Ragini

Biography:

Ragini (March 27, 1937 – December 30, 1976) was a renowned Indian actress and dancer, notably being the youngest of the esteemed Travancore Sisters, which also included Lalitha and Padmini.

Commencing her acting journey in the mid-1950s alongside her sister Padmini, she featured in films spanning various Indian languages like Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. Notably, she starred opposite Shammi Kapoor in the film “Mujrim” (1958) and portrayed the character of Parvati opposite Trilok Kapoor’s Shiva in the 1962 film “Shiv Parvati.”

Ragini’s introduction, along with other South Indian actresses, is credited with initiating the era of dance in Hindi cinema. Her contribution was pivotal in shaping the dance landscape of Indian movies. Tragically, Ragini passed away in 1976 due to breast cancer. In addition to her film roles, she also left her mark on the realm of drama.

She was married to Madhavan Thampi, and their union brought forth two daughters, Lakshmi and Priya. Notably, actress Sukumari was a maternal first cousin to the trio.

The lineage extends to Malayalam actors such as Shobana, Ambika Sukumaran, Vineeth, and Krishna, who are all connected as relatives. Ragini’s husband returned from the US in 1972 to be by her side when she fell ill with cancer.