BrigitteHosking at 05:30, 13 March 2026

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{{Short description|Indian film actress (1942–2024)}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Meena Ganesh
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1942|07|15}}
| birth_place = [[Palakkad]], [[Madras Presidency|Madras Province]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2024|12|19|1942|07|15}}
| death_place = [[Shoranur]], [[Palakkad district]], [[Kerala]], India
| occupation = Actress
}}

'''Meena Ganesh''' (15 July 1942 – 19 December 2024) was an Indian theatre artist and actress who acted mostly in Malayalam film.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.thirtysixmm.com/36mm/celebrity/meena-ganesh | title=大象香煮伊在人线国产75（中国）有限公司 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/malayalam-actor-meena-ganesh-dies-at-81-in-kerala-stmp-2652100-2024-12-19 |title=Malayalam actor Meena Ganesh dies at 81 in Kerala|publisher=India Today}}</ref> As a theatre artist, she has won many awards, including the Guru Pooja Award from the [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy]].

== Biography ==
Born in Kallekulangara, Palakkad, in 1942, Meena is the second of three daughters of Pallath Lakshmi Amma and Pullanikattu Kesavan Nair, who was a Tamil actor.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2024-12-19 |title=Veteran Malayalam actor Meena Ganesh dies |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/veteran-malayalam-actor-meena-ganesh-dies/article69003594.ece |access-date=2024-12-20 |work=[[The Hindu]] |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Later she moved to Chuduvalathur, Shoranur, Maithrinagar.<ref name=":1" />

Meena died from a stroke in [[Shoranur]], [[Palakkad district]], [[Kerala]], on 19 December 2024, at the age of 82.<ref>{{cite news |title=Renowned Malayalam actress Meena Ganesh passes away |url=https://madhyamamonline.com/entertainment/renowned-malayalam-actress-meena-ganesh-passes-away-1361658 |access-date=19 December 2024 |publisher=Madhyamam Online |date=19 December 2024}}</ref>

===Personal life===
Her husband was the late A.N. Ganesh, a playwright, actor and director.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-12-19 |title=Malayalam actress Meena Ganesh passes away at 82 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/malayalam-actress-meena-ganesh-passes-away-at-82/articleshow/116456734.cms |access-date=2024-12-20 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Her acquaintance with the theater industry led to her marriage to Ganesh.<ref name=":0" /> They had two children, including television serial director Manoj.<ref name=":1" />

== Career ==
Meena Ganesh entered the acting field at the age of nineteen through theatre.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=vipinvk |title=സിനിമ,സീരിയൽതാരം മീനഗണേഷ് അന്തരിച്ചു |url=https://www.asianetnews.com/entertainment-news/actress-meena-ganesh-passed-away-sopyxt |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Asianet News Malayalam |language=ml}}</ref> In the theatre field, she had worked in plays of various theatre companies in Kerala including SL Puram Surya Soma, Kayamkulam Kerala Theatres, and Thrissur Chinmayi.<ref name=":0" /> Meena had appeared on stage in over three hundred different roles in different professional and amateur plays and had also acted in around two hundred films and 25 television serials.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2024-12-19 |title=നടി മീന ഗണേഷ് അന്തരിച്ചു |url=https://newspaper.mathrubhumi.com/palakkad/news/palakkad-1.10180558 |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=[[Mathrubhumi]] |language=ml}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Veteran Malayalam film actress Meena Ganesh no more |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/kerala/veteran-malayalam-film-actress-meena-ganesh-no-more-3324558 |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref> She also given voice for many radio dramas broadcast by [[All India Radio]]'s Kozhikode and Thrissur stations.<ref name=":1" />

Meena Ganesh made her film debut with a small role in the 1976 film ''Manimuzhakam''.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=ആദ്യം ശ്രദ്ധിക്കപ്പെട്ടതു പാത്തുമ്മ, പിന്നെ നിഷ്കളങ്കരായ അമ്മമാർ; മീനാ ഗണേഷ് അനശ്വരമാക്കിയ അമ്മവേഷങ്ങൾ ഒട്ടേറെ |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/district-news/palakkad/2024/12/20/meena-ganesh-malayalam-actress-film-career.html |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Manorama online | publisher=[[Malayala Manorama]] |language=ml}}</ref> She became active in the Malayalam film industry after she played the role of Pathumma in the 1991 film ''Mukhachitram''.<ref name=":2" />

