Kamala Kotnis

Kamala Kotnis was an Indian actress who played roles in Telugu and Hindi movies during the 1940s. She is also notable for being Dev Anand's first heroine in Hum Ek Hai, released in 1946.

Early life

Kamala Kotnis was born as Kamalabai in Andhra Pradesh to a Telugu Mother and a British Father who was in the Army. As a child, she was adopted by a Zamindar. She later married Panduranga Kotnis in 1941, who was the brother of D.S. Kotnis, a leading cinematographer. Her younger sister married into the Royal family of Ramnad estate. Yesteryear Tamil and Telugu actress Latha Sethupathi and the present day titular queen of Ramnad Rajeswari Nachiyar are her nieces.

Filmography

• Jeevana Jyoti - (Telugu) - 1940
• Bala Nagamma - (Telugu) - 1942
• Chenchulakshmi - (Telugu) -1943 – Lakshmi
• Bhagyalakshmi - (Telugu) - 1943
• Sri Sita Rama Jananam - (Telugu) - 1943
• Tahsildar 1944 – (Telugu) - Rajani
• Hum Ek Hai - (Hindi) - 1946
• Gokul - (Hindi) - 1946
• Mera Suhaag - (Hindi) - 1947
• Agae Badho - (Hindi) - 1949
• Seedha Raasta - (Hindi) - 1949
• Sati Ahalya - (Hindi) - 1949

References

• Chenchulakshmi (1943) - The Hindu
• Blast from the Past: Bhagyalakshmi (1943) - The Hindu
• Blast From The Past: Sri Sita Rama Jananam (1944) - The Hindu
• My First Break - Dev Anand
• Latha Interview - Rediff
• The making of Tollywood - The New Indian Express