Actor with multiple language skills, created a fake surname for passport, dreamed of becoming a pilot, and collaborated with Thalapathy Vijay and Dhanush
Learn about a well-known pan-Indian actress who has starred alongside top actors like Dhanush, Thalapathy Vijay, and Akshay Kumar. This talented actress recently received the prestigious National Film Award for her outstanding performance. Can you guess who it is? We’re talking about Nithya Menen. In this article, we’ll delve into her personal and professional life.
Who is Nithya Menen?
Nithya Menen was born on 8 April 1990 to her Malayali parents Nalini and Sukumar in Bangalore, Karnataka. She attended Poorna Prajna School for her early education and later moved to Mount Carmel College in Bangalore.
Nithya was born NS Nithya, with ‘NS’ representing her parents’ initials. In an interview with India Today, she mentioned that she changed her name to Menen using numerology for practical purposes, like on her passport. Interestingly, Nithya is multilingual and proficient in six languages, including Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and English.
In another interview with India Today, Nithya Menen shared that pursuing a career in entertainment was never in her plans. Initially, she aspired to become a pilot or a war journalist, or even a wildlife journalist. However, fate led her to the film industry. While taking her school entrance exam, she met filmmaker B. V. Nandini Reddy, who encouraged her to consider acting.
Today, Nithya Menen is a well-established actress and singer, predominantly working in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada cinema. She has received numerous accolades, including a National Film Award.
Nithya Menen’s filmography
Nithya Menen made her debut as a child artist in 1998 in the French-English film Hanuman. At just 8 years old, she played the younger sister of Tabu’s character. Additionally, she appeared in the Hindi daily soap Choti Maa- Ek Anokha Bandhan in 2001 and 2002. At 15, Nithya starred in the Kannada film 7 O’Clock. Her Malayalam debut was alongside Mohanlal in Aakasha Gopuram, directed by K.P. Kumaran. Over the years, she featured in several films like Josh, Vellathooval, Angel John, Kerala Cafe, Anwar, and Apoorvaragam. Her breakthrough came in 2011 with the Telugu rom-com Ala Modalaindi alongside Nani.
Nithya continued to impress in films like Urumi with Santosh Sivan, Veppam, Violin, Ishq, Karmayogi, Thalsamayam Oru Penkutty, Bachelor Party, Ustad Hotel, and more. She received acclaim for her roles in Mersal with Thalapathy Vijay in 2017 and Mission Mangal with Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, and Tapsee Pannu in 2019. In 2022, Nithya appeared in Bheemla Nayak with Pawan Kalyan and Rana Daggubati, which was a hit at the box office.
Nithya Menen recently won the National Film Award for her performance in Thiruchitrambalam alongside Dhanush. Directed by Mithran R. Jawahar, the film tells the story of Pazham, a delivery boy, and his best friend Shobana.
In an interview with the Indian Express, the Skylab actress expressed her happiness in receiving national recognition for Thiruchitrambalam. She emphasized her desire to work in films that bring joy to both herself and the audience. Some of Nithya Menen’s notable works include Awe, Psycho, Ninnila Ninnila, Skylab, 19(1)(a), Wonder Women, Kolaambi, and Masterpiece.
Nithya Menen’s upcoming Movie
Nithya Menen and Dhanush are set to reunite on-screen for Idli Kadai, following their collaboration in Thiruchitrambalam. Idli Kadai marks Dhanush’s fourth directorial venture after Pa Paandi, Raayan, and Nilavukku En Mel Ennadi Kobam.
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