Kavya Madhavan (born 19 September 1984),[1] is an Indian actress who acted predominantly in Malayalam films, and a few Tamil films. She made her debut in 1991 as a child artist in Pookkalam Varavayi. Her debut role as one of the lead actresses (the other being Samyuktha Varma) was in Lal Jose's Chandranudikkunna Dikkil in 1999, when she was in the ninth grade. Its success established her status as one of the leading actress in the Malayalam industry during the 2000s. She has since acted in over 75 films. She has won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress twice, for her performances in Perumazhakkalam (2004) and Khaddama (2010).[2]
Early life
Kavya Madhavan was born on 19 September 1984 into a Chaliya family[3] to P. Madhavan and Shyamala in Nileshwaram, Kasaragod, India.[4] She has a brother Midhun Madhavan, who is a fashion designer. She completed her schooling at Rajah's Higher Secondary School in Nileshwaram. She began learning classical dance whilst at school and participated in various dance competitions.
Personal life
Kavya married Nishal Chandra on 9 February 2009,Template:Citation needed after which she moved to Kuwait.Template:Citation needed However, she returned home in June the same year and filed for divorce on 24 July 2009.Template:Citation needed Both Kavya and Nishal appeared before the court on 25 May 2011 and expressed their willingness for a mutual divorce. The divorce was granted on 30 May 2011. She married actor Dileep whom Kavya always called as a ‘daddy figure’ in her interviews after her divorce,[5][6] in spite of infidelity rumours, on 25 November 2016 at Vedanta Hotel, Kochi.[7][8] The couple have a daughter, Mahalakshmi, born on 19 October 2018.[9]
Kavya owns a textile shop named Laksyah. In April 2013, Mathrubhumi Books published a collection of memoirs written by Kavya, titled Kathayil Alpam Kavyam which gives a glimpse into her childhood memories and the experiences of her school days and in the film industry. The book was released by writers Subhash Chandran and Deedi Damodaran at a function held in K. P. Kesava Menon Hall in Kozhikode on 11 April.[10]
Acting career
Kavya first appeared as a child artist in Kamal's film Pookkalam Varavayi (1991) at the age of six in a cameo role along the students in a bus. Subsequently, she was offered parts in other projects such as Pavam IA Ivachan (1994), Parassala Pachan Payyannur Paramu (1994) by P. Venu and Azhakiya Ravanan (1996), directed by Kamal. She was offered one of the female lead in Chandranudikkunna Dikkil, also starring Dileep, in 1999.[11][12] After the success of Chandranudikkunna Dikhil, Kavya and Dileep became a popular pairing in Malayalam cinema, and they worked together in 21 movies.[13] Some of their movies are Thenkasipattanam (2000), Darling Darling (2000), Dhosth (2001), Meesa Madhavan (2002) which was one of biggest grosser of the year and was directed by Lal Jose, Mizhi Randilum (2003) in which she played a double role, Sadanandante Samayam (2003), Thilakkam (2003) directed by Jayaraj, Runway (2004) directed by Joshiy, Kochi Rajavu (2005), Lion (2006) again directed by Joshiy, Chakkaramuthu (2006), Inspector Garud (2007), Paappi Appacha (2010), Vellaripravinte Changathi (2011) and Pinneyum (2016). Most of their movies were in the romantic comedy genre.
She also acted in films with Mammootty and Mohanlal, and in movies with several stars, such as Ee Pattanathil Bhootham, Christian Brothers and China Town.
She got critical acclaim for her performance in Perumazhakkalam for which she won 2004 Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress and for the role of Ashwati in Khaddama where she played a housemaid working in Saudi Arabia. The movie was based on a feature by K. U. Iqbal, published in Bhashaposhini.[14] The movie was directed by her mentor Kamal, and she got her second Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress for 2011. She won the 2011 Kerala Film Critics Awards for Best Actress, Amrita-FEFKA Film Awards for Best Actress, Best Actress-Malayalam cinema in 59th Filmfare Awards South and Best Actress in Thikkurissy Foundation Awards.[15] She was part of big grossers like Christian Brothers and China Town in 2011 and was selected as Top Star (Female) 2011 in Malayalam.[16]
She was cast in Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Naalu Pennungal in which she played a supporting role.
