Monisha Unni

Monisha Unni (24 January 1971 – 5 December 1992) was an Indian film actress.[1][2]

Monisha Unni
Born
24 January 1971 Panniyankara, Kozhikode, Kerala, India
Died5 December 1992(1992-12-05) (aged 21)
X-ray Junction, Cherthala, Alappuzha
Cause of deathCar Accident
NationalityIndian
OccupationFilm actress
Classical Dancer
Years active1986–1992
Known forNakhakshathangal
Perumthachan
Kamaladalam
Parent(s)Narayanan Unni
Sreedevi Unni

Monisha was 15 when she became the youngest actress ever to receive the National Film Award for Best Actress for Nakhakshathangal (1986), her debut film.[3] Along with Sharada, Shobhana, Meera Jasmine, Surabhi Lakshmi and Shobha, Monisha Unni is one of six Malayalam actresses who have won the National Film Award for Best Actress.[4][5]

She died in a car accident near Cherthala, Alappuzha at the age of 21. In her short career, Monisha collaborated with directors such as M. T. Vasudevan Nair, Hariharan, Priyadarshan, Ajayan, Kamal and Sibi Malayil.[6]

Early life

Monisha Unni was born in Panniyankara, Kozhikode in 1971 to Narayanan Unni and Sreedevi Unni.[7] Narayanan Unni came from Shornur and was in the leather business in Bangalore, where Unni was brought up. Sreedevi Unni is a classical dancer trained in Mohiniattam. Unni started to learn dance during her childhood and did her first stage performance when she was nine years old. She won the Kaushika Award in the Karnataka state-level Mohiniyattam competition in 1985. She completed her schooling at St. Charles High School, Bangalore and Bishop Cotton Girls School, Bangalore. She completed her graduation in psychology at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore.[8] She has an elder brother, Sajith Unni.[9]

Death

Monisha Unni was working on the Malayalam film Cheppadividya when she died in a car accident. On 5 December 1992, a car carrying Monisha and her mother Sreedevi Unni met with an accident near Cherthala in Alappuzha. While her mother escaped with fractures and bruises, Monisha succumbed to her injuries.[4]

Career

Malayalam novelist M. T. Vasudevan Nair, who is also a screenwriter and film director, was a family friend of the Unnis. M. T. was responsible for Unni's entry into films. She made her debut in Nakhakshathangal (1986), which was written by M. T. and directed by Hariharan. The film portrayed a love triangle involving three teenagers. Monisha's portrayal of Gowri, the film's female protagonist, won her the National Film Award for Best Actress in 1987.[8]

Monisha is also known for her roles in Malayalam films such as Perumthachan (1990), Kadavu (1991) and Kamaladalam (1992). She acted in Tamil films such as Pookkal Vidum Thoodhu (a remake of Nakhashathangal), Moondraavadhu Kann, Unna Nenachen Pattu Padichen, and Dravidan, and in the Kannada film Chiranjeevi Sudhakar (1988). She appeared in the Telugu movie Lawyer Bharathi Devi (1987).

Filmography
YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes
1984PaavayyaTamilA 16mm B/W Tamil short film directed by U. S. Vaasan (based on "Vilaivu", a short story by K. I. Rajanarayanan)
1986NakhakshathangalGowriMalayalamNational Film Award for Best Actress. Written by MT Vasudevan Nair and directed by Hariharan.
1986RithubhedamThankamaniMalayalam
1986Sayam SandhyaVinumolMalayalam
1987Pookkal Vidum ThoothuTamilDirected by Sreedhar Rajan
1987Lawyer Bharathi DeviLeelaTeluguFirst Telugu film; directed by G Rammohan Rao
1988AryanSainabhaMalayalamWritten by T. Damodaran and directed by Priyadarshan
1988Chiranjeevi SudhakarSandhyaKannadaOnly Kannada film; directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao
1988KanakambarangalSreedeviMalayalam
1989DravidanSalmaTamilRemake of Aryan (1988) by R Kirshnamoorthy
1989AdhipanGeethaMalayalamWritten by Jagadeesh and directed by K. Madhu
1990Kuruppinte Kanakku PustakomSathiMalayalam
1990Veena Meettiya VilangukalSrideviMalayalam
1990PerumthachanKunhikkavu ThamburattiMalayalamWritten by M. T. Vasudevan Nair and directed by Ajayan. The film won the National Film Award for Best Debut Film of a Director.
1990KaazhchakkappuramAmmuMalayalam
1991Venal KinavukalNaliniMalayalam
1991KadavuDeviMalayalamA film by M. T. Vasudevan Nair based on Kadathuthoni by S. K. Pottekkatt. The film won the Special Jury Award at the Singapore International Film Festival, the Grand Prix at the Japanese Film Festival, the National Film Award for Best Screenplay and the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film.
1992Unna Nenachen Pattu PadichenDhanamTamil
1992ThalastaanamRadhaMalayalamWritten by Renji Panicker and directed by Shaji Kailas
1992Oru Kochu BhoomikulukkamVijiMalayalamDirected by P. Chandrashekhar
1992KudumbasammethamThulasiMalayalam
1992KamaladalamMalavikaMalayalamWritten by A. K. Lohithadas and directed by Sibi Malayil
1992Champakulam ThachanAmmuMalayalamWritten by Sreenivasan and directed by Kamal
1992CheppadividyaElsaMalayalamDirected by G. S. Vijayan
1993Moondravadhu KannPriyaTamilDirected by Manivannan

References
  1. "Monisha Biography". entertainment.oneindia.in. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  2. http://www.mangalam.com/mangalam-varika/64795
  3. National Best Actress Award for Nakhashathangal – IMDB Page
  4. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-neighbourhood/losing-her-wish-she-turned-to-dance/article853641.ece
  5. http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/remembering-monisha-unni/article5609706.ece
  6. http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?contentId=8391035&programId=7940855&channelId=-1073750705&BV_ID=@@@&tabId=3
  7. "Remembering 'Manjal Prasadam Nettiyil Charthiya' girl Monisha Unni on her death anniversary - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  8. Weblokam Profile of Monisha Archived 2 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Weblokam.com. Retrieved on 2012-11-20.
  9. http://www.mangalam.com/mangalam-varika/61376
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