Meena Ganesh, who moved to Shoranur after her marriage, had started a drama society in Shoranur called Pournami Kalamandir.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ചിരിപ്പിക്കുകയും കരയിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്ത പ്രിയതാരം; മീന ഗണേഷ് അന്തരിച്ചു |url=https://malayalam.samayam.com/malayalam-cinema/celebrity-news/life-story-of-actress-meena-ganesh-who-passed-away/articleshow/116455668.cms |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Samayam Malayalam |publisher=[[The Times of India]] |language=ml}}</ref>

== Filmography ==

===Malayalam===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Film !! Role
|-
| 1976 || ''[[Manimuzhakkam]]'' ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1983 || ''[[Mandanmmar Londanil]]'' ||
|-
| ''Prasnam Gurutharam'' || Astrologer
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1986 || ''[[Bhagavan]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Nakhakshathangal]]'' ||
|-
| 1991 || ''[[Mukha Chithram]]'' || Seller
|-
| rowspan="6" | 1992 || ''[[Thalayanamanthram]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Utsavamelam]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Valayam]]'' || Ravi's mother
|-
| ''[[Ponnaramthoottathe Raajaavu]]'' || Maluvamma
|-
| ''[[Snehasagaram]]'' || Kunjammuma
|-
| ''[[Mukha Chithram]]'' || Pathumma
|-
| rowspan="6" | 1993 || ''[[Golantharavartha]]'' || Sharadha
|-
| ''[[Bhoomigeetham]]'' || Student's mother
|-
| ''[[Saakshaal Sreemaan Chaathunni]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Venkalam]]'' ||
|-
| ''Manichithrathazhu'' ||
|-
| ''[[Pidakkozhi Koovunna Noottandu]]''||
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1994 || ''[[Pingami]]''|| Kuttyhasan's mother
|-
| ''[[Santhanagopalam]]'' || Adiyodi's wife
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1995 || ''[[Achan Kombathu Amma Varampathu]]'' || Maya's mother
|-
| ''[[Avittam Thirunaal Aarogya Sriman]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Kakkakum Poochakkum Kalyanam]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Sindoora Rekha]]'' ||
|-
| rowspan="7" | 1996 || ''[[Harbour]]'' ||Kaalithalla
|-
| ''[[Kudumbakodathi]]'' ||Guntur Parvathy's mother
|-
| ''[[Kazhakam]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Ee Puzhayum Kadannu]]'' || Devaki
|-
| ''[[Udhyanapalakan]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Kanakkinavu]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Kalyana Sougandhikam (1996 film)|Kalyana Sougandhikam]]'' || Murukeshan's wife
|-
| rowspan="8" | 1997 || ''[[Kaliyoonjal]]'' || Vellachi
|-
| ''[[Asuravamsam]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Manasam]]'' ||
|-
| ''Siamese Irattakal'' || Preman - Dasan's mother
|-
| ''Ikkareyanente Manasam'' ||
|-
| ''[[Rishyasringan]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Kudamattam|Kudamttam]]'' ||
|-
| ''Shobhanam'' || Siddique's umma
|-
| rowspan="7" | 1998 || ''[[Panchaloham]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Sreekrishnapurathe Nakshathrathilakkam]]'' || Kausalya's mother
|-
| ''[[Meenathil Thalikettu]]'' || Janu
|-
| ''[[Rakthasakshikal Sindabad]]'' || Kuttathi's mother
|-
| ''[[Daya (film)|Daya]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Thirakalkkappuram]]'' || Pottiyamma
|-
| ''[[Manjukalavum Kazhinju]]'' ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1999 || ''[[Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njaanum]]'' || Ramu's mother
|-
| ''[[My Dear Karadi]]'' || Manikuttan's mother
|-
| ''[[Sparsham]]'' || Bhargaviyamma
|-
| rowspan="6" | 2000|| ''Valliettan'' || Chathunni's wife
