Kamini Kadam (3 August 1933 – 19 June 2000), popularly known as Kamini Kadam, is an Indian actress who acted in several Marathi, Kannada and Hindi films in the 1950s and 1960s.
Early life Kamini Kadam was born on 3 August 1933 as Manik Mudaliar in Belagavi, Karnataka, was the sister-in-law of cinematographer V. Avadhoot. At the age of seven, she relocated to Bombay to live with her sister for her formal education. She attended the Orient High School and G.E.I. Girls High School in Dadar, where she developed a keen interest in athletics. During her school years, she excelled in traditional outdoor sports, including Hututu, Kabaddi, and Kho-Kho.
While she originally intended to pursue sports as a career, her trajectory shifted following an introduction to filmmaker Bhalji Pendharkar. Despite her proficient background in sports and lack of prior training in acting, Pendharkar selected her for a role in the 1955 film Ye Re Mazya Maglya. Under Pendharkar's mentorship, she made her acting debut alongside established contemporary artists such as Damuanna Malvankar, Shashikala, and Baburao Pendharkar. Noting her cheerful expressions, Pendharkar gave her the screen name "Smita."
Career She made her debut in Marathi films under the screen name of Smita in 1955 in Yere Maazya Magalya. She acted in a number of Marathi films before switching over to Hindi films. In 1958, Kadam changed her screen name to Kamini Kadam and made her debut in Hindi films with Talaq (1958) opposite Rajendra Kumar. Other notable Hindi films to her credit include Santan (1959), School Master (1959) and Sapne Suhane (1961). Kamini Kadam died on 19 June 2000 at the age of 66.
Filmography YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes1955Yere Mazya MaglyaSmitaMarathiMarathi debut1956DevgharVasantiAndhala Magto DolaSmita1957Dev Jaaga AaheManikDevagharcha LenaBabyNavra Mhanu Naye AplaBaykoPahila PremSmita1958TalaqIndu ChaubeyHindiHindi debutDhakti JaaoShobhaMarathiDon Ghadicha DaavSuman1959SantanShobhaHindiSchool MasterMaster's wife1960Maa BaapSaritaMiya Bibi RaziKamla1961Sapne SuhaneBela1963Maza Hoshil Ka?AnuMarathi1965Sudharlelya BaykaSandhya Bhosale1966Sheras SavvasherSushma1967Kranthiveera Sangolli RayannaMallava - Rayanna's wifeKannadaSanth Wahate KrishnamaiDoctor BaiMarathi1968DharmapatniSmitabai
References
External links Kamini Kadam biography on cineplot