# Padma Devi

Padma Devi (1917–1983) was a popular Indian Bengali Hindi/Hindustani Film Actress and playback singer of Indian cinema, in the silent era and the early talkies. Starting her career with the main role in Sea Goddess (1931), directed by Dhirubhai Desai and produced by Saroj Film Company, Padma went on to act in over one hundred films in her career.

## Early years

Padma Devi was born on 1917 in Bengal, British India. Her ancestral home was Madaripur. Her real name was Nilima.

## Career

Padma Devi was one of the earliest action heroines of the Indian Cinema. She started her career with Sea Goddess, filmed in 1931, and was often cast with "dare-devil" Boman Shroff in a stream of successful stunt films such as The Amazon, directed and produced by JBH Wadia, released in 1933.
In his unpublished autobiography, Jamshed Boman Homi Wadia wrote:
   “I made my last silent thriller 'The Amazon' or 'Dilruba Daku' [w]ith Padma in the stellar role. The [s]tory was the reverse of 'Thunderbolt', with Padma as the masked woman and saviour of the people. Of course, I had to avail of a duplicate in female garb to enact her stunts. Even so, Padma had become an adept in fight sequences and her youth and beauty added glamour to the film. It was the box office success of 'The Amazon' which had induced me to sign Fearless Nadia in my talkies to come, with whom I was to make that super-stunt film 'Hunterwali' and take the Indian film world by storm. (Wadia 1978: ch. 43).”
Kisan Kanya starring Padma Devi is the first indigenously made color movie which was released in 1937. Her work was appreciated in movies like Chalti Duniya, Hindustan Hamara, Jini Ram Tini Krishno Ek-i Dehe Ramkrishna, Sree Sree Ramkrishna Kathamrita, Maa Bhabani Maa Amar and many more.
She has also sung in several films; Sati Mahananda (1933), Maharani (1934), Bahen Ka Prem (1935), Sangdil Samaj (1936), Kisan Kanya (1937) and Zamana (1938) are notable among them. Parallel to her Bollywood career, Padma has also worked in Bengali and Kannada language cinema.

