Kumari Kamala
Encyclopedia
Kumari Kamala is an Indian dancer and actress. Initially featured as a child dancer, Kamala appeared in almost 100 Tamil
, Hindi
, Telugu
and Kannada films throughout her career. In the 1970's she became a teacher of the Vazhuvoor
style of dance in which she specialises.
family in Mayuram, India. Her sisters Radha and Vasanti are also dancers. At an early age Kamala began taking lessons in the Kathak
dance style from Lachhu Maharaj
in Bombay. She also took lessons in Hindustani classical music
from Shankar Rao Vyas. 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 Sangam (1938) and Ramanama Mahimai (1939) where she was billed as Baby Kamala. Her dancing was noticed by other filmmakers and she moved to Hindi films
with Kismet
and Ram Rajya in 1943. Kamala's mother moved to Madras so her daughter could train under the Bharatanatyam
teachers Kattumannarkoil Muthukumara Pillai and Vazhavoor Ramiah Pillai. Kamala's first role in a successful Tamil film came in 1944 with Jagathalaprathapan
where she performed the Paampu attam
. Kamala essayed a double role in her next film Sri Valli (1945) and also played Krishna
in the film Meera
. However, it was her film Nam Iruvar
that would make an impact on Tamil cinema. Nam Iruvar was full of patriotism and Ghandian
songs, and its dances helped to revitalize and legitimize Bharatanatyam. The film is credited with sparking a "cultural revolution" throughout the Tamil speaking areas of India.
In 1953, Kamala was invited to to perform for Queen Elizabeth II during her coronation festivities. In the late 1950s she toured internationally, performing in China and Japan. In 1970, the government of India awarded her the Padma Bhushan
, India's third highest civilian award. She also taught dance for two terms at Colgate University
after being awarded its Branta Professorship in 1975. In 1980, Kamala moved to New York
permanently and began teaching classical dance. She established a dance school in Long Island
, Shri Bharatha Kamalalaya. In 2010 she received a National Heritage Fellowship
from the National Endowment for the Arts
for her contributions to the arts.
, but he divorced her in 1960. Her second husband died in 1983. She has one son from her second marriage, Jainand Narayan, an officer in the United States Army
.
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
and Kannada films throughout her career. In the 1970's she became a teacher of the Vazhuvoor
Vazhuvoor
Vazhuvoor is one of the original styles of Bharatanatyam.The main distinctive features include:*rich sringar elements*wide range of dancing pace*softer facial abhinaya*extremely elaborate movements...
style of dance in which she specialises.
Early life and career
She was born into a BrahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
family in Mayuram, India. Her sisters Radha and Vasanti are also dancers. At an early age Kamala began taking lessons in the Kathak
Kathak
Kathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from Uttar Pradesh, India. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks, or storytellers...
dance style from Lachhu Maharaj
Lachhu Maharaj
Lachhu Maharaj was an Indian dancer. He came from a family of illustrious Kathak exponents in Lucknow.He received extensive training from Pandit Bindadin Maharaj, his uncle and the court dancer of the Nawab of Awadh, for nearly ten years...
in Bombay. She also took lessons in Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
from Shankar Rao Vyas. 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 Sangam (1938) and Ramanama Mahimai (1939) where she was billed as Baby Kamala. Her dancing was noticed by other filmmakers and she moved to Hindi films
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
with Kismet
Kismet (1943 film)
Kismet is a 1943 Indian Hindi film, written and directed by Gyan Mukherjee and produced by Bombay Talkies during the second world war period, while it was in a succession battle between Devika Rani and Sashadhar Mukherjee after owner Himanshu Rai's death...
and Ram Rajya in 1943. Kamala's mother moved to Madras so her daughter could train under the Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam
Bharata Natyam or Chadhir Attam, is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, practiced predominantly in modern times by women. The dance is usually accompanied by classical Carnatic music...
teachers Kattumannarkoil Muthukumara Pillai and Vazhavoor Ramiah Pillai. Kamala's first role in a successful Tamil film came in 1944 with Jagathalaprathapan
Jagathalaprathapan (1944 film)
Jagathalaprathapan was a 1944 Tamil-language film starring P. U. Chinnappa and M. S. Sarojini in the lead roles. Dubbed the '12 Minister's Tale', Jagathalaprathapan was a box-office success and sealed Chinnappa's position as one of the top stars in Tamil cinema.- Plot :Jagathalaprathapan was based...
where she performed the Paampu attam
Paampu attam
Paampu attam is a folk dance from Tamil country, India. Snakes considered as the protecting divinity which safeguards the health and prosperity. Snakes are also related to the Hindu deity Murugan. Usually girls perform this dance with a snake skin-like costume...
. Kamala essayed a double role in her next film Sri Valli (1945) and also played Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
in the film Meera
Meera (1945 film)
Meera is a 1945 Tamil-language film starring M. S. Subbulakshmi, Kumari Kamala, T. S. Baliah and Chittoor V. Nagaiah based on the life of the devotional singer and dancer Meera. The film was directed by American film director Ellis R. Dungan.-Plot:...
. However, it was her film Nam Iruvar
Nam Iruvar
Nam Iruvar is a 1947 Tamil film directed and produced by A. V. Meiyappan.- Production :Based on a play written by Pa. Neelakantan and directed by Sahasranamam, Nam Iruvar was directed and produced by A.V. Meiyappan...
that would make an impact on Tamil cinema. Nam Iruvar was full of patriotism and Ghandian
Gandhism
Gandhism is the collection of inspirations, principles, beliefs and philosophy of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , who was a major political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian Independence Movement....
songs, and its dances helped to revitalize and legitimize Bharatanatyam. The film is credited with sparking a "cultural revolution" throughout the Tamil speaking areas of India.
