Veteran Bollywood actress Kamini Kaushal, one of the most respected and loved figures of Hindi cinema, has passed away at the age of 98. Her demise marks the end of a remarkable era in Indian films, where she shone as a symbol of talent and grace.Journalist Vickey Lalwani confirmed this news on his Instagram account. A source close to her family said, “Kamini Kaushal’s family is extremely low profile, and needs privacy.”
Kamini Kaushal made her debut with ‘Neecha Nagar’
Kamini Kaushal was born on February 24, 1927 and made her Bollywood debut in 1946 with the film ‘Neecha Nagar’. The movie went on to win the Best Film Award at the first Cannes Film Festival and remains the only Indian film to win the Palme d’Or. She also received the Montreal Film Festival Award for her performance, establishing herself as a talented newcomer right from the start.
Kamini Kaushal’s evergreen journey in Hindi cinema
Kamini Kaushal’s career lasted over seven decades. She began in black-and-white films and worked with some of Bollywood’s biggest stars, including Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor. Known for being soft-spoken, elegant, and brilliant, she was regarded as one of the finest actresses of her time.Reflecting on her work in a past chat with IANS, Kaushal said, “I never felt overwhelmed by watching myself on-screen. I always looked at my performances critically. When I look at any of my films, I ask myself if I managed to convey what I wanted to express through my performance? Am I looking convincing in the role?”Kaushal added, “Also for me, my director is the first audience, so I have to be in sync with my director because, in the end, I am executing his vision, right? There are many times when I did not do the rehearsals with Bimal (Roy) da, but read the script, worked on that scene internally, and told Bimal da that ‘Let’s take the shot’ and it came out right.”
Kamini Kaushal’s filmography
Kamini Kaushal delivered some of her best performances in films such as ‘Do Bhai’ (1947), ‘Shaheed’ (1948), ‘Nadiya Ke Paar’ (1948), ‘Ziddi’ (1948), ‘Shabnam’ (1949), ‘Paras’ (1949), ‘Namoona’ (1949), ‘Arzoo’ (1950), ‘Jhanjar’ (1953), ‘Aabroo’ (1956), ‘Bade Sarkar’ (1957), ‘Jailor’ (1958), ‘Night Club’ (1958), and ‘Godaan’ (1963). From 1963 onwards, she transitioned to character roles and continued to impress audiences, with her performance in ‘Shaheed’ (1965) earning critical praise. She was also seen in popular films like ‘Do Raaste’ (1969), ‘Prem Nagar’ (1974), ‘Maha Chor’ (1976), and ‘Anhonee’ (1973).Even in recent years, Kamini Kaushal remained active in cinema, appearing in ‘Kabir Singh’ (2019) and ‘Lal Singh Chaddha’ (2022).As one of Hindi cinema’s earliest stars, she leaves behind a legacy of unforgettable performances and a shining example of grace on and off the screen.
