Padma Devi (1917–1983) was a popular Indian Bengali Hindi/Hindustani Film Actress and playback singer of Indian cinema, in the silent era and the early talkies. Starting her career with the main role in Sea Goddess (1931), directed by Dhirubhai Desai and produced by Saroj Film Company, Padma went on to act in over one hundred films in her career.
Early years
Padma Devi was born on 1917 in Bengal, British India. Her ancestral home was Madaripur. Her real name was Nilima.
Career
Padma Devi was one of the earliest action heroines of the Indian Cinema. She started her career with Sea Goddess, filmed in 1931, and was often cast with "dare-devil" Boman Shroff in a stream of successful stunt films such as The Amazon, directed and produced by JBH Wadia, released in 1933.
In his unpublished autobiography, Jamshed Boman Homi Wadia wrote:“I made my last silent thriller 'The Amazon' or 'Dilruba Daku' [w]ith Padma in the stellar role. The [s]tory was the reverse of 'Thunderbolt', with Padma as the masked woman and saviour of the people. Of course, I had to avail of a duplicate in female garb to enact her stunts. Even so, Padma had become an adept in fight sequences and her youth and beauty added glamour to the film. It was the box office success of 'The Amazon' which had induced me to sign Fearless Nadia in my talkies to come, with whom I was to make that super-stunt film 'Hunterwali' and take the Indian film world by storm. (Wadia 1978: ch. 43).”Kisan Kanya starring Padma Devi is the first indigenously made color movie which was released in 1937. Her work was appreciated in movies like Chalti Duniya, Hindustan Hamara, Jini Ram Tini Krishno Ek-i Dehe Ramkrishna, Sree Sree Ramkrishna Kathamrita, Maa Bhabani Maa Amar and many more.
She has also sung in several films; Sati Mahananda (1933), Maharani (1934), Bahen Ka Prem (1935), Sangdil Samaj (1936), Kisan Kanya (1937) and Zamana (1938) are notable among them. Parallel to her Bollywood career, Padma has also worked in Bengali and Kannada language cinema.
Filmography
Padma Devi acted in over one hundred films in her career. A partial list:
YearFilmCastDirectorStudio/Producer1931Sea GoddessPadma Devi, Zebunissa, Chandra Rao Kadam, Pawar, Ata MohammedDhirubhai DesaiSaroj Film Company1932Hind KesariPadma, Sultan Alam, InamdarHomi MasterJayant Pictures1932VanersenaPadma, Vasantrao Pahelwan, InamdarHomi MasterJayant Pictures1932ParwanaPadma, Nure Watan, Kamla Kumari, Ram Kunwar, Rahim, Allavally, Shubi, A. Isaq, Agha, Kesari SinghH. E. KhateebNew Western India Film Company1932Toofan MailYashwant Dave, Padma, Narayan Pai, Adi Patel, Manchi Thuthi, JBH WadiaJBH WadiaWadia Brothers1932Vanraj KesariNavinchandra, Padma, Vasant Bhandari, Baburao Apte, Bhim, Bhagwandas, LoboHarshadrai MehtaMehta Luhar Productions1933Jagat MohiniPadma, Sultan Alam, InamdarHomi MasterJayant Pictures1933KurukshetraBalasaheb Yadav, Madhavrao Joshi, Padma, Nandrekar, Shlini, Sharda, Ansuya, HansaSardar Balasaheb YadavChhatrapati Cine1933Lal-E-YamanPadma, Mohini, Boman Shroff, Firoze Dastur, Master Mohammed, Sayani Aatish, Jal KhambataJBH WadiaWadia Movietone1933Prithviraj SanyogitaPadma Devi, Navinchandra, Rafiq Ghaznavi, Kishori, Altekar, DatarNarayanrao SarpotdarMaharashtra Cine1933Sati MahanandaPadma Devi, Mubarak, Madhukar Gupte, Shirin Banu, Shantaram, Raja Pandit, KamlavatiBaburao PatelGandharva Cinetone1933The