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Actresses

Padma Khanna (Actress) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth10 March 1949

Age76 Years

BirthplacePatna, Bihar

ProfessionActress

NationalityIndian

Marital statusWidow

SpouseJagdish L. Sidana

FamilySon - Akshar Sidana; Daughter - Neha Sidana

Padma Khanna (Actress) Biography

Padma Khanna is an Indian actress and trained Kathak dancer best known for her portrayal of Kaikeyi in Ramanand Sagar’s television adaptation of the Ramay

Early life and background

Padma Khanna was born on 10 March 1949 in Patna, Bihar, and grew up with connections to Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, which she considers home. She began formal Kathak training at a very young age under Guru Kishan Maharaj in Varanasi and later received advanced instruction from the noted dancer Gopi Krishna. These early years of dance study laid the foundation for a career that would combine performance on screen with continued work in classical dance.

Career

Khanna’s on-screen career began as a child artist. Her first credited appearance came in the Bhojpuri film Bhaiya (1961), and she also appeared in the early Bhojpuri title Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo (1962). After a brief return to Varanasi, she moved to Bombay again at Gopi Krishna’s encouragement to pursue acting more fully.

She entered mainstream Hindi cinema in the 1960s and made her Hindi feature debut in Biwi Aur Makaan (1966). The 1970 film Johny Mera Naam brought her wider recognition when she appeared as the cabaret dancer Tara. After that breakthrough, Khanna frequently took on vampish or negative supporting roles through the 1970s and 1980s, a casting trend that followed her early success.

Her filmography spans multiple Indian languages: Hindi, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Punjabi and Marathi. She worked in Gujarati cinema (including Gher Gher Matina Chula, 1977), Punjabi (Jindri Yaar Di, 1978) and Marathi (Devta, 1983), and continued to act in Hindi films such as Pakeezah (1972), where she served as a body double for Meena Kumari, and Saudagar (1973), in which she shared the screen with Amitabh Bachchan. Across her career she appeared in well over 400 films in various regional industries.

Television brought Khanna some of her most enduring recognition. Her performance as Kaikeyi in Ramanand Sagar’s televised Ramayan (1987–1988) became a defining role and made her widely familiar to audiences across India.

Public profile

Alongside her film and television work, Padma Khanna’s background as a trained Kathak dancer remained central to her public identity. Early encouragement to pursue a film career came from established actresses who saw potential in her dance and screen presence. Over time she balanced acting with choreography and dance teaching.

In 1990, Khanna and her husband Jagdish L. Sidana relocated to New Jersey in the United States. There she established a dance academy called Indianica, continuing to teach and promote Indian classical dance. In 2008 she was involved in a large-scale musical based on the Ramayana at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City, acting and choreographing alongside dozens of other performers; that production was directed by her husband.

Personal life

Padma Khanna married film director Jagdish L. Sidana in 1986. The couple had two children: a son, Akshar Sidana, and a daughter, Neha Sidana. Her marital status is listed as widow. Outside of her professional life, she enjoyed dancing and listening to music. She has cited actress Sridevi among her favorites.

Latest updates

Following a long and prolific career in film and television, Khanna continued to teach and stage dance works after moving to the United States. Her involvement in the 2008 Ramayana musical at Avery Fisher Hall is among the notable later-career projects recorded in public accounts.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Padma Khanna (Actress), send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Ramayan (TV)

Portrayed Kaikeyi in Ramanand Sagar’s televised Ramayan (1987–1988).

1987
Indianica (Dance academy)

Founded and ran a dance academy in New Jersey after relocating in 1990; continued to teach and choreograph.

1990
Ramayana musical at Avery Fisher Hall

Acted in and choreographed a stage musical based on the Ramayana in New York City; the production was directed by her husband.

2008
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Career Highlights

  1. Began as a child artist in Bhojpuri cinema with Bhaiya (1961) and Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo (1962).
  2. Breakthrough in Bollywood with Johny Mera Naam (1970) as the cabaret dancer Tara.
  3. Worked as a body double in Pakeezah (1972) and acted alongside Amitabh Bachchan in Saudagar (1973).
  4. Portrayed Kaikeyi in Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan (1987–1988), achieving widespread recognition.
  5. Worked in over 400 films across Hindi, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Punjabi and Marathi cinema.
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Padma Khanna (Actress) born?

Padma Khanna (Actress) was born on 10 March 1949.

What is Padma Khanna (Actress) known for?

Padma Khanna (Actress) is known for actress.

What is Padma Khanna (Actress)’s marital status?

Padma Khanna (Actress)'s marital status is listed as Widow.

Who is Padma Khanna (Actress) married to?

Padma Khanna (Actress) is publicly listed as married to Jagdish L. Sidana.