Pearl Padamsee
{{Short description|Indian actress}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Pearl Padamsee
| image = Pearl_Padamsee.jpg
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| birth_date =
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| death_date = 23 April 2000
(aged 68-69){{efn|India Today reported that "she died of a cardiac arrest, at the age of 69, in Mumbai",{{Cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/signposts/story/20000508-noted-theatre-and-film-personality-pearl-padamsee-dies-of-a-cardiac-arrest-779320-2000-05-07 |title=Noted theatre and film personality Pearl Padamsee dies of a cardiac arrest |website=India Today |date=8 May 2000}} while Tribune India wrote, "She was 68."{{Cite news |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000425/nation.htm |title=National Brief |work=The Tribune |agency=Press Trust of India |location=Mumbai |date=25 April 2000}}}}
| death_place = Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|theatre director-producer}}
}}
Pearl Padamsee (1931 ā 23 April 2000) was an Indian theatre personality as a stage actress, director and producer of English language theatre in Mumbai active in 1950sā1990s. 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.{{cite news |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/person/148580/Pearl-Padamsee?scp=1&sq=Pearl%20Padamsee&st=cse |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103102114/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/148580/Pearl-Padamsee?scp=1&sq=Pearl%20Padamsee&st=cse |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 November 2012 |department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=The New York Times |year=2012 |title=Pearl Padamsee: Filmography}} She ran after-school theatre workshops for children.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/19/opinion/IHT-bombay-in-the-60sa-morality-play.html |title=Bombay in the '60s:a morality play |last=Tharoor |first=Shashi |work=International Herald Tribune |authorlink=Shashi Tharoor |date=19 February 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625171532/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/19/opinion/IHT-bombay-in-the-60sa-morality-play.html |archive-date=25 June 2023}}
Professional life and personal vita
Padamsee was born to a Punjabi Christian father and a Baghdadi Jew mother.{{cite news |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/specials/womensday/Rael.shtml |title=Pathbreakers: Rael Padamsee |work=Hindustan Times |date=8 March 2006 |access-date=30 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070819161233/http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/specials/womensday/Rael.shtml |archive-date=19 August 2007 |url-status=dead |quote=[Raell Padamsee] Born to a half Jewish, half Punjabi and a baptised Christian mother}}{{Cite web |url=https://scroll.in/reel/802838/flashback-the-jewish-women-who-dominated-the-indian-cinema-screen |title=Flashback: The Jewish women who dominated the Indian cinema screen |first=Kenneth X. |last=Robbins |date=2 February 2016 |website=Scroll.in |quote=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.}} 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."
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.{{Cite web |url=https://zeenews.india.com/people/khubsoorat-actor-and-pearl-padamsees-son-ranjit-chowdhry-dies-at-65-2276779.html |title=Khubsoorat actor and Pearl Padamsee's son Ranjit Chowdhry dies at 65 |date=15 April 2020 |website=Zee News}}
Pearl became a part of a theatre group, promoting "English theatre" in Mumbai.{{cite web |author=Gerson Da Cunha |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/story.aspx?sid=4&aid=209328 |title=A Rare Pearl |date=8 May 2000 |website=Outlook India |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131004352/http://m.outlookindia.com/story.aspx?sid=4&aid=209328 |archive-date=31 January 2013 |url-status=dead}} She reproduced successful Broadway productions using local Indian talent. She directed, acted and produced for the stage, schools and organizations.
Pearl then married Alyque Padamsee who was also active in English theatre.{{Cite web |last=Gehl |first=Reema |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/sex-and-relationships/to-pearl-with-love/story-IjLholsd9NnZoqaSAhS7rK.html |title=To Pearl, with love |date=3 October 2007 |website=Hindustan Times}}
With Alyque Padamsee, Pearl had a daughter, Raell Padamsee, who runs her own theatre company in Mumbai.{{cite news |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report_pearls-of-wisdom-by-raell-padamsee_1373497 |title=Pearls of wisdom by Raell Padamsee |date=20 April 2010 |work=DNA}} 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.{{Cite web |first=Vivek |last=Fernandes |url=https://www.rediff.com/entertai/2000/apr/26pearl.htm |title=rediff.com, Movies: 'One always thought she would go on and on...' |work=Rediff.com |date=26 April 2000}}
Work
=Stage=
- 1966: The Boy Who Wouldn't Play Jesus (director)
- 1985: Brighton Beach Memoirs (director)
=Filmography=
| class="wikitable"
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes | |||
| 1978 | Hungama Bombay Ishtyle | Aunty | Also producer{{cite news |url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/comedy-of-errors/15267086 |title=Comedy of Errors |date=2 May 2014 |work=Mid-Day online |access-date=15 December 2018}} |
| 1978 | Khatta Meetha | Nargis Sethna | |
| 1979 | Baton Baton Mein | Rosie Perreira | |
| 1979 | Junoon | Akhtarbee | Guest appearance |
| 1984 | Party | Ruth | |
| 1988 | The Perfect Murder | Nurse | |
| 1998 | Such a Long Journey | Mrs. Kutpitia |
Notes and references
{{Notelist}}
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0655590}}
- [https://archive.today/20130126090603/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-04-25/mumbai/28115744_1_raell-padamsee-theatre-personality-dolly-thakore A night remembering 'Pearl' (25 Apr 2010)] The Times of India
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Padamsee, Pearl}}
Category:20th-century Indian actresses
Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema
Category:Indian film actresses
Category:Indian people of Jewish descent
Category:Indian stage actresses
Category:Indian theatre directors
Category:Indian theatre managers and producers
Category:Actresses from Mumbai
Category:Businesspeople from Mumbai
Category:Indian women theatre directors
Category:20th-century Indian businesspeople