
Padmini
Acting
Biography
Padmini (12 June 1932 – 24 September 2006) was an Indian actress and trained Bharathanatyam dancer, who acted in over 250 Indian films. 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". 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 Sree Thankappan Pillai and Saraswathi Amma, both coming from noble Nair families. Her sisters Lalitha and Ragini, were also well known film actresses. Together, the three were known as the Travancore sisters. 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 P.K. Pillai (Palakunnathu Krishna Pillai of Cherthala) alias "Penang Padmanabha Pillai". P.K. Pillai had six sons, of whom Satyapalan Nair (Baby) was a leading producer of many early Malayalam films. They performed at the 1955 Filmfare Awards. Padmini was a leading actress and one of the highest paid actresses of the 50s, 60s and 70s. She is also known as one of the charming beauty queens of the 50s and 60s. She was given the title "Natya Peroli" in Tamil Nadu because of her excellent Bharatnatyam performances in Tamil films. Her Tamil movie Thillana Mohanambal, is a cult classic of Tamil cinema and continues to be remembered even today. Her beautiful performance in Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai was outstanding and made her a national star.
Known For

The atrocities of a landlord lead one brother to the life of a dacoit while the younger brother becomes a police officer. However, things take a turn when they are pitted against each other.
Iru Thuruvam

When a dancer makes a king realise the insignificance of the worldly pleasures, he decides to devote his life to the Almighty and starts reciting tales and songs of His greatness.
Thiruvarutchelvar

Raju faces many hurdles and disappointments in matters of the heart throughout his life. But as a clown in a circus, he tries to make his audience laugh at the cost of his own sorrows. Along the way, Raju loves and loses, but must always keep a smile on his face because, in the words of his circus manager, "The show must go on."
Mera Naam Joker

A rickshaw puller, who also enjoys racing with other rickshaw pullers, finds a child whose father has been killed. All his attempts to seek justice for the man are thwarted by a corrupt lawyer.
Rickshawkaran

The king of Mullai nadu appoints Veera Mohan as the General of the army. Raja guru, the head priest and Parthiban, his son are enraged by this decision. This turns Parthiban into a bandit.
Manthiri Kumari

After the East India Company forces Kattabomman, the king of Panchalankurichi, to pay taxes and be their subordinate, the latter decides to fight against them.
Veerapandiya Kattabomman

Sage Narada instigates Goddesses Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvathi against each other. The trio set out to answer what is paramount in a man's life, knowledge, wealth or strength.
Saraswathi Sabatham

Rangan is a servant at the house of Nagalingam, a rich and ruthless man. While he strives to fight against his employer's misdeeds, the latter's sister falls in love with him.
Uzhaikkum Karangal

Raju informs the police about a group of bandits, even though he is in love with the chief's daughter. The police set out to kill the clan and it is upto him to save the bandits and his love.
Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai

Kunjoonjamma Thomas is a widow living in the village all by herself. People always make fun of her because she is grumpy and depressed due to the deaths of her husband and her only child. Children irritate her by ringing her door bell and running away. One day, her granddaughter Girly, who she had never met, visits her. Initially, Kunjoonjamma does not like Girly, but they soon become close to each other.
Nokkethadhoorathu Kannum Nattu

The movie depicts the life of Malayali families settled in the US. It discusses the clash of the cultures.
Dollar

Time is running out for Khushbu, Ravi Sharma(Sunil Dutt)'s daughter. Her leukemia can be cured only if someone's bone marrow matches her daughter so, he goes abroad and gets in touch with her former wife (Smita Patil).
Dard Ka Rishta

Vasthuhara (Malayalam: വാസ്തുഹാര English: The Dispossessed) is a Malayalam social film by the late G. Aravindan which looks into the lives of partition refugees from East Bengal to West Bengal.
Vasthuhara

A father does not hold a very good opinion about his son, Kannan, who works at his factory. Things take a turn for the worse when Pakkiri creates misunderstanding between the father and son duo.
Thaaiku Oru Thaalaattu
Velayudhan, a mentally retarded person, lives along with his family. He shares everything with Lakshmi, his cousin. He struggles as Lakshmi leaves him and marries and old widower.
Iruttinte Athmavu

No description available.
Iru Malargal

When his employee disappears in Singapore, Shyam travels from India to investigate the absence and becomes entangled in a deadly plot.
Singapore

A classical bharatanatyam dancer and a nathaswaram player fall in love against the wishes of her family.
Thillana Mohanambal

A poor and lonely woman strikes up a friendship with a rich but neglected child, but her parents refuse to let their child see her - until she falls gravely ill.
Mastana

Meena marries her brother-in-law after her sister dies, even though she is in love with Rajendran. Years later, she meets Rajendran and is forced to confront her past.