Bollywood has lost one of its most cherished stars. Veteran actress Kamini Kaushal, India’s oldest living actress, passed away at her home in Mumbai at the age of 98. She is survived by her three sons, Shravan, Vidur, and Rahul.Family friend Sajan Narain confirmed her demise to PTI, saying, “She died at her Mumbai home late on Thursday night. She would have turned 99 in February.” Her passing leaves a void in Indian cinema, which she graced for over seven decades.
Kamini Kaushal was born in Lahore
As reported by Financial Express, Kamini Kaushal was born Uma Kashyap on 24 February 1927 in Lahore (then part of India), the youngest of five siblings. With a BA in English, she was among the very few actresses of her time to hold a college degree. Her education added to the charm and intelligence she brought to her performances on screen.
Kamini Kaushal made her debut with a Cannes-winning film
Kaushal made her film debut with ‘Neecha Nagar’, a landmark movie that won the Palme d’Or at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival. This early success marked the start of a prolific career in Hindi cinema, where she played lead roles in over 100 films, as reported by IMDb.
Kamini Kaushal’s memorable roles
Over her career, Kamini Kaushal delivered unforgettable performances in films such as ‘Shaheed’, ‘Nadiya Ke Paar’, ‘Shabnam’, ‘Arzoo’, and ‘Biraj Bahu’. Her extensive body of work also included notable titles like ‘Do Bhai’, ‘Ziddi’, ‘Paras’, ‘Namoona’, ‘Jhanjar’, ‘Aabroo’, ‘Bade Sarkar’, ‘Jailor’, ‘Night Club’, and ‘Godaan’. From romantic leads to drama-filled roles, Kamini’s performances were diverse and compelling, establishing her as a towering presence in Indian cinema and winning the hearts of audiences across generations.
Kamini Kaushal had worked with some of Bollywood’s biggest stars
Kamini shared screen space with some of Bollywood’s greatest stars, including Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, and Ashok Kumar. Her pairing with Dilip Kumar in films like ‘Nadiya Ke Paar’, ‘Shaheed’, ‘Shabnam’, and ‘Arzoo’ earned widespread admiration.The late actress had also acted alongside Manoj Kumar and continued her association with cinema in later years as well, working with stars such as Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, and Shahid Kapoor. She appeared in Shahid Kapoor’s grandmother role in ‘Kabir Singh’ (2019) and was last seen in Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor’s ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ (2022). Beyond films, Kamini made her mark on television, most notably in the Doordarshan show ‘Chand Sitare’.
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