## Filmography

Padma Devi acted in over one hundred films in her career. A partial list:
| Year | Film | Cast | Director | Studio/Producer |
| 1931 | Sea Goddess | Padma Devi, Zebunissa, Chandra Rao Kadam, Pawar, Ata Mohammed | Dhirubhai Desai | Saroj Film Company |
| 1932 | Hind Kesari | Padma, Sultan Alam, Inamdar | Homi Master | Jayant Pictures |
| 1932 | Vanersena | Padma, Vasantrao Pahelwan, Inamdar | Homi Master | Jayant Pictures |
| 1932 | Parwana | Padma, Nure Watan, Kamla Kumari, Ram Kunwar, Rahim, Allavally, Shubi, A. Isaq, Agha, Kesari Singh | H. E. Khateeb | New Western India Film Company |
| 1932 | Toofan Mail | Yashwant Dave, Padma, Narayan Pai, Adi Patel, Manchi Thuthi, JBH Wadia | JBH Wadia | Wadia Brothers |
| 1932 | Vanraj Kesari | Navinchandra, Padma, Vasant Bhandari, Baburao Apte, Bhim, Bhagwandas, Lobo | Harshadrai Mehta | Mehta Luhar Productions |
| 1933 | Jagat Mohini | Padma, Sultan Alam, Inamdar | Homi Master | Jayant Pictures |
| 1933 | Kurukshetra | Balasaheb Yadav, Madhavrao Joshi, Padma, Nandrekar, Shlini, Sharda, Ansuya, Hansa | Sardar Balasaheb Yadav | Chhatrapati Cine |
| 1933 | Lal-E-Yaman | Padma, Mohini, Boman Shroff, Firoze Dastur, Master Mohammed, Sayani Aatish, Jal Khambata | JBH Wadia | Wadia Movietone |
| 1933 | Prithviraj Sanyogita | Padma Devi, Navinchandra, Rafiq Ghaznavi, Kishori, Altekar, Datar | Narayanrao Sarpotdar | Maharashtra Cine |
| 1933 | Sati Mahananda | Padma Devi, Mubarak, Madhukar Gupte, Shirin Banu, Shantaram, Raja Pandit, Kamlavati | Baburao Patel | Gandharva Cinetone |
| 1933 | The Amazon | Sayani, Padma, Allavally, Abul Haq, Boman Shroff, Manchi Toothy | A. H. Essa | Wadia Brothers |
| 1933 | Whirlwind | Sayani, Boman Shroff, Padma, Adi Patel, Lovji Lavangia, Josi Mehta | HBH Wadia | Wadia Brothers |
| 1934 | Baag E Misar | Padma Devi, S. Nazir, Boman Shroff, Jamna, Jal Khambatta, Firoze Dastur, Sayani Atish, Master Mohammed, Munchi Thuthi, Minoo Cooper | JBH Wadia | Wadia Movietone |
| 1934 | Bala Joban | Mubarak, Padma Devi, Shrin Banu, M. Gupte, Badri Prasad, Gulab, Madhukar Gupte, Nandu Khote, Maruti Pahelwan, Raja Pandit, Ghulam Hussain, Master Kamlakar | Baburao Patel | Gandharva Cinetone |
| 1934 | Maharani | Mubarak, Padma Devi, Shirin Banu, N. Chhapekar, Surve, Raja Pandit | Baburao Patel | Gandharva Cinetone |
| 1935 | Bahen Ka Prem | Padma Devi, Rafiqe Ghaznavi, Zohrabai, Lakshmi Narayan, Sultana, Sadiq, Azurie | J. K. Nanda | Prosperity Films |
| 1935 | Pardesi Saiyan | Mubarak, Padma Devi, Shirin, Azurie, Nandu Khote, Raja Pandit, Yasmin, Surve, Sophia, Bhaskar, | Baburao Patel | Gandharva Cinetone |
| 1936 | Chalak Chor | Ishwarlal, Padma, Dixit, Ghory, Kesari, Charlie, Rewashankar, Khatoon, Ram Apte, Shanta, Raja Sandow | Raja Sandow | Ranjit Film Company |
| 1936 | Jwalamukhi | Padma Devi, Ishwarlal, Khatoon, Shanta Devi, Ghory, Bhupatrai, Charlie | D. N. Madhok | Ranjit Film Company |
| 1936 | Passing Show | Jayant, Padma Devi, Umakant, Shirin, Jahangir, Ismail, M. Luhar, Lallubhai | Dwarka Khosla | Prakash Pictures |
