Rani Padmini was an Indian film actress. She was a prominent lead actress during the 1980s in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu films. She was well noted for her glamorous roles. She entered film field with the film 'Sangharsham'. She was murdered on October 15, 1986 in her home, along with her mother, by three of her employees.

Biography

She was born to Vishwanathan and Indirakumari at Anna Nagar, Chennai. She had a brother and a sister. Rani Padmini was a popular Malayalam actor who played big roles in ‘Parankimala’, ‘Sangarshanam’, ‘Sharam’, ‘Bandhanam’ and ‘Killikonchal’.

She wished to try her luck in Tamil films and came to Madras with her mother, Indirakumari, and rented a flat in Anna Nagar.

Although she did not make it big in Tamil, she got close with several high-profile politicians and film technicians. When big money started pouring in, Padmini decided to hire a driver, cook and watchman, and advertised for the same in a daily.

Lakshmi Narasimhan, known as Kutty, got the watchman’s job, while Jebaraj and Ganesan were employed as driver and cook, respectively.

Padmini became wealthier and decided to buy an independent house for which she kept aside Rs. 15 lakh, locked up at home. Driver Jebaraj hatched a plot to take away the money, and conspired with Kutty and Ganesan. He purchased knives for each of them.

On the morning of October 15, 1986, when Rani Padmini was taking bath, the three attacked Indirakumari and killed her. Hearing her mother’s screams, Rani Padmini rushed out of the bathroom but was overpowered by the three men and murdered.

The three were, however, arrested and sentenced to life terms. All the stolen articles were recovered.

Rani Padmini’s murder caused ripples all over Tamil Nadu and Kerala and it was alleged that the three men were arrested in order to protect a high-profile person who was in close contact with Rani Padmini.