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'It wasn't a kiss. It was just a harmless, innocent, peck.'
When Prince Charles visited India in 1980, the very talented Padmini Kolhapure had the rare distinction of kissing him!
"I had no idea I was pecking the future King of England!" she exclaims to Subhash K Jha.
"I was very young back then. I had started as a child actor and before I knew it, I was shooting multiple projects as a leading lady. One of them was director Esmayeel Shroff's Ahista Ahista. I was shooting for the film at Rajkamal Studios when we were told that Prince Charles was coming."
Padmini recalls that historic day: "I think he just wanted to see a Hindi film shooting. If I remember correctly, he also met the dabbawallas of Mumbai on the same day. When we heard Prince Charles was dropping in, we were in a state of disbelief. I thought it was a prank, but he did arrive. Shashikalaji greeted him in the traditional way with a thali and tikka."
What was Padmini's reaction on seeing the future King of England?
"I was too young to realise that. To me, he was Prince Charles, the Queen's son. A superstar in his own right. All the girls had a crush on him. I rushed to him like an excited schoolgirl and greeted him."
That's when the historic kiss happened.
"It wasn't a kiss, please," protests Padmini. "It was a friendly, affectionate peck. Little did I know that it would create a storm. Even now when the Queen is no more, God Bless her soul, you are calling me to ask about it. Thank God there was no social media back then. Otherwise, I would have been trolled mercilessly."
Not that the Prem Rog actress was not criticised for an innocent move.
"Oh yes! I was reprimanded for spoiling bharatiya sabhayata. But I repeat, it wasn't a kiss. It was just a harmless, innocent, peck."
Now that the man Padmini pecked is the King of England, what does she have to say? "His mother has brought great glory to the throne. I am sure Prince Charles, I mean King Charles, will live up to the legacy. My best wishes."
As for the peck, "I am glad it made history. But I still don't know why."
