Baby) was a leading producer of many early Malayalam films. Another son, Raveendran Nair's daughter Latika Suresh, is a leading producer of Malayalam TV programs. They performed at the 1955 Filmfare Awards.

Career

At the age of 14, Padmini was cast as the dancer in the Hindi film Kalpana (1948), launching her career.[3] She acted in films for nearly 30 years.[4]

Padmini starred with several of the most well-known actors in Indian film, including Sivaji Ganesan, M. G. Ramachandran, N. T. Rama Rao, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Sathyan, Prem Nazir, Rajkumar, Gemini Ganesan and S. S. Rajendran. She appeared with Sivaji Ganesan in 59 films.

She acted mostly in Tamil films. Ezhai Padum Padu released in 1950 was her first film in Tamil.[1] Her association with Sivaji Ganesan started with Panam in 1952.[3] Some of her noted Tamil films include Thanga Padhumai, Anbu, Kaattu Roja, Thillana Mohanambal, Vietnam Veedu, Edhir Paradhathu, Mangayar Thilakam and Poove Poochudava. Some of her popular Malayalam films include Prasanna, Snehaseema, Vivaahitha, Adhyaapika, Kumara Sambhavam, Nokkethadhoorathu Kannum Nattu, Vasthuhara and Dolar.[2]

In two of her popular Bollywood films Mera Naam Joker and Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai — she was paired with Raj Kapoor. She did another film with Raj Kapoor AashiQ (1962). Her other Bollywood films include Payal (1957), Afsana (1966), Vaasna (1968), Chanda Aur Bijli (1969) and Babubhai Mistry's Mahabharat (1965).[1] In Mera Naam Joker she played very bold role of a girl who used to dress like a boy till accidentally her real sex is noticed by the hero of the film Raj Kapoor. The film had hot scenes involving Padmini.

Her most famous was Thillana Mohanambal, a Tamil film, where she plays a dancer competing against a musician to see whose skills are better.[2] She also acted in an Indian-Soviet film Journey Beyond Three Seas (Hindi version: Pardesi) based on the travelogues of Russian traveler Afanasy Nikitin (called A Journey Beyond the Three Seas, which is now considered a Russian literary monument), in which she plays the role of Lakshmi, a royal dancer.

Personal life

Both Padmini and Vyjayanthimala, trained classical dancers, vied with each other. They were at the height of their careers and there was professional rivalry between them! Interestingly, the real-life envy did creep into the reel-life dance drama which added its own sugar and spice to the impact of the sequence. [sic]

Randor Guy[5]

After her marriage to Ramachandran, a U.S.-based physician[2] in 1961,[1] she retired temporarily from films and focused on family life and refining her classical dance.[2] She settled in the United States[3] and in 1977 opened her classical dance school in New Jersey, the Padmini School of Fine Arts.[3] Today, her school is considered as one of the largest Indian classical dance institutions in America.

Actress Sukumari was the trio's maternal first cousin. Shobana, the famous dancer, is the niece of Padmini. Malayalam actress Ambika Sukumaran is her relative. Actors Vineeth and Krishna are relatives.

Padmini died of a heart attack at the Chennai Apollo Hospital on 24 September 2006. She was hospitalized on the previous day when she suffered the fatal heart attack during a meeting with the then Tamil Nadu CM M. Karunanidhi. She is survived by a son, who is settled in the United States.

Padmini was well known for her professional rivalry with actress Vyjayanthimala, the successful dancer-actress.[5] They performed a dance number in the Tamil film Vanjikottai Valiban; the well known song was "Kannum Kannum Kalanthu" which was sung by P. Leela and Jikki. In the song they were pitted against each other. Due to their professional rivalry the song has a cult following since the film was released; the popularity of the song surpasses the popularity of the film.[5]

