Kamini Kaushal
Encyclopedia
Kamini Kaushal is a Hindi
film and television actress, most noted for her roles in films like Neecha Nagar
(1946) which won the 1946 Palme d'Or
(Golden Palm) at Cannes Film Festival
and Biraj Bahu
(1955) which won her the Filmfare Best Actress Award
in 1955.
. She did her B.A. (honours) in English literature from Kinnaird College
in Lahore
, British India
now Pakistan
. Her sister died leaving behind very young children and Uma married (or was made to marry) her sister’s husband. Her husband, Sood, was an officer in the Bombay Port Trust.
. This movie was done before her marriage and released in 1946.
After Neecha Nagar she returned to Lahore and after marriage settled in Bombay. Soon offers started coming in and in the coming decades Kamini Kaushal worked with all the top leading men of her time such as Ashok Kumar
, Raj Kapoor
and Dilip Kumar
(
Shaheed
(1948), Nadiya Ke Paar (1949), Shabnam (1949) and Arzoo (1950). She learnt Bharatnatyam at Mumbai's Sri Rajarajeswari Bharata Natya Kala Mandir, where Guru T. K. Mahalingam Pillai, doyen among nattuvanars taught.
In 1965 she moved to playing character roles with a film called Shaheed
. As a character artist she was a fixture in seven Manoj Kumar
films right up to Dus Numbari in 1976. She has had a long stint in films with releases until 2003. She made the transition to character roles very easily and has excelled in them ever since.
Dilip Kumar in his biography has admitted his attraction to her. He said that she was his first love. There were rumors of an affair between them. But there is no source giving her side of the story or of her acknowledgement of the same.
She stepped into writing children’s stories. Her stories used to be published in the children's magazine Paraag and she dabbled in television doing serials like Chand Sitare on Doordarshan
, and in 1986, she made an animation film Meri Pari.
At present she works in the highly popular serial, Shanno Ki Shaadi on STAR Plus
. She plays the role of Bebe, the grandmother of Shanno, the main protagonist played by Divya Dutta
.
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
film and television actress, most noted for her roles in films like Neecha Nagar
Neecha Nagar
Neecha Nagar is a 1946 Hindi film directed by Chetan Anand. Written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, this film was a pioneering effort in social realism in Indian cinema, and paved the way for many such 'Parallel Cinema' films by other directors and many of them written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas...
(1946) which won the 1946 Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
(Golden Palm) at Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
and Biraj Bahu
Biraj Bahu
Biraj Bahu is a 1955 Hindi film produced by Hiten Choudhury and directed by Bimal Roy, and based on a novel by Saratchandra Chatterjee. The film stars Kamini Kaushal, Abhi Bhattacharya and Pran. The films music is by Salil Choudhury-Plot:...
(1955) which won her the Filmfare Best Actress Award
Filmfare Best Actress Award
The Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954.-Superlatives:...
in 1955.
Early life
Kaushal was born to a botanist and professor at Govovernment College Lahore, now GC University, PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. She did her B.A. (honours) in English literature from Kinnaird College
Kinnaird College
Kinnaird College for Women is a college in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is partially semi- government institute recognized by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.-Early history:...
in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, British India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
now Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Her sister died leaving behind very young children and Uma married (or was made to marry) her sister’s husband. Her husband, Sood, was an officer in the Bombay Port Trust.
Career
There is also a mention of her having been a stage actress in Delhi. She worked as a radio artist before she was discovered by Chetan Anand as the lead for his film Neecha NagarNeecha Nagar
Neecha Nagar is a 1946 Hindi film directed by Chetan Anand. Written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, this film was a pioneering effort in social realism in Indian cinema, and paved the way for many such 'Parallel Cinema' films by other directors and many of them written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas...
. This movie was done before her marriage and released in 1946.
After Neecha Nagar she returned to Lahore and after marriage settled in Bombay. Soon offers started coming in and in the coming decades Kamini Kaushal worked with all the top leading men of her time such as Ashok Kumar
Ashok Kumar
Ashok Kumar also fondly called Dadamoni was an Indian film actor. Born Kumudlal Ganguly in Bhagalpur, Bengal Presidency he attained iconic status in Indian cinema...
, Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor
Known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor Rāj Kapūr, 14 December 1924 – 2 June 1988), also known as The Show-Man, was an Indian film actor, producer and director of Hindi cinema. He was the winner of nine Filmfare Awards, while his films Awaara and Boot Polish were nominated for the Palme d'Or at the...
and Dilip Kumar
Dilip Kumar
Dilip Kumar , is an Indian actor and a former Member of Parliament.He lives in Pali Hill, Bandra in Mumbai, India. He is commonly known as "Tragedy King",and is described as "the ultimate method actor" by Satyajit Ray....
(
Shaheed
Shaheed (1948 film)
Shaheed is a 1948 Hindi film directed by Ramesh Saigal. It starred Dilip Kumar, Kamini Kaushal, Chandra Mohan and Leela Chitnis. The film depicts India's struggle for independence. It had lyrics by Qamar Jalalabadi and music by the great Ghulam Haider...
(1948), Nadiya Ke Paar (1949), Shabnam (1949) and Arzoo (1950). She learnt Bharatnatyam at Mumbai's Sri Rajarajeswari Bharata Natya Kala Mandir, where Guru T. K. Mahalingam Pillai, doyen among nattuvanars taught.
In 1965 she moved to playing character roles with a film called Shaheed
Shaheed (1965 film)
Shaheed is a 1965 Hindi movie based on Bhagat Singh's life. Produced by Kewal Kashyap and directed by S Ram Sharma the film stars Manoj Kumar , Kamini Kaushal, Pran, Iftekhar, Nirupa Roy, Prem Chopra, Madan Puri, Asit Sen, Indrani Mukherjee and Anwar Hussain...
. As a character artist she was a fixture in seven Manoj Kumar
Manoj Kumar
Manoj Kumar is an award-winning Indian actor and director in the Bollywood film industry. He is known for acting in and directing films with patriotic themes, and has been given the nickname "Mr Bharat"...
films right up to Dus Numbari in 1976. She has had a long stint in films with releases until 2003. She made the transition to character roles very easily and has excelled in them ever since.
Dilip Kumar in his biography has admitted his attraction to her. He said that she was his first love. There were rumors of an affair between them. But there is no source giving her side of the story or of her acknowledgement of the same.
She stepped into writing children’s stories. Her stories used to be published in the children's magazine Paraag and she dabbled in television doing serials like Chand Sitare on Doordarshan
DoorDarshan
Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
, and in 1986, she made an animation film Meri Pari.
At present she works in the highly popular serial, Shanno Ki Shaadi on STAR Plus
STAR Plus
STAR Plus is a Hindi language general entertainment television channel based in India. The channel is part of the STAR TV network's bouquet of channels...
. She plays the role of Bebe, the grandmother of Shanno, the main protagonist played by Divya Dutta
Divya Dutta
Divya Dutta is an Indian actress from Ludhiana, Punjab, India who appears in Hindi and Punjabi films.- Career :She did her schooling from Sacred Heart Convent, Ludhiana...
.