Kamini Kadam

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."

Filmography