Padmanabham was known for his style of comedy and he could hold his own amidst the likes of Relangi and Ramana Reddy.
During his time, he would always have a duet with the leading lady who would eventually love the hero and marry him. So his roles were conceived carefully, it is said. Though a comedian, his roles had a lot of versatility and he could show various shades within the genre including villainy.
While he was successful professionally, his personal life was a total mess, say old-timers. Apparently, he could not get along with his first wife and ended up marrying another woman.
But it is said that both women would not get along and they would fight like cats and dogs. The situation was so bad for him that he is said to have maintained a time-table to give time to both his wives.
Despite that, those who know him reminisce that both women would fight over his money and even land up on sets to create a ruckus.
The story goes that Padmanabham would sleep on temple steps instead of going home on many occasions and there was a time when he lost it and roamed the roads without clothes. That was when industry heads intervened and made sure that he got his treatment.
So much for a man who made the audiences laugh.
Well, there is an age-old gossip that he shared a close relationship with his co-star Geetanjali that did not turn into marriage. But the fact remains that they were considered to be a hit pair back then.
