Padmini Ramachandran (12 June 1932 – 24 September 2006) was an Indian Film Actress, Dancer & Television Actress who known for her work in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi films. She appeared in more than 250 Indian films.
Early Life & Career
Padmini Ramachandran was born on 12 June 1932, in Kerala, India.
In 1950, she played her first ‘character role’ in the Tamil film Ezhai Padum Paadu, which had a Telugu version. Soon, Padmini was acting in all four languages of South Indian cinema, and she was comfortable speaking all four.
She appeared for the first time in the 1952 Tamil movie Panam opposite Sivaji Ganesan. The two acted in dozens of films together and became a popular pair in Tamil cinema. Also, she’s been paired with stars like M.G. Ramachandran, Gemini Ganesan, N.T. Rama Rao and S.S. Rajendran.
With Raj Kapoor, she did films like Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai.
She played a dancer who was pitted against a musician in Thillaanaa Mohanambal, one of her hit films with Sivaji Ganesan. Her Tamil films include Meenda Sorkam, Theiva Peravi, Thooku Thooki, Madhurai Veeran, Rajarajan, Punarjanmam, Amara Deepam, Chitti, Pesum Deivam, Thillana Moganambal and Vietnam Veedu, and the most popular Malayalam films of hers are Snehaseema, Adhyapika, Kumara Sambhavam, and Vashthuhara.
In 2002, she starred in the TV series “American Dreams” as Parvathyamma.
Her other Hindi films included Payal, Mastana, Aansoo Aur Muskaan, Bhai Bahen, Madhavi, Chanda Aur Bijli, Nanha Farishta, Aurat, Vaasna, Afsana, Mahabharat, Kaajal, Aashiq, Apsara, Aai Phir Se Bahar, Singapore, Bindya, and much more.
In 1977, she opened a classical dance school in the basement of her house. It soon expanded, with five centers in New Jersey and New York. Padmini School of Fine Arts was among the first Indian classical dance schools in America.
Awards
In 1960, she won a Certificate of Merit at the Afro-Asian film festival for the movie “Veerapandiya Kattabomman”.
In 1957, she won Best Classical Dancer at the Moscow Youth Festival and the Kalaimamani award from the Tamil Nadu government.
She’s also received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for South, the Filmfare Best Actress Award for Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behta Hai.
Death
She died on 24 September 2006, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.