Though she had many offers from Tamil cinema, she was very reluctant to act due to her busy schedule in Malayalam. Her first was Kasi (2001) which was the remake of Vinayans Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njaanum. She went on to act in En Mana Vaanil and Sadhu Miranda and enjoyed moderate success.Template:Citation needed
She wrote lyrics for the song "En Khalbillulloru Pennaanu" for the film One Way Ticket (2008) and for Akashavani (2016).[17] She sang her first movie song for the Malayalam film Matinee (2012).[18] She has appeared in many advertisements, TV shows, short films and stage shows. She also sang songs for the movies Hadiya (2017) and Daivame Kaithozham K. Kumar Akanam (2018).
From acting as a child to acting as an actress, Sreeja has provided voice to her in many films.Template:Citation needed Devi, Praveena, Bhagyalakshmi and Vimmy Mariam George and Nithuna Nevil Dinesh have also lent their voices in some films.Template:Citation needed
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Pookkalam Varavayi | Geethu's friend | Child artist |
| 1992 | Mayilppeeli | ||
| 1994 | Pavam I. A. Ivachan | Sara Ivachan | |
| The President | |||
| 1996 | Parassala Pachan Payyannur Paramu | Neena | |
| Azhakiya Ravanan | Young Anuradha | ||
| 1997 | Oral Mathram | Gopika Menon | |
| Snehasindooram | Anjali | ||
| Bhoothakkannadi | Meenu | ||
| Irattakuttikalude Achan | Dhanya | ||
| Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu | Anjali | ||
| 1998 | Kattathoru Penpoovu | Yamuna | |
| 1999 | Chandranudikkunna Dikhil | Radha | Debut film in a leading role |
| 2000 | Madhuranombarakattu | Sunaina | |
| Darling Darling | Padmaja/Puppy | ||
| Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal | Celin | ||
| Thenkasipattanam | Devu | ||
| 2001 | Sahayathrikakku Snehapoorvam | Maya | |
| Rakshasa Rajavu | Daisy | ||
| Jeevan Masai | Manjula | ||
| Mazhamegha Pravukal | Malu | ||
| Dosth | Geethu | ||
| Kasi | Lakshmi | Tamil film | |
| 2002 | Onnaman | Suhara | |
| Oomappenninu Uriyadappayyan | Gopika Rajashekhara Varma | ||
| Meesa Madhavan | Rugmini | ||
| En Mana Vaanil | Thilaka | Tamil film; remake of Oomappenninu Uriyadappayyan | |
| 2003 | Thilakkam | Ammu | |
| Vellithira | Pankajam | Cameo appearance | |
| Sadanandante Samayam | Sumangala | ||
| Gowrisankaram | Gauri | ||
| Mizhi Randilum | Bhadra and Bhama | Dual role | |
| Pulival Kalyanam | Ganga | ||
| 2004 | Perumazhakkalam | Ganga | |
| Greetings | Sheethal | ||
| Runway | Gopika | ||
| 2005 | Iruvattam Manavaatti | Bhumika | |
| Annorikkal | Ponnu | ||
| Ananthabhadram | Bhadra | ||
| Seelabathi | Seelabathi | ||
| Kochi Rajavu | Ashwathy/Achu | ||
| Aparichithan | Meenakshi | ||
| Kadha | Meera | ||
| 2006 | Chakkara Muthu | Anitha | |
| Vadakkumnadhan | Bhama | ||
| Vasthavam | Sumithra | ||
| Arunam | Valli | ||
| Classmates | Thara Kurup | ||
| Kilukkam Kilukilukkam | Chandini | ||
| Lion | Sharika | ||
| 2007 | Athisayan | Maya | |
| Naalu Pennungal | Subhadra | ||
| Inspector Garud | Subcollector.Sethulakshmi | ||
| Nadiya Kollappetta Rathri | Nadiya and Nadira | Dual role | |
| Kangaroo | Jancy | ||
| 2008 | Sadhu Miranda | Priya | Tamil film |
| Madampi | Jayalakshmi | ||
| Twenty:20 | Ancy | ||
| 2009 | Ee Pattanathil Bhootham | Ancy | |
| Banaras | Amritha | ||
| 2010 | Paappi Appacha | Annie | |
| 2011 | Bhaktha Janangalude Sradhakku | Sumangala | |
| Gaddama | Aswathy | ||
| Chinatown | Rosamma | ||
| Venicile Vyaapari | Ammu | ||
| Vellaripravinte Changathi | Sulekha / Mary Varghese | ||
| Christian Brothers | Meenakshi | ||
| 2012 | Bavuttiyude Namathil | Vanaja | |
| 2013 | Players | Rose | |
| Lokpal | Dr.Geetha | ||
| Breaking News Live | Nayana | ||
| 5 Sundarikal | Gauri | Anthology film; Segment: Gauri | |
| 2015 | She Taxi | Sharika | |
| 2016 | Aakashvani | Vani | Also lyricist for the song "Kaalam Ni" |
| Pinneyum | Devi |
Short films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Bhoomikkoru Charamageetham | College student | Short film |
| 2016 | Kaavalal | Herself | Short film |
Awards and nominations
Template:BLP sources section Template:Infobox actor awards
References
- ↑ Meenakshi Dileep drops a lovely photo on Kavya Madhavan's birthday. The Times of India.