| 1936 | Sangdil Samaj | Nazir, Sardar Akhtar, Padma Devi, Gope, Kamlakar, Omkar, Kamla Varekar, Sadiq Ali, Hari Shivdasani | Ram Daryani | Daryani Production |
| 1937 | Kisan Kanya | Padma Devi, Ghulam Md., Sayed Ahmed, Zilloo, Nissar, Gani | Moti Gidwani | Ardeshir Irani of Imperial Pictures |
| 1937 | Do Auratein (Two Women) | Padma Devi, Rose, Rafique Ghaznavi, Ghulam Mohammed, Baba Vyas, Sayed Ahmed, Laxmi | Moti Gidwani | Imperial Pictures |
| 1938 | Kis Liye | Mohini, Ghulam Mohammed, Padma Devi, Ghulam Rasool, Rafiqe Ghaznavi, Asuji | J. K. Mehta | Imperial Films |
| 1938 | Sharif Daku | Navinchandra, Padma Devi, Noor Jehan, Ghulam Hussain, F. M. Butt, Mukhtar, Baburao | G. R. Sethi | Jaybharat Movies |
| 1938 | Zamana | Nazir, Padma Devi, Hansa Wadkar, Dar, Majeed, Vasant, Ameena, Bansi Karnataki, Gope, Gulab | Ram Daryani | Krishna Movies |
| 1939 | Actress Kyon Bani | Usha Rani, Ashiq Hussain, Padma Devi, Rafiqe Ghaznavi, W. M. Khan, Abdul, Mukhtar | G. R. Sethi | Federal Film Exchange |
| 1939 | Kaun Kisi Ka | Shobhana Samarth, Khursheed, Padma Devi, Nazir, Mubarak, Gope, K. N. Singh, Maruti Rao, Bibijan | C. Luhar | Hindustan |
| 1940 | Chalti Duniya | Padma Devi, Rafiq Ghaznavi, Lakshmi, Ghulam Rasool, Leelavati, | Gunjal, B. Marzban | Mansukh Pictures |
| 1940 | Hindustan Hamara (Our India) | Jamuna Barua, Nandrekar, Padma Devi, Hari Shivdasani | Ram Daryani | Film Corporation of India |
| 1941 | Vasantasena | Lakshmi Bai, Subbaiah Naidu, R. Nagendra Rao, Padma Devi, Chandramma, Sarojamma, Sundaramma, Baby Vinoda, G. V. Krishnamoorthy Rao, G. R. Sandow | Ramaier Shirur | Meyappa Chettiar R. Nagendra Rao Subbaiah Naidu |
| 1942 | Bhakta Kabir | Bharat Bhushan, Mehtab, Mazhar Khan, Ramesh Sinha, Padma Devi, Vanmali Das, Gyani, Rai Mohan | Rameshwar Sharma | Unity Productions |
| 1942 | Mamta | Prince Dara, Pushpa Rani, Kalawati, Padma Devi, Akbar, N. Mohammed, Puttan | I.A. Hafizji | Indrapuri Studio |
| 1942 | Mahakavi Kalidas | Karunu Bannerjee, Chhabi Biswas, Ulhas, Menaka Devi, Padma Devi | Niren Lahiri | Motimal Theaters |
| 1944 | Sesh Raksha | Anil Chatterjee, Dipankar Dey, Sumitra Mukherjee, Santu Mukhopadhyay, Mahua Raychowdhury, Sabitri Chatterjee, Satya Banerjee, Bimal Deb, Santosh Dutta, Amit Dey, Debnath Chatterjee, Mihir Pal, Bharati Devi, Padma Devi, Aloka Ganguly, Indulekha Devi | Shankar Bhattacharya | Dilip Sarkar |
| 1946 | Khush Naseeb | Rukmini Devi, Padma Devi, Vithaldas Panchotia, Indira, Gulab, Agha | Vithaldas Panchotia | Indrapuri Studio |
| 1947 | Pagdandi | Akhtar, Om Prakash, Padma, Asha Posley, Durga Mota, Kalavat, Shyamlal | Ram Narayan Dave | Pancholi Art |
| 1953 | Bou Thakuranir Haat | Uttam Kumar, Pahari Sanyal, Sambhu Mitra, Bhanu Bandyopadhyay, Manju Dey, Naresh Mitra, Padma Devi, Nitish Mukherjee, Rama Devi | Naresh Mitra | Emar Productions |
