MUMBAI, INDIA:
Kamini Kaushal, the most senior actress of Bollywood and a veritable encyclopedia of the Indian film industry, passed away on Thursday night in Mumbai at the age of 98. Her death is being mourned as the end of an entire epoch for Indian cinema, concluding a remarkable career that spanned over seven decades.
A close family friend confirmed the news of her passing. However, the family has not yet released an official statement, and the specific cause of death has not been disclosed, leaving her legion of fans in deep sorrow.
A Journey from Lahore to Bollywood: Born as Uma Kashyap in Lahore (then in British India) in February 1927, Kamini Kaushal began her illustrious career with the 1946 film ‘Neecha Nagar’. This debut set a strong foundation, and she quickly rose to become one of the highest-paid actresses of the 1940s.
She worked with all three top actors of her era: Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, and Raj Kapoor. Her repertoire includes major hits such as ‘Aag’, ‘Shaheed’, ‘Nadiya Ke Paar’, ‘Do Raaste’, and ‘Ziddi’.
Personal Tragedy and Dilip Kumar: Her personal life was often a subject of discussion. She was famously known as Dilip Kumar’s “first love.” The two reportedly fell in love while working together on the film ‘Shaheed’. However, Kaushal, who was already married to her late sister’s widower, made the difficult decision to end the relationship.
Kamini Kaushal’s cinematic journey continued through modern films like ‘Kabir Singh’ and concluded with her final screen appearance in Aamir Khan’s ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’. Her passing is not just the loss of an actress, but the closure of the golden age that defined Hindi cinema.
