Potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema

The prefix ‘Natyaperoli’ will bring to one’s mind actor (actress) Padmini, the queen of the celluloid world of yesteryears. All the reigning heroes of the industry belonging to not only Tamil but also Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi cinemas had vied with each other to co-star with Padmini. It is really a matter of great disappointment that the Government of India failed to honor this veteran artiste for her unforgettable work spanning decades.

I couldn’t get an opportunity to interview this great artiste when she was at the peak of her career. But I was able to meet her more often at her Dr. Radhakrishnan Road residence at Mylapore whenever she came to India from America where she settled with her son after the demise of her husband. During these meetings, many interesting things happened and I would like to share some of them with you here. “We were a big royal family in Thiruvananthapuram. Lalitha was the eldest. Next is me and then Shoba’s father. Ragini was the youngest. We were addressed as ‘Travancore sisters’. All the three of us have very good training in bharatham. My father’s elder brother had six sons, no daughters. He adopted me as his daughter. When I was just five, I acted as Sita in Ramayanan staged in my school. Actor Sukumari is my uncle’s daughter. I got an opportunity for dancing in the Hindi film Kalpana. I wanted to become a doctor but I became an actor. But I got a doctor husband with the grace of God. My wedding was held at the sannidhi at the Guruvayur temple in the year 1961. When my son was 19 years, my husband died. I started a dance school in New Jersey in America to keep myself engaged