Cinemaazi remembers Kumari Kamala on her birth anniversay
16 Jun 1934
Featured as Baby Kamla in the film Kismet (1943), Indian classical dancer Kumari Kamala was born on 16 June 1934 in Mayuram, to Rajam and Ramamurthy. At an early age Kamala began taking lessons in the Kathak dance style from Lachhu Maharaj in Bombay and was later trained under the Bharatanatyam teachers Kattumannarkoil Muthukumara Pillai and Vazhuvoor B. Ramaiyah Pillai
Initially featured as a child dancer, Kamala appeared in more than 100 Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada films throughout her career. She was discovered at age four by Tamil film director A.N. Kalyanasundaram Iyer when he attended a dance recital. He cast her in small roles in his films Valibar Sangham (1938) and Ramanama Mahimai (1939) where she was billed as Kamala. Her dancing was noticed by other filmmakers and she moved to Hindi films with Jailor in 1938 and Kismet and Ram Rajya in 1943. Kamala's first role in a successful Tamil film came in 1944 with Jagathalaprathapan where she performed the Paampu attam. Kamala played a double role in her next film Sri Valli (1945) and also played Krishna in the film Meera (1945). However, it was her film Naam Iruvar that would make an impact on Tamil cinema.
She appeared in popular film songs like, Dil tujhko diya tha dildar maanke from Naach Ghar (1959) and Hai tu hi gaya mohe bhool re from Kathputli (1957) and also her dance as Nag Kanya in the film Devta (1956). Apart from these she also worked in films like, Chori Chori (1956), Yahudi (1958), Parasakhti (1952), and Naya Sansar (1959).
Initially featured as a child dancer, Kamala appeared in more than 100 Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada films throughout her career. She was discovered at age four by Tamil film director A.N. Kalyanasundaram Iyer when he attended a dance recital. He cast her in small roles in his films Valibar Sangham (1938) and Ramanama Mahimai (1939) where she was billed as Kamala. Her dancing was noticed by other filmmakers and she moved to Hindi films with Jailor in 1938 and Kismet and Ram Rajya in 1943. Kamala's first role in a successful Tamil film came in 1944 with Jagathalaprathapan where she performed the Paampu attam. Kamala played a double role in her next film Sri Valli (1945) and also played Krishna in the film Meera (1945). However, it was her film Naam Iruvar that would make an impact on Tamil cinema.
She appeared in popular film songs like, Dil tujhko diya tha dildar maanke from Naach Ghar (1959) and Hai tu hi gaya mohe bhool re from Kathputli (1957) and also her dance as Nag Kanya in the film Devta (1956). Apart from these she also worked in films like, Chori Chori (1956), Yahudi (1958), Parasakhti (1952), and Naya Sansar (1959).
