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Meet actor who once gave King Charles 3 peck on the cheek, ruled industry since 17 and is related to Shraddha Kapoor
Meet the actor who made waves in the industry since age 17, once gave King Charles 3 a peck on the cheek and is also related to actress Shraddha Kapoor. Find out who she is.
Meet the actress who took Bollywood by storm. She stepped into the limelight as a child artist and became a star by age 17. Her journey from a young talent to one of the industry's top heroines captivated audiences. But it wasn't just her on-screen charm that kept her in the spotlight—her off-screen life made headlines too. Interestingly, she's also the aunt of Shraddha Kapoor, adding more to her legacy in the film world.
The actress in the spotlight today is none other than Padmini Kolhapure, a celebrated star of the 1980s. Born in November 1965, her illustrious career spans over four decades, with more than 75 films to her credit, many of which became superhits.
She rose to fame with powerful performances in movies like Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Prem Rog, and Souten, cementing her status as a leading lady in Bollywood. Her versatility shone through in films like Ahista Ahista, Vidhaata, Insaaf Ka Taraju, Woh Saat Din, Pyaar Jhukta Nahi and Do Dilon Ki Dastaan.
Her career took off when she landed a breakthrough role in Satyam Shivam Sundaram at just 12 years old. After a string of successful performances as a child artist, Padmini became a star overnight at 17 with the release of Prem Rog, in which she starred alongside Rishi Kapoor. Directed by Raj Kapoor, the film shattered box office records.
Padmini Kolhapure made headlines in the 1980s for an unexpected moment involving the then Prince Charles, now King Charles. During his visit to the sets of her 1981 film Ahista Ahista, Padmini greeted the royal with a spontaneous gesture—placing a garland around his neck, followed by a light kiss on his cheek, and then laughing as she walked away. This impulsive act broke royal protocol and caused quite a stir, leading to her being dubbed in Britain as 'the woman who kissed Prince Charles'.
Reflecting on the incident in a 2007 interview with Hindustan Times, Padmini downplayed the controversy, saying, "It was just a peck on the cheek...the media took it somewhere else. It was no big deal."
In an interview with The Times of India, Padmini Kolhapure recalled the buzz surrounding her kiss to Prince Charles. She revealed that years later, while on a holiday in London, she was even recognized by a British immigration officer, who asked if she was 'the girl who kissed Prince Charles', leaving her slightly embarrassed by the lasting fame of that moment.
Coming from a traditional middle-class Maharashtrian family, where even something as simple as letting your hair down was frowned upon, Padmini Kolhapure had quite the journey to stardom. She carries a legacy of musical royalty, being the niece of legendary singers Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle. Adding to her famous family ties, she’s also the aunt of Bollywood star Shraddha Kapoor, as her sister Shivangi is Shraddha's mother.
At the height of her career, Padmini Kolhapure made headlines when she married film producer Pradeep Sharma by running away from her home, also known as Tutu Sharma, at just 21. The decision, made against her family's wishes, added a touch of drama to her stardom. The two met while working on the film Aisa Pyaar Kahan (1986) and tied the knot the same year. Together, they have a son named Priyaank Sharma.
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