Manju Warrier (ajr; born 10 September 1978) is an Indian actress, producer, classical dancer, and playback singer best known for her work in Malayalam films. She has received numerous honours. She is regarded as one of Malayalam cinema's most prolific actresses.
At the age of 17, she made her acting debut in Sakshyam (1995). Thooval Kottaram (1996), Sallapam (1996), Ee Puzhayum Kadannu (1996), and Aaraam Thampuran (1996) are among her notable films (1997).
Early years
Manju Warrier was born on September 10, 1978, in Nagercoil, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, to Malayali parents. Her ancestors are from Pullu village in Kerala's Thrissur district. T. V. Madhavan worked as an accountant at Shakthi Finance's Nagercoil regional office, and her mother was a housewife from Thiruvilwamala. Madhu Wariar, her elder brother, is also an actor and producer.
Warrier attended Nagercoil's CSI Matriculation Higher Secondary School for her primary education. They returned to Kerala and settled in Kannur after her father was promoted. She attended Chinmaya Vidyalaya in Kannur and then Chovva Higher Secondary School.
Career
Early films (1995-1999) Warrier first appeared on Doordarshan in the television serial Moharavam.
Manju appeared in 20 Malayalam films over a three-year period in the first half of her on-screen career.She made her film debut at the age of 17 in the film Sakshyam (1995). Later, at the age of 18, she co-starred in the film Sallapam (1996) with Dileep, whom she later married.
Her performance in the film Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu received a special mention from the National Film Awards jury. Her other films include: Kanmadam and Aaraam Thampuran with Mohanlal, Ee Puzhayum Kadannu and Kudamattam with her now ex-husband Dileep, Summer in Bethlehem, Pranayavarnangal, Pathram and Kaliyattam with Suresh Gopi, and Irattakuttikalude Achan,Dilliwala Rajakumaran, Kaliveedu, Thooval Kottaram and Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu with Jayaram.
For her performance in the film Ee Puzhayum Kadannu, she received the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress. She played Bhanu, a hot-tempered blacksmith, in Kanmadam, which also starred Mohanlal. She then appeared in the films Daya and Pathram. Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu was her last film before taking a break.
Return to the movies as a professional (2012-2014)
She performed Kuchipudi at the Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple on October 24, 2012.
Later that month, in July 2013, she appeared in a commercial alongside Amitabh Bachchan. She later appeared in a number of advertisements. Sallapam is a book she recently published.
In 2014, she made her comeback in the film How Old Are You, directed by Rosshan Andrews.
2015 to the present
Her next film was Sathyan Anthikad's Ennum Eppozhum, in which she reunited with Mohanlal after a 17-year absence. Rani Padmini, a collaboration between Aashiq Abu and Rima Kallingal, was released in October 2015. The film did poorly at the box office. She appeared in Jo and the Boy, Vettah, C/O Saira Banu, Udaharanam Sujatha, and Villain, among other films.
She appeared in a Sanskrit stage production based on Abhijnakuntalam. The Sopanam Institute of Performing Arts & Research, founded by the late Kavalam Narayana Panicker, presented the play, which was hosted by Swaralaya. Warrier also made her debut as a producer, with the play produced by her company, Manju Warrier Productions.
Manju played the lead in the Kamala Surayya biopic Aami in 2018. Her next film was the Malayalam musical-romantic-comedy drama Mohanlal, in which she played a die-hard fan of Mohanlal.
Her next film was the much-anticipated fantasy drama Odiyan.
Lucifer, directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, was her first release in 2019.
She made her Tamil debut in 2019 with Vetrimaaran's Asuran, opposite Dhanush.
Warrier began filming for Amriki Pandit, her Hindi debut opposite R. Madhavan, in March 2021.
After a 20-year separation, Manju was reunited with Biju Menon through Lalitham Sundaram in 2022.
Private life
Manju married actor Dileep on October 20, 1998, at the Aluva Sri Krishna Temple. Meenakshi, the couple's daughter, was born. They divorced in 2014, and it was finalised in January 2015. Sallapam (Memories), her autobiography, was published in November 2014. Manju lives in the Kerala town of Thrissur.
In the news
Her characters appear on numerous lists of strong female characters in Indian cinema.
Manju Warrier is a professional Kuchipudi dancer who studied under Geetha Padmakumar. She is active in many classical dance programmes and plays. Her return to the stage as part of the Navaratri dance festival at Guruvayur.