|-
| ''Shayanam'' ||
|-
| ''Dada Sahib'' ||
|-
| ''Aanamuttathe Aangalamar'' ||
|-
| ''Kannadikadavathu'' || Katha
|-
| ''Punaradhivasam'' ||
|-
| rowspan="8" | 2001 || ''Bhadra'' || Jayadevan's grandmother
|-
| ''[[Mazhamegha Pravukal]]'' || Bhairavi
|-
| ''[[Chithrathoonukal]]'' ||
|-
| ''Aaram Jaalakam'' ||
|-
| ''Vezhambal'' ||
|-
| ''House Owner '' ||
|-
| ''[[Ee Nadu Innale Vare]]'' || Nabeesumma
|-
| ''[[Karumadikuttan]]'' || Maathu Ettathi
|-
| rowspan="4" | 2002|| ''Meesa Madhavan'' || Village lady/Umma
|-
| ''Nandanam'' || Karthyayani Amma
|-
| ''[[Uthara]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Valkannadi]]'' || Padmini
|-
| rowspan="6" | 2003 || ''[[Mizhi Randilum]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[War and Love (2003 film)|War and Love]]'' || Basheer's mother
|-
| ''[[Sadanandante Samayam]]'' || Naniyamma
|-
| ''[[Kaliyodam (2003 film)|Kaliyodam]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[CI Mahadevan 5 Adi 4 Inchu]]'' || Mahadevan's mother
|-
| ''[[Ammakkilikoodu]]'' || Inmate
|-
| 2004 || ''Freedom'' || Umma
|-
| rowspan="6" | 2005 || ''[[OK Chacko Cochin Mumbai]]'' || Karthayani
|-
| ''[[Hai (2005 film)|Hai]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Naran (film)|Naran]]'' || Umma
|-
| ''[[Nomparam]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Manikyan]]'' || Manikyan's mother
|-
| ''[[Chandrolsavam]]'' || Madhavi
|-
| 2006 || ''[[Jayam (2006 film)|Jayam]]'' ||
|-
| 2007 || ''[[Sooryakireedam]]'' ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2008 || ''[[Mulla (film)|Mulla]]'' || Pilgrim
|-
| ''Thavalam'' || Nabeesumma
|-
| ''Mohitham'' ||
|-
| rowspan="5" | 2009 || ''[[Samastha Keralam PO]]'' || Narayani
|-
| ''[[Black Dhaliya]]'' || Servant
|-
| ''[[Swantham Bharya Zindabadh]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Ividam Swargamanu]]'' ||Tea Shopper
|-
| ''[[Sanmanassullavan Appukuttan]]'' || Gopalan's mother
|-
| 2010 || ''Nandhuni'' || Naniyamma
|-
| 2011 || ''[[Manushyamrugam]]'' ||Vasu's mother
|-
| rowspan="4" | 2012 || ''[[Orange (2012 film)|Orange]]'' || Saritha's step mother
|-
| ''[[Doctor Innocent Aanu]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Ezham Suryan]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Nuzrat]]'' ||
|-
| 2013 || ''[[Celluloid (film)|Celluloid]]'' || Actress
|-
| 2014 || ''[[Onnum Mindathe]]'' || Jose's mother
|-
| rowspan="6" | 2015 || ''[[Ithinumappuram]]'' || Thanka
|-
| ''[[Mariyam Mukku]]'' || Mariyamma
|-
| ''[[The Reporter (film)|The Reporter]]'' || Tea Stall owner
|-
| ''[[Saigal Padukayanu]]'' ||
|-
| ''[[Nee-Na]]'' || Thresiakutty
|-
| ''Kotharan Oru Malayala Cinema'' ||
|-
| 2016 || ''Pathirakkattu'' ||
|-2024 || ''kishkinda kandam'' ||
|}

== TV serials==
* Geethanjali
* Devaragam
* Snehatheeram
* Velankani Mathavu
* Ramayanam
* Calcutta Hospital
* Ettu Sundarikalum Njanum
* Mangalyam
* AL THWALAQ
* Kalyanaveeran
* Karunyam
* Vayalkilikal
* Sthree
*''[[Minnukettu]]''
* Aa Amma

== Television shows==
* Sreekandan Nair Show

==Awards and honors==
She has won many awards, including the Guru Pooja Award from the [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy]].<ref name=":1" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0304267}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ganesh, Meena}}
[[Category:1942 births]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses in Malayalam cinema]]
[[Category:Actresses in Malayalam television]]
[[Category:Indian television actresses]]
[[Category:People from Palakkad]]

Meena Ganesh - Revision history

BrigitteHosking at 05:30, 13 March 2026