She is Beauty, She is Grace

One of the pillars of the Travancore Sisters was born today in 1932. An all-rounder performer who bedazzled everyone with her talent and beauty, Padmini was nothing less than a rare gem.

The brightest star of the night sky- Padmini; Source: Cinestaan

From the 1940s to the 60s, a trio of sisters ruled the various regional film industries and the hearts of many. These were the Travancore sisters- Lalitha, Padmini and Ragini- accomplished actresses and brilliant Bharatnatyam dancers.

At the middle of this talented trio was Padmini, who was born on 12 July 1932. Along with her sisters, she started her training at a very young age. Bharatanatyam was their forte, which they learned from Thiruvidaimarudur Mahalingam Pillai. Apart from that, they also held mastery in Kathakali. Their Guru was the legendary Guru Gopinath.

Padmini was a dancer to her core and naturally, her first break came along in it. She debuted as a dancer in the Hindi movie Kalpna, initiating a successful career lasting 3 decades. Everyone from the director to the audience was mesmerised by her precision, skill and grace. Soon, acting assignments flocked around here.

Once she entered the world of cinema, there was no looking back. Throughout her life, Padmini acted alongside the biggest names on the silver screen including  M. G. Ramachandran, N. T. Rama Rao, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Sathyan, Prem Nazir and Rajkumar.

Be it Hindi or Tamil or Kannada, she had a huge fan following everywhere. Padmini was a phenomenon. Her movies ruled at the box office and many ran to cinema halls to catch a glimpse of her beautiful dance and acting.

It was the charm of her moves that earned her the title of Natiya Peroli in Tamil Nadu.

With movies like Thanga Padhumai, Anbu, Kaattu Roja, Thillana Mohanambal, Prasanna, Snehaseema, Vivaahitha, Adhyapika, Mera Naam Joker and Amardeep, Padmini became one of the biggest names of her times.

Her performance in the movie Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai turned her into a national sweetheart. She also featured in French and Russian movies.

Padmini’s name was being counted as one of the finest performers of the country. The only rival actress to her supremacy was Vyjayanthimala. Both these actresses pitted against each other in the song Kannum Kannum Kalanthu, and it gained more popularity than the film itself.

While she was working as an artist in times where women stepping out of the house was a big deal, she was a traditionalist in many ways. When Padmini got married to Ramachandran, she took her leave from the film industry and devoted herself to fulfilling the role of an ideal wife.

The couple shifted to the States and were blessed with a baby boy. After sixteen long years of marriage, she rekindled her passion for classical dance and opened the Padmini School of Fine Arts. When Padmini returned back to India, she began her stint in television shows.

By this time, illness was gripping her. On 24 September 2006, she succumbed to a heart attack. With the demise of this talented award-winning performer, an era of cinema came to an end. Even today, Padmini finds a special place in the hearts of many. Whoever watches her work cannot help but hold her in awe.