Pearl Padamsee

Pearl Padamsee (1931 – 23 April 2000) was an Indian theatre personality as a stage actress, director and producer of English language theatre in Mumbai active in 1950s–1990s. She acted in a few Hindi and English language films, including Khatta Meetha, Junoon, Baaton Baaton Mein, Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, and Such a Long Journey.[3] She ran after-school theatre workshops for children.[4]

Pearl Padamsee
Died23 April 2000
(aged 68-69)[lower-alpha 1]
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Occupations
  • Actor
  • theatre director-producer

Professional life and personal vita

Padamsee was born to a Punjabi Christian father and a Baghdadi Jew mother.[5][6] According to her second husband, Alyque Padamsee, "She was the secretary of the college's Dramatic Club at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai in the 1950s" and "went to study anthropology in Australia."[7]

Her first husband's surname was Chowdhry. They had two children: a son named Ranjit Chowdhry who was an actor and a daughter named Rohini Chowdhry. The marriage ended in divorce when her children were still toddlers.[8]

Pearl became a part of a theatre group, promoting "English theatre" in Mumbai.[9] She reproduced successful Broadway productions using local Indian talent. She directed, acted and produced for the stage, schools and organizations.[10]

Pearl then married Alyque Padamsee who was also active in English theatre.[7]

With Alyque Padamsee, Pearl had a daughter, Raell Padamsee, who runs her own theatre company in Mumbai.[11][5] Pearl and Alyque were divorced very shortly after the birth of Raell.

Pearl Padamsee died on 23 April 2000. She is buried at a Christian cemetery in Bandra.[10]

Work

Stage

Filmography
YearTitleRoleNotes
1978Hungama Bombay IshtyleAuntyAlso producer[12]
1978Khatta MeethaNargis Sethna[10]
1979Baton Baton MeinRosie Perreira
1979JunoonAkhtarbeeGuest appearance[10]
1984PartyRuth
1988The Perfect MurderNurse
1998Such a Long JourneyMrs. Kutpitia[10]

Notes and references
  1. India Today reported that "she died of a cardiac arrest, at the age of 69, in Mumbai",[1] while Tribune India wrote, "She was 68."[2]
  1. "Noted theatre and film personality Pearl Padamsee dies of a cardiac arrest". India Today. 8 May 2000.
  2. "National Brief". Tribune India. Mumbai. Press Trust of India. 25 April 2000.
  3. "Pearl Padamsee: Filmography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2012. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012.
  4. Tharoor, Shashi (19 February 2003). "Bombay in the '60s:a morality play". International Herald Tribune. Archived from the original on 25 June 2023 – via The New York Times.
  5. "Pathbreakers: Rael Padamsee". Hindustan Times. 8 March 2006. Archived from the original on 19 August 2007. Retrieved 30 November 2010. [Raell Padamsee] Born to a half Jewish, half Punjabi and a baptised Christian mother
  6. Robbins, Kenneth X. (2 February 2016). "Flashback: The Jewish women who dominated the Indian cinema screen". Scroll.in. Simply identifying Jews has not been easy. Asha Bhende (once Lily Ezekiel) and Pearl Padamsee (whose mother was a Baghdadi Jew) are actresses who have used the last names of their non-Jewish husbands.
  7. Gehl, Reema (3 October 2007). "To Pearl, with love". Hindustan Times.
  8. "Khubsoorat actor and Pearl Padamsee's son Ranjit Chowdhry dies at 65". Zee News. 15 April 2020.
  9. Gerson Da Cunha (8 May 2000). "A Rare Pearl". Outlook India. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  10. Fernandes, Vivek (26 April 2000). "rediff.com, Movies: 'One always thought she would go on and on...'". Rediff.com.
  11. "Pearls of wisdom by Raell Padamsee". DNA. 20 April 2010.
  12. "Comedy of Errors". Mid-Day online. 2 May 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
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