Dharmendra’s ‘pehli mulaqat ki pehli tasvir’ with Kamini Kaushal goes viral after her demise
A throwback picture shared years ago by Dharmendra from his first meeting with Kamini Kaushal has gone viral, as the industry mourns the veteran actor’s passing
Bollywood is mourning yet another loss today as family members confirm the death of veteran actor Kamini Kaushal. The actor who passed away at 98, has left a 7-decade career in her wake. As tributes poured in on social media, an old photograph shared by Dharmendra resurfaced online, drawing renewed attention to the bond between the two stars. Kamini was the first co-star Dharmendra ever worked with, and the memory remained special to him throughout his life.
Dharmendra and Kamini Kaushal's first film together
Years before Dharmendra became one of Hindi cinema’s most celebrated leading men, he met Kamini. The two collaborated on the 1965 film Shaheed, and Dharmendra had once posted a nostalgic image from their very first meeting. The photograph showed a young, smiling Dharmendra standing beside Kamini, both beaming at the camera.
Sharing the memory, Dharmendra had written, “Pehli film SHAHEED ki heroine Kamini Kaushal Ke saath pehli mulaqat ki pehli tasvir… Donon ke chihron par massart … ikk pyaar bhari introduction (My first meeting with the heroine of my first film Shaheed, Kamini Kaushal. There is happiness on both our faces, it was an introduction full of love)….” The image has gone viral again as fans revisit Kamini's contributions to Indian cinema.
Kamini Kaushal's death
A source close to the family confirmed Kamini's death. Her career stretched from the pre-Partition era to 2022, when she appeared in Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha, her final film. Kamini was one of the leading actors of the 1950s and made her debut with Chetan Anand’s 1946 film Neecha Nagar, the first Indian film to win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Born as Uma Sood, Kamini once said she never planned on joining the film industry. In a 2017 interview with SCREEN, she recalled being nudged into acting after completing her English Honours degree from Lahore. “I was studying at Lahore’s Kinnaird College for Women then, and my first reaction was ‘no’. I had heard from somewhere that the film industry was not a good place for girls,” she had said.
As fans celebrate her life and revisit her work, Dharmendra’s cherished photograph stands out as a reminder of Kamini's bright energy.
