Kamini Kaushal

Some Lesser Known Facts About Kamini Kaushal

• Kamini Kaushal (1927-2025) was a veteran Indian actress and film producer. She gained immense popularity after appearing in the Hindi films ‘Neecha Nagar’ (1946) and ‘Biraj Bahu’ (1955).

• When she was 7 years old, she acted in the Hindi film ‘The Tragedy,’ directed by her brother. She worked in the radio play ‘Uma’ in Lahore at the age of 9.

• In an interview, Kamini shared that in her teens, she used to participate in various sports like swimming, cycling, horse riding, and skating. She said that she was so busy learning new activities that she never had time to date someone in her teens.

• During her school and college days, she used to perform in theatre plays and other extracurricular activities. However, she never thought of making a career in acting. While she was studying in college, she got a chance to perform in a college play where her favourite actor, Ashok Kumar, was invited as the chief guest. In an interview, she talked about it and said,
  

  We were to perform for the war relief fund in college. Ashok Kumar and Leela Chitins were the chief guests. After the show we went to meet him. I thought of having some fun. As he stood talking to the students, I pulled his hair from behind.”

• She worked in a radio play for Akashwani during her college days. Once, the Indian filmmaker Chetan Anand heard her show on the radio and decided to cast her in his film ‘Neecha Nagar’ (1946).

• She then appeared in various Hindi films like ‘Nadiya Ke Paar’ (1948), ‘Ziddi’ (1948), ‘Bade Sarkar’ (1957), ‘Jailor’ (1958), ‘Night Club’ (1958), and ‘Godaan’ (1963).

  

• On 7 March 1952, she became the first Indian actress to be featured on the cover of Filmfare magazine. ^[5]YouTube – Shemaroo

  

• She owned a film production company named Gudia Ghar Productions. She worked as a producer in the 1953 Hindi film ‘Chalis Baba Ek Chor.’

• After the demise of her elder sister Usha, she got married to her sister’s widower Braham S Sood. She lived with him in a manor-type house, “Gateside” in Mazagaon, which was allotted to her husband by the Bombay Port Trust.

• After working with the Indian actor Dilip Kumar in his debut film, she became a good friend of Dilip and soon, the rumours of their affair started. However, Kamini’s brother was against their relationship as Kamini was a married woman, and her brother did not approve of an extramarital affair. Reportedly, Kamini’s brother shot himself as he was upset with Kamini and Dilip’s affair. After the shocking incident, Kamini and Dilip decided to end their relationship. ^[6]The Times of India In an interview, when Dilip was asked about his affair with Kamini, he said,
  

  She (Kamini) was the only one with whom I achieved total identification. I think everybody falls in love only once. ‘Again’ – if there is an ‘again’ – is merely an imitation of the brilliant flame, the blinding light, the days of trance, the nights of impatience and waiting, and days of such happiness that one cannot believe they will last.”

• Kamini, along with the Indian actor Manoj Kumar, worked in around eight films such as ‘Upkar’ (1967), ‘Purab Aur Paschim’ (1970), ‘Roti Kapda Aur Makaan’ (1974), ‘Sanyasi’ (1975), and ‘Santosh’ (1989).

  

• She was paired opposite the Indian actor Rajesh Khanna in three Hindi films, i.e. ‘Do Raaste’ (1969), ‘Prem Nagar’ (1974), and ‘Maha Chor’ (1976).

  

• In 1977, she did playback singing in the Hindi film ‘Gyaniji.’

• She appeared in the British TV serial ‘The Jewel in the Crown’ (1984), which aired on the BBC. She played the role of Aunt Shalini in the serial.

  

• She worked as a producer in the Hindi animation film ‘Meri Pari’ in 1986.

• She did a puppet TV show named ‘Chand Sitare’ for Doordarshan in 1989.

  

• She appeared in a few Hindi TV serials such as ‘Waqt Ki Raftar’ (1999; DD National) and ‘Shanno Ki Shaadi’ (2005; Star Plus).

  

• She was also a story writer and worked for the children’s magazine ‘Paraag.’ For the magazine, she wrote stories on characters like Bunty, Chotabhai, and Motabhai, which were loosely based on her son and his cousins.

• Kamini appeared in print advertisements for a few brands like Lux Soap and Surf.

  

• She did her training in Bharatanatyam dance form under her guru K. Mahalingam Pillai at Mumbai’s Sri Rajarajeswari Bharatha Natya Kala Mandir.

• In an interview, she shared that her name, Kamini, was given to her by the Indian film director Chetan Anand. ^[7]Filmfare She said,
  

  Chetan’s wife Uma Anand was also part of the film. My name also being Uma, he wanted a different name for me. I asked him to give me a name beginning with ‘K’ to match with the names of my daughters Kumkum and Kavita.”

• She was one of the few Indian actresses to organise events in the presence of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

  

• Kamini was the first Indian lead actress for whom the Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar did playback singing in the Hindi film ‘Ziddi’ (1948). ^[8]Rediff

  

• Kamini worked as a supporting actor in popular Hindi films like ‘Chennai Express’ (2013) and ‘Kabir Singh’ (2019).

  

• Her trademark style was putting a flower in her hair.

  

• Kamini once shared that she never smoked cigarettes or consumed alcohol. ^[9]Filmfare

• Since her younger days, she had kept various animals as pets. She once had a monkey, a goat, 50 rabbits, a squirrel, and a few pet dogs. She also had a pet cat named Minnie Mow.

  

• In an interview, her son shared that in her younger days, she used to do all the household work on her own, including mopping the floor.

• Kamini Kaushal passed away due to age-related ailments at her home in Mumbai on 14 November 2025.