Kamini Kaushal

Kamini Kaushal Biography

Kamini Kaushal is an actress of Bollywood who worked in leading roles during 40’s and 50’s. She won Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) at Cannes Film Festival for her performance in the movie – Neeche Nagar (1946).  It was her debut movie. She is a recipient of Filmfare best actress award too and she received it for Biraj bahu in 1955. Other noted films of her career are Shaheed (1948), Nadiya Ke Paar (1949), Shabnam (1949) and Arzoo (1950). She is a successful television actress also and is popular for Shanno Ki Shaadi on STAR Plus. It was rumoured that she had an affair with Dilip Kumar. But she has denied the matter. But Dilip Kumar in his biography has admitted his attraction to her and has revealed that Kamini was his first love. She was playing the lead lady role during 40’s and 50’s and from 60’s onwards she moved towards character roles and was equally successful too.

Kamini Kausal has worked as a theatre artist and radio artist before joining film industry. She was discovered by Chetan Anand as the lead for his film Neecha Nagar (1946). Then she got married and settled in Mumbai. She got more offers and she accepted them. In the next one decade she played leading role with almost all leading actors of the time including Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Ashok Kumar. She learnt bharat natyam too at this time from Sri Rajarajeswari Bharata Natya Kala Mandir, where Guru T. K. Mahalingam Pillai was one among her teachers.

During 1965 she moved to character roles playing Manoj Kumar’s mother’s role in Shaheed. She has worked with him in 7 films – Shaheed was the first and Dus Numbri was the last one. Yadgar, Roti kapda aur makan, Purab Aur Paschim and Shor can be included in this list.  She has published short stories for children in the children's magazine Paraag. 

Published: N/A

Updated: September 20, 2013