AmazonSayani, Padma, Allavally, Abul Haq, Boman Shroff, Manchi ToothyA. H. EssaWadia Brothers1933WhirlwindSayani, Boman Shroff, Padma, Adi Patel, Lovji Lavangia, Josi MehtaHBH WadiaWadia Brothers1934Baag E MisarPadma Devi, S. Nazir, Boman Shroff, Jamna, Jal Khambatta, Firoze Dastur, Sayani Atish, Master Mohammed, Munchi Thuthi, Minoo CooperJBH WadiaWadia Movietone1934Bala JobanMubarak, Padma Devi, Shrin Banu, M. Gupte, Badri Prasad, Gulab, Madhukar Gupte, Nandu Khote, Maruti Pahelwan, Raja Pandit, Ghulam Hussain, Master KamlakarBaburao PatelGandharva Cinetone1934MaharaniMubarak, Padma Devi, Shirin Banu, N. Chhapekar, Surve, Raja PanditBaburao PatelGandharva Cinetone1935Bahen Ka PremPadma Devi, Rafiqe Ghaznavi, Zohrabai, Lakshmi Narayan, Sultana, Sadiq, AzurieJ. K. NandaProsperity Films1935Pardesi SaiyanMubarak, Padma Devi, Shirin, Azurie, Nandu Khote, Raja Pandit, Yasmin, Surve, Sophia, Bhaskar,Baburao PatelGandharva Cinetone1936Chalak ChorIshwarlal, Padma, Dixit, Ghory, Kesari, Charlie, Rewashankar, Khatoon, Ram Apte, Shanta, Raja SandowRaja SandowRanjit Film Company1936JwalamukhiPadma Devi, Ishwarlal, Khatoon, Shanta Devi, Ghory, Bhupatrai, CharlieD. N. MadhokRanjit Film Company1936Passing ShowJayant, Padma Devi, Umakant, Shirin, Jahangir, Ismail, M. Luhar, LallubhaiDwarka KhoslaPrakash Pictures1936Sangdil SamajNazir, Sardar Akhtar, Padma Devi, Gope, Kamlakar, Omkar, Kamla Varekar, Sadiq Ali, Hari ShivdasaniRam DaryaniDaryani Production1937Kisan KanyaPadma Devi, Ghulam Md., Sayed Ahmed, Zilloo, Nissar, GaniMoti GidwaniArdeshir Irani of Imperial Pictures1937Do Auratein (Two Women)Padma Devi, Rose, Rafique Ghaznavi, Ghulam Mohammed, Baba Vyas, Sayed Ahmed, LaxmiMoti GidwaniImperial Pictures1938Kis LiyeMohini, Ghulam Mohammed, Padma Devi, Ghulam Rasool, Rafiqe Ghaznavi, AsujiJ. K. MehtaImperial Films1938Sharif DakuNavinchandra, Padma Devi, Noor Jehan, Ghulam Hussain, F. M. Butt, Mukhtar, BaburaoG. R. SethiJaybharat Movies1938ZamanaNazir, Padma Devi, Hansa Wadkar, Dar, Majeed, Vasant, Ameena, Bansi Karnataki, Gope, GulabRam DaryaniKrishna Movies1939Actress Kyon BaniUsha Rani, Ashiq Hussain, Padma Devi, Rafiqe Ghaznavi, W. M. Khan, Abdul, MukhtarG. R. SethiFederal Film Exchange1939Kaun Kisi KaShobhana Samarth, Khursheed, Padma Devi, Nazir, Mubarak, Gope, K. N. Singh, Maruti Rao, BibijanC. LuharHindustan1940Chalti DuniyaPadma Devi, Rafiq Ghaznavi, Lakshmi, Ghulam Rasool, Leelavati,Gunjal, B. MarzbanMansukh Pictures1940Hindustan Hamara (Our India)Jamuna Barua, Nandrekar, Padma Devi, Hari ShivdasaniRam DaryaniFilm Corporation of India1941VasantasenaLakshmi Bai, Subbaiah Naidu, R. Nagendra Rao, Padma Devi, Chandramma, Sarojamma, Sundaramma, Baby Vinoda, G. V. Krishnamoorthy Rao, G. R. SandowRamaier ShirurMeyappa Chettiar
R. Nagendra Rao
Subbaiah Naidu1942Bhakta KabirBharat Bhushan, Mehtab, Mazhar Khan, Ramesh Sinha, Padma Devi, Vanmali Das, Gyani, Rai MohanRameshwar SharmaUnity Productions1942MamtaPrince Dara, Pushpa Rani, Kalawati, Padma Devi, Akbar, N. Mohammed, PuttanI.A. HafizjiIndrapuri Studio1942Mahakavi KalidasKarunu Bannerjee, Chhabi Biswas, Ulhas, Menaka Devi, Padma DeviNiren LahiriMotimal Theaters1944Sesh RakshaAnil Chatterjee, Dipankar Dey, Sumitra Mukherjee, Santu Mukhopadhyay, Mahua Raychowdhury, Sabitri Chatterjee, Satya Banerjee, Bimal Deb, Santosh Dutta, Amit Dey, Debnath Chatterjee, Mihir