Padmini was a star among stars: Karunanidhi

A versatile artist, Padmini had acted in about 250 films including Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu and Kannada.

Condoling the death of Padmini, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said, "I do not know how the death had a heart to swallow the beautiful and rare artiste. She was a star among the stars."

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Padmini, nicknamed as 'Natiyaperoli", a great light of dance, had totally involved herself in the characters she acted - whether a dancer in Thillana Mohanambal and a middle class Brahmin woman in Vietnam Veedu.

A versatile artist and polyglot, Padmini had acted in about 250 films including Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu and Kannada.

In Malayalam, her early hits included Snehaseema, Umminithanga, Adhyapika, Vivahitha and Kumara Sambhavam.

She teamed up with Raj Kapur in Bollywood to create big hits like Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai and Mera Naam Joker.

After a long interval in career following her marriage, she returned to act in Malayalam film 'Nokkethathadoortahtu Kannumnattu,' and 'Vashthuhara,' which made her immensely popular among the new generation film buffs.

A disciple of eminent choreographer Guru Gopinanth, Padmini hailed from an illustrious family of artists. Besides her sisters Lalitha and Ragini, her cousins Sukumari and Ambika were also popular in South Indian film world.