Meena (malayalam Actress)

Meena (malayalam Actress) Biography

Meena was a veteran character artist of Malayalam cinema. From comedy to vamp roles, she has portrayed hundreds of roles onscreen and she spent almost 4 decades in the film industry. She appeared over 600 character roles and died following a massive heart attack in 1997 at the age of 56. Among her last movies, vamp role of mother-in-law in Streedhanam and comic role of a mother in Meleparanbil aanveedu earned her huge appreciation. She is associated with Malayalam cinema since mid-1960s and since her younger age, she portrayed character roles of mother, grandmother etc. She is one among those stars of Malayalam cinema, for whom a substitute can never be found! Anjarakalyaanam in 1997 was her last release.

Meena was born on 23 April 1941 in Alappuzha in a Christian family. She was born as the youngest of 8 daughters. Her real name is Mary Joseph and she is also credited as Meena Kumari in her movies. She has been a theater artist before reaching cinema. After working with local theatre, the play Nirdoshi marked her professional debut. She was associated with Kalanilayam theatre group for many years. In fact her association with theater gave her good and powerful roles for big screen. Kudumbini in 1964 marked her acting debut and she played a pivot role Bhargavi Amma in the first Malayalam comedy film - Viruthan Shanku in 1968.

Though known for her potential she only received supporting roles in movies and the most of the roles she handled were more than her age. But she has never type casted for any type of roles and has been offered mythological or vamp roles.  Achaaram Ammini, Osharam Omana (1977) and Sthreedhanam (1993) are best known for her vamp roles as cruel mother-in-law. Sathyan Anthikkad‘s Kurukkante Kalyanam in the early 1980s explored the real potential of this actress and helped her to get many powerful supporting roles later, Varavelppu, Aniyan bava chettan bava, Pingami, Streedhanam and Vishnu to name a few.

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Updated: September 17, 2014