Pal, Bharati Devi, Padma Devi, Aloka Ganguly, Indulekha DeviShankar BhattacharyaDilip Sarkar1946Khush NaseebRukmini Devi, Padma Devi, Vithaldas Panchotia, Indira, Gulab, AghaVithaldas PanchotiaIndrapuri Studio1947PagdandiAkhtar, Om Prakash, Padma, Asha Posley, Durga Mota, Kalavat, ShyamlalRam Narayan DavePancholi Art1953Bou Thakuranir HaatUttam Kumar, Pahari Sanyal, Sambhu Mitra, Bhanu Bandyopadhyay, Manju Dey, Naresh Mitra, Padma Devi, Nitish Mukherjee, Rama DeviNaresh MitraEmar Productions1953Sharey ChuattorTulsi Chakrabarti, Molina Devi, Uttam Kumar, Suchitra Sen, Bhanu Bannerjee, Jahor Roy, Nabadwip Haldar, Gurudas Bannerjee, Padma Devi, Dhananjay Bhattacharya, Shyamal Mitra, Manabendra Mukhopadhyay, Dwijen MukherjeeNirmal Dey1954Maa O ChheleChhabi Biswas, Anubha Gupta, Molina Devi, Padma Devi, Sadhona BoseGunamoy BandyopadhyaySree Bharatlakshmi Pictures1955Amar SaigalPahari Sanyal, Tandon, G Mungeri, Akhtar Jahan, Padma DeviNitin BoseSircar Productions1956Saheb Bibi GolamSumitra Devi, Uttam Kumar, Chhabi Biswas, Nitish Mukherjee, Chhaya Devi, Padma Devi, Pahari Sanyal, Anubha Gupta, Jahar Ganguly, Bhanu Banerjee, Kanu Banerjee, Haridhan Banerjee, Nabadwip HaldarKartik ChatterjeeSarkar Productions1957Nilachaley MahaprabhuAsim Kumar, Dipti Roy, Ahindra Choudhury, Dhiraj Bhattacharya, Nitish Mukhapadhyay, Kanu Banerjee, Gurudas Bandyopadhyay, Bhanu Bandopadhyay, Padma Devi, Chhabi Biswas, Sumitra Devi, Molina DeviKartik ChattopadhyayUdoy Chitra Pratisthan1958Bari Theke Paliye (Runaway)Kali Banerjee, Satindra Bhattacharya, Nripati Chatterjee, Shriman Deepak, Shailen Ghosh, Krishna Jaya, Param Bharak Lahiri, Gyanesh Mukherjee, Keshto Mukherjee, Padma Devi, Niti Pandit, Jahar RoyRitwik GhatakChitrakalpa1958Jalsaghar (The Music Room)Chhabi Biswas, Padma Devi, Pinaki Sen Gupta, Gangapada Bose, Tulsi Lahari, Kali Sarkar, Ustad Waheed Khan, Roshan Kumari, Begum AkhtarSatyajit RaySatyajit Ray1960Kshudhita PashanSoumitra Chatterjee, Chhabi Biswas, Arundhati Devi, Dilip Roy, Padma Devi, Robin BanerjeeTapan SinhaHemen Ganguly1963Uttar FalguniSuchitra Sen, Bikash Roy, Chhaya Devi, Dilip Mukherjee, Padma Devi, Kalipada Chakraborty, Pahari Sanyal, Jahar Ganguli, Sita Mukherjee, Ajit BandyopadhyayAsit SenUttam Kumar1964Sanjh Aur SaveraMeena Kumari, Guru Dutt, Mehmood, Shubha Khote, Manmohan Krishna, Padma Devi, Jagdev, Harindranath Chattopadhyay, Brahm Bhardwaj, Kanu Roy, Rashid KhanHrishikesh MukherjeeSevantilal Shah1964Kashmir Ki KaliShammi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore, Padma Devi, Pran, Nazir Hussain, Dhumal, Anoop Kumar, Madan Puri, Bir Sakuja, Sunder, Mridula Rani, Tun Tun, Padma Chavan, SujataShakti SamantaShakti Samanta1966Netaji Subhash Chandra BoseAbhi Bhattacharya, Jayamala, Bipin Gupta, Padma Devi, Niranjan Sharma, Leela Misra, R. Dayal, Sudarshan SethiHemen GuptaAdarshlok1976Jana AranyaPradip Mukherjee, Kalyan Sen, Satya Bandyopadhyay, Padma Devi, Deepankar De, Arati Bhattacharya, Gautam Chakraborty, Lily Chakravarty, Bimal Chatterjee, Bimal Deb, Santosh Dutta, Utpal Dutt, Rabi Ghosh, Aparna SenSatyajit RayIndus Films (Subir Guha)1979Arun Barun O KiranmalaTarun Kumar, Dilip Ray, Master Partho, Master Supratim, Tapati Manna, Padma Devi, Nimu Bhowmik, Satya Bandyopadhyay, Alpana Goswami, Chhaya DeviBarun KabasiDolphin Films
Last Days
Padma Devi died on 1 February 1983.
External links
References