Awards

Won
Nominations

Partial filmography

Tamil

Year Film Role Notes
1986 Lakshmi Vanthachu Rajeswari
1986 Aayiram Kannudayaal
1986 Thaikku Oru Thalattu
1985 Poove Poochudava Pungavanathama Sundari's grandmother
1978 Punniya Boomi
1976 Gurudhatchanai
1976 Aathi Parashakthi dubbed in Hindi as "Jai Jagat Janani"
1975 Oru Kudumbathin Kadhai
1974 Devi Shri Kaumariamman
1974 Appa Amma
1974 Thayi
1973 Dheiva Kuzhandhaigal
1972 Appa Tata
1971 Iru Thuruvam Kumari
1971 Annai Velankanni
1971 Rickshawkaran Parvathi
1971 Rathrivandi
1971 Kankatshi
1971 Kulama Gunama
1971 Thenum Paalum
1971 Aathi Parasakthi
1971 Thirumagal Kalyani
1970 Kumarasambhavam
1970 Raman Ethanai RamanadiGuest appearance
1970 Ethirkalam
1970 Penn Deivam Ponnamma
1970 Vietnam Veedu Savitri
1970 Vilaiyattu Pillai Maragatham
1969 Gurudhakshinai
1968 Thillana Mohanambal Mohanambal
1968 Thirumal Perumai Deva Devi
1968 Kuzhanthaikkaga Gowri Rmade in Hindi as Nanhin Farishta
1967 Engaluckum Kalam Varum
1967 Iru Malargal Uma
1967 Paladai
1967 Pesum Daivam
1967 Thiruvarutselvar
1966 Chitthi Meenakshi
1966 Saraswathi Sabatham Devi Maa Parvati 'Shakti'
1966 Thaaye Unakkaga
1964 Veeranganai
1963 Naan Vanangum Daivam
1963 Kattu Roja Ponni
1962 Raani Samyuktha Samyuktha
1962 Senthamarai
1962 Vikramaadhithan
1961 Sri Valli Valli
1961 Arasilangkumari Anbukarasi
1961 Punar Jenmam
1960 Deivapiravi
1960 Mannadhi Mannan Chithra
1960 Meenda Sorgam Nirmala
1960 Raja Desingu Ayisha
1960 Petra Manam
1960 Raja Bakthi
1959 Daivame Thunai
1959 Maragatham Maragatham/Alamu
1959 Ponnu Vilayum Bhoomi
1959 Thangapathumai
1959 Veerapandiya Kattabomman Vellaiyammal
1958 Vanjikottai Valiban Princess Padma
1958 Uthama PuthiranAmudhavalli
1958 Mangalya Baghyam
1958 Sampoorna Ramayanam
1957 Raja Rajan Princess Rama
1957 Puthaiyal
1957 Baagyavathi
1957 Malliga
1956 Madurai Veeran Velaiammai
1956 Amara DeepamRoopa
1956 Raja Rani
1956 Aasai (1956 film) Sundari
1956 Kannin Manigal
1956 Verum Pechalla
1955 Mangaiyar Thilakam Sulochana
1955 Kaveri
1955 Koteeswaran
1955 Kathanayaki
1954 Edhir Paradhathu Sumathi
1954 Illara Jyothi
1954 Kalyanam Panniyum Brammachari Padmini
1954 Sorgavasal Queen Kumara Devi
1954 Vaira Malai
1954 Thookku Thookki Malathy
1953 Marumagal Shantha
1953 Asai Magan
1953 Anbu
1953 Ponni
1952 Panam Jeeva
1952 Velaikkaran
1952 Kanchana
1952 Andhaman Kaidhi
1952 Amarakavi
1951 Manamagal
1951 Or Iravu
1951 Devagi
1951 Singari
1951 Vanasundari
1950 Ezhai Padum Padu
1950 Marudhanaattu Ilavarasi
1950 Ponmudi
1950 Idhaya Geetham
1950 Parijatham
1950 Dhigambara Swamiyar
1950 Manthiri Kumari
1950 Krishna Vijayam
1950 Vijaya Kumari
1949 Laila Majnu
1949 Kanniyin Kaadhali
1949 Mangaiyarkarasi
1949 Pavalakkodi
1949 Naattiya Rani
1949 Velaikaari
1949 Vinothini
1949 Maayaavathi
1949 VazhkaiDancer
1949 Deva Manohari
1948 Adhithan Kanavu
1948 Baktha Jana
1948 Bhojan
1948 Mohini
1948 Gokuladasi
1948 Vedhala Ulagam
1948 Geethagandhi
1948 Gnana Soundari
1947 Kannika

