Aesthetic Kamala Lakshman is still remembered by the audience of the ’50s and ’60s for her great dance performances in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu movies. Kamala, the artiste, is worthy of emulation for aspiring dancers. She was adept at Hindustani and Carnatic music, a dancer par excellence with charm and beauty to match. Kamala is famous for her stamina and for holding a pose for a considerable time. Kamala was a dancing prodigy since her childhood and one of the most accomplished Bharata Natyam dancers in her days and become a synonym with Bharata Natyam.     

Kamala was born on 16th Jun 1934 in ‘Mayuram’ near Kaveri river bank in Tamilnadu. Her parents were Rajam and Rama Murthy Iyer. Her mother was in love with dance and music and learnt music from the famous singer K.B.Sundarambal. Kamala’s mother was very much in love with dance more than music but her family traditions and customs didn’t allow her to learn dancing. Kamala’s parents desired to see her as an artiste and came to Mumbai when Kamala was 3 years old. Kamala started to learn Kathak dance from Pandit Lachu Maharaj when she was three and half years old.  

Once Central Studio owner Chandulal Shah saw her dance and made an agreement with her to act in his films in dance sequences. Ranjith Movie Tone and Bombay talkies produced Shadi (1941)and Kismet (1943). Vijay Bhat’s ‘Ram Rajya’ brought her fame as child artiste. She wanted to continue her dance classes and unfortunately her father lost his job. So she continued to act in films to support her family. During the Second World War period her family moved to Southern India. At that time she began learning Bharat Natyam under Muthu Kumarappa Pillai in Madanapalli, Andhrapradesh. Their family moved to Madras  after her ‘Arangetram’. Later she learnt more dancing skills under the guidance of Vazhuvur Ramayya Pillai who became her mentor. Kamala acted in more than 100 films in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. Kismet, Shaadi, Ram Rajya, Naach Ghar, Jwala, Naan Iruvar,Kat Puthli, Devta, Prasakthi, Manohara, Konjum Salangai, Bhoo kailas, Parthiban Kanavu, Srikrishna Thulabharam, Charana- Dasi,etc are some of her movies.  

She got married to the famous cartoonist “R.K. Lakshman” and gave up dance and films for some time. Her marital life didn’t go well and got divorced. Later she started again to give dance performances. She gave 200 to 300 performances every year all over the Globe. She gave many performances in Sri Lanka, Britain, Russia, France, America, Japan and Australia. She represented India at cultural festivals and events all over the world and performed in front of many World dignitaries, including Queen Elizabeth on the occasion of her coronation in 1953.Many of the England news tabloids praised her brilliant performance. Kamala received several awards such as Kalai Sikhamani, Sangeeth Sagar life time Achievement. Prestigious Padma Bhushan was awarded by the Indian Government in 1970.      

 Kamala did not receive much encouragement from the Government in her later years and there was no support from the cultural organizations as well. The lack of encouragement hurt her badly as she was very hard working  and  sincere. In 1979 she went to the US and started a dancing college, teaching and dancing even in her 80s. She recently became the first Bharata Natyam artiste in the United States to receive the prestigious National Heritage Fellowship, the Country’s highest honour in the Traditional and Folk Arts.