Padmini Kolhapure (born 1 November 1965) is an Indian actress and singer who works primarily in Hindi and Marathi cinema. Regarded as one of the leading actresses of the 1980s, she has appeared in over 75 films across a career spanning more than four decades and has received three Filmfare Awards.
| Full name | Padmini Kolhapure |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 November 1965 |
| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Industries | Hindi cinema, Marathi cinema |
| Years active | Since 1972 |
| Notable awards | Three Filmfare Awards |
| Breakthrough film | Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978) |
Kolhapure entered the film industry as a child performer in 1972 at the age of seven. Her early appearances included roles in Zindagi (1976) and Dream Girl (1977), before she came to wider attention as the young Roopa in Raj Kapoor's Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978).
At the age of 15, Kolhapure won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the revenge drama Insaf Ka Tarazu (1980). Two years later, at 17, she received the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for the musical romantic drama Prem Rog (1982). These wins made her the second-youngest recipient of the awards in their respective categories at the time.
Through the 1980s, Kolhapure established herself as a leading lady in Hindi films. Her credits from the period include Ahista Ahista (1981), Vidhaata (1982), Woh Saat Din (1983), Do Dilon Ki Dastaan (1985), Swarag Se Sunder (1986) and Dadagiri (1987). She received further Filmfare nominations for Best Supporting Actress for Souten (1983) and Best Actress for Pyar Jhukta Nahin (1985).
Her later Hindi film appearances include Phata Poster Nikla Hero (2013) and Panipat (2019). In Marathi cinema, she has acted in films such as Chimani Pakhar (2000), Manthan: Ek Amrut Pyala (2005) and Prawaas (2020).
Kolhapure's rise from a child performer to a Filmfare-winning leading actress before the age of 18 marked her as one of the prominent young stars of Hindi cinema in the early 1980s. Her work across Hindi and Marathi films over four decades reflects a sustained presence in Indian cinema beyond her peak years as a heroine.