Hindi

Year Film Role Notes
1970 Mastana Gauri
1970 Aansoo Aur Muskan Mary
1970 Mera Naam Joker Meena/Meena Banu Bochali/Master Meenu
1969 Bhai Bahen Rani/Tara
1969 Madhavi Rajkumari Mangala V Singh
1969 Chanda Aur Bijli Bijli
1969 Nannha Farishta Gauri
1967 Aurat Parvati
1968 Vaasna
1966 Afsana
1965 Mahabharat Draupadi / Sairantri
1965 Kaajal Bhanu
1962 Aashiq
1961 Apsara
1960 Kalpana Kalpana
1960 Aai Phirse Bahar
1960 Singapore Lata
1960 Aai Phirse Bahar
1960 Bindya Bindya 'Bindu'
1960 Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai Kammo
1959 Amar Shaheed
1958 Raagini
1958 Amar Deep Roopa
1958 Mujrim
1958 Raj Tilak Princess Bathma
1958 Sitamgar
1957 Pardesi Lakshmi An Indian-Soviet film. Released in Russian as Journey Beyond Three Seas
1957 Payal Kamla
1957 Qaidi
1952 Mr Sampat Malini Devi
1948 Kalpana

Malayalam

Year Film Role Notes
1994 Dollar Ammachi
1991 Vasthuhara Bhavani
1984 Nokkethadhoorathu Kannum Nattu Kunjoonjamma Thomas
1979 Ezham Kadalinakkare Radha
1978 Anthonees Punyavaalan
1977 Velaankanni Mathavu
1971 Raathrivandi
1970 Sabarimala Sree Dharmashastha
1970 Vivaahitha Meena
1969 Sandhya
1969 Kumara Sambhavam Sathi, Parvathy double role
1968 Aparaadhini
1968 Adhyaapika Saramma
1966 Kanakachilanka
1964 Devaalayam
1961 Ummini Thanka Thanka
1961 Sabarimala Ayyappan Mohini/Mahavishnu
1959 Minnalppadayaali
1959 Chathurangam
1954 Snehaseema Omana
1953 Aashadeepam Jayanthi
1952 Kanjana Bhanumathi
1952 AmmaDancer
1951 Rakthabandham Lalitha
1950 Chandrika
1950 Prasanna

Telugu

Year Film Role Notes
1953 Oka Talli Pillalu
1953 Ammalakkalu
1952 Kanchana
1952 Dharmadevata Narthaki
1950 Beedala Patlu
1950 JeevithamDancer
1949 Laila Majnu

Russian

Year Film Role Notes
1957 Khozhdenie za tri moryaLakshmi

TV series

Year Title Role Notes
2002 American Dreams Parvathyamma Asianet Channel

Dramas

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Front Page : Queen of Tamil cinema no more". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 2006-09-26. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Friday Review Chennai : Beauty, charm, charisma". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 2006-09-29. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Entertainment / Interview : The tillana glitter is intact". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 2004-09-24. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. "Beauty, charm, charisma". Chennai, India: The Hindu. Sep 29, 2006.
  5. 1 2 3 Randor Guy (2011-03-26). "Vanjikottai Vaaliban 1958". The Hindu. Retrieved 2012-01-22.
  6. "Miscellaneous / This Day That Age: dated March 17, 2010: Afro-Asian film festival". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 2010-03-17. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  7. Sulochana Pattabhiraman (2001-02-04). "A role model". Chennai, India: The Hindu. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
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