In 1953, Kamala was invited to to perform for Queen Elizabeth II during her coronation festivities. In the late 1950s she toured internationally, performing in China and Japan. In 1970, the government of India awarded her the Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
, India's third highest civilian award. She also taught dance for two terms at Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
after being awarded its Branta Professorship in 1975. In 1980, Kamala moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
permanently and began teaching classical dance. She established a dance school in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, Shri Bharatha Kamalalaya. In 2010 she received a National Heritage Fellowship
National Heritage Fellowship
The National Heritage Fellowship is a lifetime honor presented to master folk and traditional artists by the National Endowment for the Arts. Similar to Japan's Living National Treasure award, the Fellowship is the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts...
from the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
for her contributions to the arts.
Personal life
She was married to cartoonist R. K. LaxmanR. K. Laxman
Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Iyer Laxman is an Indian cartoonist, illustrator, and humorist. He is widely regarded as India's greatest-ever cartoonist and is best known for his creation The Common Man....
, but he divorced her in 1960. Her second husband died in 1983. She has one son from her second marriage, Jainand Narayan, an officer in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
Awards
- 1967 - KalaimamaniKalaimamaniThe Kalaimamani is an award in Tamil Nadu state, India. These awards are given by the Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Manram for excellence in the field of art and literature....
- 1968 - Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
- 1970 - Padma BhushanPadma BhushanThe Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
- 1975 - Branta Professorship from Colgate UniversityColgate UniversityColgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
- 1989 - E. Krishna Iyer Medal from the Sruti Foundation
- 1993 - Sangeeta Ratnakara at the Cleveland Thyagaraja AradhanaCleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana-External links:*The Cleveland aradhana is one of the biggest aradhana organizations in the world. Taking place in Ohio, the aradhana has more than a thousand people a day!people from all over the world will participate in this festival....
- 2002 - Platinum Jubilee award from Madras Music AcademyMadras Music AcademyMadras Music Academy, or simply Music Academy, is one of the premier and early Music Academies in the South Indian city of Madras, now Chennai. It plays an important role in encouraging and promoting primarily the Carnatic Music south Indian art form. It also played an important role in revival of...
- 2010 - National Heritage FellowshipNational Heritage FellowshipThe National Heritage Fellowship is a lifetime honor presented to master folk and traditional artists by the National Endowment for the Arts. Similar to Japan's Living National Treasure award, the Fellowship is the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts...
Partial filmography
- 1938 Valibar Sangam
- 1939 Ramanama Mahimai
- 1943 KismetKismet (1943 film)Kismet is a 1943 Indian Hindi film, written and directed by Gyan Mukherjee and produced by Bombay Talkies during the second world war period, while it was in a succession battle between Devika Rani and Sashadhar Mukherjee after owner Himanshu Rai's death...
- 1943 Ram Rajya
- 1944 JagathalaprathapanJagathalaprathapan (1944 film)Jagathalaprathapan was a 1944 Tamil-language film starring P. U. Chinnappa and M. S. Sarojini in the lead roles. Dubbed the '12 Minister's Tale', Jagathalaprathapan was a box-office success and sealed Chinnappa's position as one of the top stars in Tamil cinema.- Plot :Jagathalaprathapan was based...
- 1945 Sri Valli
- 1945 MeeraMeera (1945 film)Meera is a 1945 Tamil-language film starring M. S. Subbulakshmi, Kumari Kamala, T. S. Baliah and Chittoor V. Nagaiah based on the life of the devotional singer and dancer Meera. The film was directed by American film director Ellis R. Dungan.-Plot:...
- 1945 En magan
- 1947 Ekambavananan
- 1947 Katagam
- 1947 Mahatma Udhangar
- 1947 Nam IruvarNam IruvarNam Iruvar is a 1947 Tamil film directed and produced by A. V. Meiyappan.- Production :Based on a play written by Pa. Neelakantan and directed by Sahasranamam, Nam Iruvar was directed and produced by A.V. Meiyappan...
- 1958 BhookailasBhookailas (1958 film)Bhookailas is a mythological Telugu film directed by K. Shankar and written by Samudrala Raghavacharya. It is an AVM Productions. The story is based on the Sthala Purana of Gokarna Kshetram in Karnataka.-Plot:...
- 1959 Sivagangai SeemaiSivagangai SeemaiSivagangai Seemai is a 1959 Tamil feature film directed by K.Shankar. This was Kannadasan’s second home production and he wrote the script and lyrics for the movie. The movie's cast is T. K. Bagavathi, S. S. Rajendran, P. S. Veerappa, S. Varalakshmi, Kumari Kamala, M. N...
- 1962 Konjum Salangai
- 1962 ShaadiShaadi (film)Shaadi is an 1962 Indian film directed by R. Krishnan and S. Pandu. It stars actors Dharmendra and Saira Banu.The title reflects the Urdu word for a marriage , specifically a wedding ceremony.-Plot:an elder patriarch Ratan Malhotra Shaadi is an 1962 Indian film directed by R. Krishnan and S. Pandu....
- 1971 JwalaJwalaJwala is a 1971 Bollywood action film directed by M.V. Raman. The film stars Sunil Dutt and Madhubala. This was Madhubala's last film, released two years after her death in 1969. This is also her only film, that is completely shot in color....
- 1973 Chenda