
Acting
Padmini
Born 1932-06-12 · Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore, British India
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.
Acting credits
A small time criminal turns over a new leaf with the help of a bishop and starts leading a new life with a changed identity. When Inspector Javert finds out about this, he tries to expose him.
Ezhai Padum Paadu
1950
A conspiring uncle separates the twin sons of his sister, the queen. One becomes his uncle's pawn while the other grows to be a brave and honest man, who inadvertently learns of his true parentage.
Uthama Puthiran
1958
NRA Tamil version of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein.
Naan Vanangum Deivam
1963
NREthirpaaraathathu narrates the story of star-crossed lovers Sundar (Sivaji Ganesan) and Sumathi (Padmini) in whose house Sundar, a college student, lodges. Both dream of a happy, married life, but that is not to be. Sundar is involved in an air crash and is believed to be dead. However, he survives the crash and loses his eyesight. Unwilling to face his father (Nagaiah), he tries to lead a life on his own. Destiny takes over their lives and the widowed father marries Sumathi and on the wedding night, the husband realises that his son and bride are sweethearts. Broken-hearted, he leaves home and wanders around visiting temples and holy places.
Edhir Paradhathu
1954
NRWhen Sattanathan, a corrupt lawyer, forces Vadivambal to marry his brother, a Chokkalingam Pillai arrives to rescue her and expose Sattanathan's activities.
Thigambara Samiar
1950
7.0A thief breaks into a wealthy man's house unaware that the man is his father, who had abandoned his mother and him a long time ago.
Or Iravu
1951
10.0The 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
1950
7.0One day, a landlord belonging to a rich family gets murdered and the crime is imposed on Anandar, his innocent brother, and his lovely wife Karpagavalli.
Maragatham
1959
8.3Madhavan marries Thangam. He takes care of Thangam’s mother and brother along with his younger brother. Meanwhile, Madhavan gives shelter to his father’s mistress and her daughter. The evil ladies allege Thangam for loose morals. The rest of the story is how they come into good terms.
Deiva Piravi
1960
8.0Kunjoonjamma 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
1984
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
1967
NRPanam (English: Money) is a 1952 Indian Tamil-language film, directed by N. S. Krishnan. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Padmini, N. S. Krishnan and T. A. Mathuram in lead roles. The film had musical score by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy
Panam
1952
7.5When 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
1967
NRAmarakavi (English: Immortal Poet) is a 1952 Indian Tamil language film produced and directed by F. Nagoor. The film featured M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and T. R. Rajakumari in the lead roles.
Amarakavi
1952
NRChandru (Sivaji Ganesan) has a sister (Rajam) who is married to a handsome Ravi (Balaji). But her in-laws insist on a diamond necklace, without which she cannot join her husband. So, Chandru steals a diamond necklace with a locket and then his sister joins her husband. He and his mother (Shanthakumari) move to Madras where he finds a job in a company owned by a wealthy man (Ranga Rao). He falls in love with his daughter (Saroja Devi). One day, the necklace falls down and the locket opens, revealing a photograph of a young man. The husband and the others at home want to know who the person is. She says she has never seen him. But suspecting the worst, she is sent back to her parental home.
Vidivelli
1960
No synopsis available yet.
Raja Desingu
1960
Goddess Parvati always help the devotees overcome adversities.
Aayiram Kannudayaal
1986
9.0Meena 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.
Vivahitha
1970
No synopsis available yet.
Rajarajan
1957
No synopsis available yet.
Mohini
1948
8.0The movie depicts the life of Malayali families settled in the US. It discusses the clash of the cultures.
Dollar
1993
7.3Raju 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
1970
6.2A 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
1971
No synopsis available yet.
Arasilangumari
1960