Ragini (1937 – 1976) was a South India

South India

South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...

n danseuse and actress. She was the youngest of the famed Travancore Sisters

Travancore sisters

Travancore Sisters refers to the trio of Padmini, Lalitha and Ragini who were actors, dancers and performers in Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi films....

: Lalitha

Lalitha (actress)

Lalitha was a South Indian actress and danseuse. She was the eldest of the "Travancore Sisters" - Lalitha, Padmini, and Ragini. She started her acting career in the 1938 Tamil film Adithan Kanavu and has acted in movies of different Indian languages including Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu.She...

, Padmini

Padmini (actress)

Padmini was an Indian actress and trained Bharathanatyam dancer who has acted in over 250 Indian films. She has acted in the Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi language films...

, and Ragini. With sister Padmini, she started her acting career in the mid 1950s and has acted in movies of different Indian languages

Cinema of India

The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...

 including Hindi, Malayalam

Malayalam cinema

The Cinema of Kerala or Malayalam cinema refers to the film industry in the Indian state of Kerala, which makes films in the Malayalam language. Malayalam movies typically portray social or family issues and are considered more realistic than films from other parts of India. Malayalam cinema has...

, Tamil

Tamil cinema

Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...

, and Telugu

Telugu cinema

The Cinema of Andhra Pradesh, also referred to as Telugu Cinema or Tollywood, is the Telugu film industry in India. The Telugu language film industry is known for being one of the three largest in terms of no.of films produced yearly in India. The Prasads IMAX theatre in Hyderabad is one of the...

. The era of dance in Hindi cinema is considered to have begun with the entrance of Ragini and other South Indian actresses. Ragini died of cancer in 1976.

Selected filmography

• Jai Jagat Janani (1976, Hindi)
• Ernakulam Junction (1971, Malayalam)
• Lanka Dahanam (1971, Malayalam)
• Panchavan Kaadu
  Panchavan Kaadu
  Panchavan Kaadu is a 1971 Malayalam language film starring Sathyan, Prem Nazir, Ragini, Sheela, and Sharada in the lead roles. It was directed by Kunchacko....
  
  (1971, Malayalam)
• Aranazhikaneram (1970, Malayalam)
• Thurukkatha Vathil (1970, Malayalam)
• Othenante Makan (1970, Malayalam)
• Aadhi Raat Ke Baad
  Aadhi Raat Ke Baad
  Aadhi Raat Ke Baad is 1965 Hindi language movie directed by Nanabhai Bhatt and starring Ashok Kumar, Ragini, Sailesh Kumar, Murad, Agha, Sajjan, Ulhas, Jankidas, Rajan Haskar and Kumar. Chitragupt was Music Director and Manna Dey was Playback singer for this movie....
  
  (1965, Hindi)
• Manavatty (1964, Malayalam)
• Yeh Dil Kisko Doon (1963, Hindi)
• Gehra Daag
  Gehra Daag
  Gehra Daag is a 1963 Bollywood romantic crime drama film directed by O.P. Ralhan. A moderate box-office success, the film became the ninth highest earning film of 1950, earning an approximate gross of Rs.1,40,00,000 and a nett gross of Rs.70,00,000 ....
  
  (1963, Hindi)
• Naag Rani (1963, Hindi)
• Shikari (1963, Hindi)
• Bharya
  Bharya (1962 film)
  Bharya is a 1962 Malayalam language film starring Sathyan and Ragini in the lead roles. It was directed by Kunchacko based on a novel with the same title by Kanam EJ.The novel was based on the controversial Thiruvalla Ammalu murder case...
  
  (1962, Malayalam)
• Puthiya Aakasham Puthyiya Bhumi (1962, Malayalam)
• Unniyarcha
  Unniyarcha (1961 film)
  Unniyarcha is a 1961 Malayalam language martial arts film directed by Kunchacko. It stars Prem Nazeer and Ragini in the lead roles. Unniyarcha was the first Vadakkan Pattu film in Malayalam. Inspired by its success, a series of similar productions came out in the following decades....
  
  (1961, Malayalam)
• Aai Phirse Bahar (1960, Hindi)
• Kalpana
  Kalpana
  Kalpana is a Sanskrit word that means "creativity" and "imagination" in Marathi, Hindi and Nepali. It is also a popular female Hindu name.It may also refer to:* Kalpana , at NASAs Ames Research Center...
  
  (1960, Hindi)
• Amar Shaheed (1959, Hindi)
• Veerapandiya Kattabomman
  Veerapandiya Kattabomman (film)
  Veerapandiya Kattabomman is a 1959 Tamil feature film written by Sakthi T. K. Krishnasamy and directed by B. R. Panthulu. The cast includes Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Padmini, S. Varalakshmi, and V. K. Ramaswamy....
  
  (1959, Tamil)
• Nayaru Pidicha Pulival (1958, Malayalam)
• Amar Deep
  Amar Deep (1958 film)
  Amar Deep is a 1958 Hindi movie directed by T Prakash Rao. The film stars Dev Anand, Vyjayanthimala, Pran, Padmini, Johnny Walker and Om Prakash. The film's music is by C Ramachandra.A couple of songs from the film , were great hits.-Plot:Aruna lives a wealthy lifestyle with her paternal grandfather...
  
  (1958, Hindi)
• Mujrim (1958, Hindi)
• Sitamgar (1958, Hindi)
• Mr. X (1957, Hindi)
• Payal (1957, Hindi)
• Qaidi (1957, Hindi)
• Thooku Thooki (1954, Tamil)

External links