| 1953 | Sharey Chuattor | Tulsi Chakrabarti, Molina Devi, Uttam Kumar, Suchitra Sen, Bhanu Bannerjee, Jahor Roy, Nabadwip Haldar, Gurudas Bannerjee, Padma Devi, Dhananjay Bhattacharya, Shyamal Mitra, Manabendra Mukhopadhyay, Dwijen Mukherjee | Nirmal Dey | |
| 1954 | Maa O Chhele | Chhabi Biswas, Anubha Gupta, Molina Devi, Padma Devi, Sadhona Bose | Gunamoy Bandyopadhyay | Sree Bharatlakshmi Pictures |
| 1955 | Amar Saigal | Pahari Sanyal, Tandon, G Mungeri, Akhtar Jahan, Padma Devi | Nitin Bose | Sircar Productions |
| 1956 | Saheb Bibi Golam | Sumitra Devi, Uttam Kumar, Chhabi Biswas, Nitish Mukherjee, Chhaya Devi, Padma Devi, Pahari Sanyal, Anubha Gupta, Jahar Ganguly, Bhanu Banerjee, Kanu Banerjee, Haridhan Banerjee, Nabadwip Haldar | Kartik Chatterjee | Sarkar Productions |
| 1957 | Nilachaley Mahaprabhu | Asim Kumar, Dipti Roy, Ahindra Choudhury, Dhiraj Bhattacharya, Nitish Mukhapadhyay, Kanu Banerjee, Gurudas Bandyopadhyay, Bhanu Bandopadhyay, Padma Devi, Chhabi Biswas, Sumitra Devi, Molina Devi | Kartik Chattopadhyay | Udoy Chitra Pratisthan |
| 1958 | Bari Theke Paliye (Runaway) | Kali Banerjee, Satindra Bhattacharya, Nripati Chatterjee, Shriman Deepak, Shailen Ghosh, Krishna Jaya, Param Bharak Lahiri, Gyanesh Mukherjee, Keshto Mukherjee, Padma Devi, Niti Pandit, Jahar Roy | Ritwik Ghatak | Chitrakalpa |
| 1958 | Jalsaghar (The Music Room) | Chhabi Biswas, Padma Devi, Pinaki Sen Gupta, Gangapada Bose, Tulsi Lahari, Kali Sarkar, Ustad Waheed Khan, Roshan Kumari, Begum Akhtar | Satyajit Ray | Satyajit Ray |
| 1960 | Kshudhita Pashan | Soumitra Chatterjee, Chhabi Biswas, Arundhati Devi, Dilip Roy, Padma Devi, Robin Banerjee | Tapan Sinha | Hemen Ganguly |
| 1963 | Uttar Falguni | Suchitra Sen, Bikash Roy, Chhaya Devi, Dilip Mukherjee, Padma Devi, Kalipada Chakraborty, Pahari Sanyal, Jahar Ganguli, Sita Mukherjee, Ajit Bandyopadhyay | Asit Sen | Uttam Kumar |
| 1964 | Sanjh Aur Savera | Meena Kumari, Guru Dutt, Mehmood, Shubha Khote, Manmohan Krishna, Padma Devi, Jagdev, Harindranath Chattopadhyay, Brahm Bhardwaj, Kanu Roy, Rashid Khan | Hrishikesh Mukherjee | Sevantilal Shah |
| 1964 | Kashmir Ki Kali | Shammi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore, Padma Devi, Pran, Nazir Hussain, Dhumal, Anoop Kumar, Madan Puri, Bir Sakuja, Sunder, Mridula Rani, Tun Tun, Padma Chavan, Sujata | Shakti Samanta | Shakti Samanta |
| 1966 | Netaji Subhashchandra Bose | Abhi Bhattacharya, Jayamala, Bipin Gupta, Padma Devi, Niranjan Sharma, Leela Misra, R. Dayal, Sudarshan Sethi | Hemen Gupta | Adarshlok |
| 1976 | Jana Aranya | Pradip Mukherjee, Kalyan Sen, Satya Bandyopadhyay, Padma Devi, Deepankar De, Arati Bhattacharya, Gautam Chakraborty, Lily Chakravarty, Bimal Chatterjee, Bimal Deb, Santosh Dutta, Utpal Dutt, Rabi Ghosh, Aparna Sen | Satyajit Ray | Indus Films (Subir Guha) |
| 1979 | Arun Barun O Kiranmala | Tarun Kumar, Dilip Ray, Master Partho, Master Supratim, Tapati Manna, Padma Devi, Nimu Bhowmik, Satya Bandyopadhyay, Alpana Goswami, Chhaya Devi | Barun Kabasi | Dolphin Films |

## Last Days

Padma Devi died on 1 February 1983.