Kalady Omana

Kalady Omana Biography

Kalady Omana is a veteran actress of Malayalam cinema, television and theatre. She entered the film world as a child artist through cinema, and later acted in amateur plays and movies. Now she is busy with television. She received Kerala state award for second best stage actress for the play, Mannu (literal meaning – Soil), directed by P. J. Antony, where she enacted the role of a Dalit woman.

She was born in a financially backward family. Her father Sivarama Pillai was running a small shop in front of the famous Meriland film studio Thiruvananthapuram, which was then known by the name Neela Productions. His drinking habit and low earnings from business prompted young Omana to join film and theater industry as a child artist. Once she was sitting in her father’s shop when an agent came and asked them, if she would like to act as a junior artist. She agreed and got 5 rupees as her first salary. Thus she started earning through acting. She has one sister 10 years younger to her and she used to bring her to father’s shop by train. Omana stayed at her mother’s house and studied at Thiruvananthapuram, while her father slept at the small shop itself.   

She started her career as an amateur stage artist at the age of 10. She also worked for radio plays. She used to perform in front of Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma as a stage artist and has won recognitions. Such plays used to be conducted on birthday of Maharaja every year. Jagathy. N. K. Acharya spotted her in one of such plays and offered her a role in professional play. Mullapanthal was her first professional play. She has played lead and supporting roles throughout her theatre career. Yet she is seen only in supporting roles in movies.

She married her neighbour, Bhaskaran Nair, a teacher and the couple had two daughters. Bhaskaran Nair died 10 years ago and now both their kids are settled with family life. Her daughter Meera is a radio presenter.

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Updated: May 12, 2014