- ↑ State Film Awards (2000–12). Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ↑ https://theopinionatedindian.com/south/actor-kavya-madhavan-age-caste-date-of-birth-family-in-2025/cid16949985.htm
- ↑ Kavya Madhavan turns 33 years old today: Controversies that rocked her life. The Indian Express(19 September 2017). Retrieved 15 July 2021.
- ↑ “Dileep-Kavya Madhavan wedding divides the Internet”, Onmanorama, November 26, 2016. https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/dileep-kavya-madhavan-wedding-divides-the-internet.html
- ↑ “കാവ്യ ദിലീപിനെ കണ്ടത് അച്ഛനെ പോലെ, അതുപോലെ ആകുമോ”; അധിക്ഷേപിച്ചയാക്ക് രേണുവിന്റെ മറുപടി”, OneIndia Malayalam, March 8, 2025. https://malayalam.oneindia.com/news/kerala/kavya-madhavan-once-consider-dileep-as-her-father-one-comments-this-is-wht-kollam-sudhi-wife-renu-507609.html
- ↑ "Kavya Madhavan's Marriage Photos" Template:Webarchive. Keralaweddingtrends.com. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
- ↑ Dileep Kavya Madhavan Marriage Photos Videos Template:Webarchive. Filmclickz.com (22 July 2002). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
- ↑ [1]Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/pics-dileep-and-kavya-madhavans-daughter-mahalakshmi-her-first-step-into-the-world-of-letters-on-vijayadashmi-day/articleshow/87130184.cms. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
- ↑ "Kavya Madhavan's Memoirs Released" Template:Webarchive. The New Indian Express
- ↑ Reaching new heights(29 January 2012).
- ↑ Sathyan Anthikad and Lal Jose: Winning the hearts of the Malayalam 'family' audience(4 July 2017).
- ↑ Kavya Dileep Kadha Ithu vare – Mazhavil Manorama Live(19 December 2011). Retrieved 19 October 2013.
- ↑ Maid film highlights abuse. Khaleejtimes.com(14 January 2011). Retrieved 19 October 2013.
- ↑ 'Aadminte Makan Abu chosen best film by Thikkurissy foundation, IBN Live News. Ibnlive.in.com(7 January 2012). Retrieved 19 October 2013.
- ↑ Top 10 Highest Grossing Malayalam Movies – 2011(n.d.). Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ↑ Kavya Madhavan. Kavyamadhavanonline.blogspot.com(24 February 2004). Retrieved 19 October 2013.
- ↑ Kavya Madhavan Singing – Mounamai Manasil Song – MATINEE Movie(12 November 2012). Retrieved 19 October 2013.
- ↑ State Film Awards (2000–12). Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ↑ Adaminte Makan Abu adjudged best film. The Hindu(23 May 2011). Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ↑ The 59th Idea Filmfare Awards 2011(South). Retrieved 8 July 2012.
- ↑ Mammotty, Kavya Madhavan bag Asiavision awards, Sathish, VM. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 "കേരള ഫിലിം ക്രിട്ടിക്സ് അവാര്ഡ് 1977 – 2012". Kerala Film Critics Association. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ↑ "SIIMA WINNER'S 2012". South Indian International Movie Awards. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ↑ Siimas: Kavya Madhavan's fabulous decade in film. Gulf News(11 September 2013). Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ↑ Sathyan Awards 2011(October 2011).
- ↑ Lalitha Padmini ragini memorial award for Kavya(November 2011).
- ↑ Viewers Choice Award – Malayalam 2011.
- ↑ Kavya and Amlala Paul clench Amrita Film Awards. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
External links
Template:FilmfareMalayalamBestActress Template:KeralaStateAwardForBestActress