She also appears in television commercials and is a brand ambassador for Lasagu Coaching App, Kalyan Jewellers, and Sony India.
 | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Sakshyam | Smitha | |
| 1996 | Sallapam | Radha | |
| Thooval Kottaram | Devaprabha Varma | ||
| Dilliwala Rajakumaran | Maya | ||
| Kaliveedu | Mridula | ||
| Ee Puzhayum Kadannu | Anjali | ||
| 1997 | Kudamattam | Gowri | |
| Irattakuttikalude Achan | Anupama | ||
| Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu | Meenakshi | ||
| Kaliyattam | Thaamara | ||
| Sammanam | Devi | ||
| Aaraam Thampuran | Unnimaya | ||
| 1998 | Pranayavarnangal | Aarathi | |
| Daya | Daya | ||
| Kanmadam | Bhanumathi | ||
| Summer in Bethlehem | Abhirami/Amy | ||
| Thirakalkkappuram | Seetha | ||
| 1999 | Pathram | Devika Shekhar | |
| Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu | Bhadra | ||
| 2014 | How Old Are You? | Nirupama Rajeev | |
| 2015 | Ennum Eppozhum | Adv. Deepa | |
| Rani Padmini | Padmini | ||
| Jo and the Boy | Jo / Joan Mary John | ||
| 2016 | Paavada | Babu's fiancé | Cameo appearance |
| Vettah | Commissioner Sribala IPS | ||
| Karinkunnam 6's | Vandana Aby | ||
| 2017 | C/O Saira Banu | Saira Banu | |
| Udaharanam Sujatha | Sujatha Krishnan | ||
| Villain | Dr. Neelima Mathew | ||
| 2018 | Aami | Kamala Surayya | |
| Mohanlal | Meenakshi / Meenukutty | ||
| Odiyan | Prabha | ||
| 2019 | Lucifer | Priyadharshini Ramdas | |
| Asuran | Pachaiyammal | Tamil film | |
| Prathi Poovankozhi | Madhuri | ||
| 2021 | The Priest | Susan | |
| Chathur Mukham | Thejaswini | Co-produced along with Jiss Toms and Justin Thomas | |
| Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham | Subaida | ||
| 2022 | Lalitham Sundaram | Annie Mary Das | Co-produced along with Kochumon ; released on Disney+ Hotstar |
| Meri Awas Suno | Dr. Reshmi Padath | ||
| Jack N' Jill | Parvathy | Partially reshot in Tamil under title "Centimeter". | |
| 2023 | Thunivu | Kanmani | Tamil film |
| Ayisha | Ayisha | Malayalam - Arabic bilingual movie | |
| Vellari Pattanam | K.P Sunandha | Post-Production | |
| TBA | Kayattam | Maya | Producer; release delayed |
| Amriki Pandit | Shubha | Hindi film; filming |
| Year | Title | Dubbed For | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Girls | — | Narrator |
| 2023 | Alone | Herself | Yamuna |
| Year | Song | Film/Album | Co-Singers | Lyrics | Composer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | "Vezhambal Mamazha" | Chingapoovu (album) | Mohanlal | Bichu Thirumala | Berny–Ignatius |
| "Pakal Kinakkal" | Chingapoovu (album) | Solo Song | Bichu Thirumala | Berny–Ignatius | |
| 1999 | "Chembazhukka" | Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu | Dr. K. J. Yesudas, Kalabhavan Mani | Kavalam Narayana Panicker | M. G. Radhakrishnan |
| 2015 | "Do Do Do" | Jo and the Boy | Sanoop Santhosh | Santhosh Varma | Rahul Subramanian |
| 2016 | "Swanthana Geetham" | Kerala Can (show) Manorama News | Chorus | Harinarayanan | Ratheesh Vega |
| 2022 | "Kim Kim" | Jack N' Jill Centimeter (Tamil) | Solo Song | B. K. Harinarayanan | Ram Surendar |
| "Isthako" | Kayyattam | Ratheesh Eettillam, Devan Narayanan, Aastha Gupta, Sanal Kumar Sasindran | Ratheesh Eetillam | ||
| 2023 | "Kasethan Kadavulada" | Thunivu (Tamil) | Vaisagh, Ghibran | Vaisagh | Ghibran |
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Names earned | Lady superstar [1]The Hindu |
| Profession | Actress |
| Famous Role | Devaprabha Varma in the Malayalam film 'Thooval Kottaram' (1996) |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 163 cm in meters- 1.63 m in feet & inches- 5’ 4” |
| Weight (approx.) | in kilograms- 55 kg in pounds- 121 lbs |
| Figure Measurements (approx.) | 34-26-36 |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | Malayalam film: Sakshyam (1995) TV: Moharavam |
| Awards | 1996: • Best Actress Award for the film 'Ee Puzhayum Kadannu' at Kerala State Film Awards • Best Actress (Malayalam) for the film 'Ee Puzhayum Kadannu' at Filmfare Awards South • Best Actress for the film 'Sallapam' and 'Ee Puzhayum Kadannu' at Kerala Film Critics Association Awards • Best Actress (Malayalam) for the film 'Ee Puzhayum Kadannu' at Screen Videocon Awards 1997: • Best Actress (Malayalam) for the film 'Kaliyattam'and 'Aaram Thamburan' at Filmfare Awards South • Best Actress (Malayalam) for the film 'Aaram Thampuran' and Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu' at Screen Videocon Awards 1998: • Best Actress (Malayalam) for the film 'Kanmadam' at Filmfare Awards South • Best Actress for the film 'Kanmadam' at Asianet Film Awards 1999: • Best Actress (Malayalam) for the film 'Pathram' at Filmfare Awards South • A special mention for the feature film 'Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu' at the National Film Awards • Special Jury Mention at the Kerala Film Critics Association Awards for the film 'Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu' • Best Actress at Asianet Film Awards for the film 'Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu' and 'Pathram' 2014: • Best Actress (Malayalam) for the film 'How Old Are You' at Filmfare Awards South • Best Actress (Malayalam) for the film 'How Old Are You' at South Indian International Movie Awards • Best Actress for the movie 'How Old Are You' at Asianet Film Awards 2015: • Best Actress for the film 'How Old Are You' at Vanitha Film Awards 2016: • Best Actress for the movie 'Vettah' at Asianet Film Awards • Best Actress for the film 'Vettah' and 'Karinkunnam 6's' at Asiavision Awards 2017: • Best Actress - Critics (Malayalam) for the film 'Udaharanam Sujatha' at Filmfare Awards South • Best Actress for the film 'Udaharanam Sujatha' and 'C/O Saira Banu' at Kerala Film Critics Association Awards • Best Actress at Vanitha Film Awards for the film 'Karinkunnam 6's' • Best Actress for the film 'Udaharanam Sujatha' at Asiavision Awards 2018: • Best Actress (Malayalam) for the film 'Aami' at Filmfare Awards South • Best Actress for the film 'Aami' and 'Odiyan' at Asianet Film Awards • Best Actress for the film 'Udaharanam Sujatha' at Vanitha Film Awards • Best Actress for the film 'Aami' at Asiavision Awards 2019: • Best Actress for the film 'Prathi Poovankozhi' at Kerala Film Critics Association Awards • Best Actress - Critics (Tamil) for the film 'Asuran' at South Indian International Movie Awards • Most Popular Tamil Actress at Asianet Film Awards for the film 'Asuran' • Best Actress for the film 'Aami' and 'Odiyan' at Vanitha Film Awards Note: She has won many other awards. |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 10 September 1978 (Sunday) |
| Age (as of 2022) | 44 Years |
| Birthplace | Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu |
| Zodiac sign | Virgo |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Thrissur, Kerala |
| School | • CSI Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Nagercoil • Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Kannur • Chovva Higher Secondary School, Kannur |
| College/University | Sree Narayana College, Kannur |
| Hobby | Dancing |
| Controversies | • In 2019, Manju attracted controversy when she filed a complaint against director VA Shrikumar Menon. In the complaint, she alleged that the director was trying to defame her in many ways. She stated that there were many campaigns on social media that were run to defame her. She also said that she was afraid about the blank cheques that she signed would be used by the director. [2]Financial Express • Manju attracted controversy when she filed a case against director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan on 6 May 2022 and accused him of blackmailing her and defaming reputation through social media. He was arrested by the police from Parassala in Thiruvananthapuram. [3]The Times of India |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Marriage Date | 20 October 1998 |
| Family | |
| Husband/Spouse | Dileep (actor) (m. 1998- div. 2015) |
| Children | Daughter- Meenakshi |
| Parents | Father- T. V. Madhavan (accountant) Mother- Girija Madhavan (kathakali artist) |
| Siblings | Brother- Madhu Warrier (actor) |
| Favourites | |
| Actress | Vidya Balan |
| Style Quotient | |
| Car Collection | Mini Cooper SE |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Manju Warrier
It was a much needed break because up until my marriage my life was hectic. A long break doing nothing and I enjoyed it.”
I am not a writer. I am not even confident about my vocal abilities. However, with the right guidance I could write this book.”
Well, technologically, a lot has changed. Films are all about being digital and shot in high definition. I’ve never been big on technology so I just know and understand the basics. But everything else is the same – the shooting atmosphere, teams, people, sets. I’ve been very fortunate to work with good people in the nineties and when I came back in 2014.”
I am doing a film called Amriki Pandit with Madhavan. The shoot was going on in Bhopal when Madhavan was tested positive for COVID-19, so, we rescheduled. Now, as there’s a lockdown in Bhopal, we are waiting for things to settle down. I am very excited about the project. I am speaking Hindi and we are also shooting with live sound.”
I don’t see any reason to glorify my involvement in social issues. There are a lot of people who do a lot more for society outside the limelight. Since I am known to the public, even the smallest of my deeds are projected in a big way.”
,-Biography,-Wiki,-Age,-Boyfriend-&-More-134.jpg "Surabhi-Samriddhi Mehra (Chinky Minky), Biography, Wiki, Age, Boyfriend & More")
