Meena (actress)

Meena started her career in 1982 as a child artist in the film Nenjangal, featuring Sivaji Ganesan in the lead role after Ganesan saw her at a birthday party.[16] She has acted in several films along with Dr. Sivaji Ganesan as a child artist.[16] She has acted with Rajinikanth in two movies namely Engeyo Ketta Kural and Anbulla Rajinikanth as a child artist. Anbulla Rajinikanth, in which she acted as a terminally ill child who warms up to Rajinikanth —that became a major pointer in her career growth. After the success of that movie, she became a notable child artist in South Indian movies. Her debut in Malayalam as a child artist was in the movie Oru Kochukatha Aarum Parayatha Katha, directed by P.G. Viswambharan. She appeared in over 45 films as a child.[16]

Meena has been one of the top star pairing up with every big star down South .[17] She made her debut in Telugu beside Rajendra Prasad in Navayugam in 1990. While her Tamil admission as a heroine was in Oru Pudhiya Kadhai in the same year. Her first break was through Tamil film En Rasavin Manasile (1991) opposite Rajkiran, which was directed by Kasthuri Raja. This romantic drama went on to become a blockbuster and won several awards that year. Meena's innocent portrayal as Solaiyamma won her fans' hearts. Later, the movie was remade in Telugu as Moratodu Naa Mogudu (1992) with Meena reprising her role[18][19][20] Her career's turning point in Telugu was Seetharamaiah Gari Manavaralu, where she played Akkineni Nageswara Rao's grand daughter. The film was showcased among the Indian panorama section, at the 1991 International Film Festival of India. The film was made under the banner VMC Productions. She won critical accolade for her role.

Meena returned to Malayalam industry with the movie Santhwanam where she played as Suresh Gopi's daughter in the film released in 1991. Its success attracted more roles with senior Malayalam heroes. Meena has expressed a wish to do more films in Malayalam.[16]

Telugu film Chanti (1992), opposite Venkatesh was a milestone in her career and the film ran for more than 200 days. She was nominated for Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu and the movie was a big hit at the box office.[21] She made her Bollywood debut opposite Chunky Pandey in the film Parda Hai Parda (1992). This was followed by successful movies such as Allari Pilla (1992), directed by Kodi Ramakrishna. Allari Mogudu (1992), along with Mohan Babu and Sundarakanda opposite Venkatesh, both directed by K. Raghavendra Rao. President Gari Pellam with Nagarjuna, directed by A. Kodandarami Reddy.

In 1993, she followed it up with box office hits like Muta Mesthri, opposite Chiranjeevi. Yejaman, opposite Rajinikanth where she plays the role of Vaitheeswari, a simple village girl. She won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress for the film.[22][23] Allari Alludu, opposite Nagarjuna. Another her critically acclaimed film was Rajeswari Kalyanam, directed by Kranthi Kumar. She won Nandi Award for Best Actress for her performance.[24] She plays Sudha, a smart and intelligent young wife in Abbaigaru[25] winning acclaim from the industry for her performance.

In 1994, she has acted in P. Vasu's Sethupathi IPS as a school teacher, co-starring Vijayakanth.[26] In her follow-up movie again with Rajinikanth, in Suresh Krissna's Veera. She was chosen to play Devi, reprising her role from Allari Mogudu (1992).[27] Meena again dazzled. It was a blockbuster and completed 150-day run at the box office.[28] followed by movies as Thai Maaman and Rajakumaran. Her next venture was K. S. Ravikumar's Nattamai, alongside Sarathkumar, The film became a blockbuster and achieved cult status. It was followed by Punya Bhoomi Naa Desam, Anga Rakshakudu, Bhale Pellam and Bobbili Simham.

She appeared in her Kannada debut Putnanja, opposite Ravichandran. and she was part of many successful movies Like Swathi Muthu, Simhadriya Simha, My Autograph, etc. She has worked with Ravichandran, Vishuvardhan, Sudeep in Kannada Cinema.

Meena has paired opposite to various star actors across languages. She has acted with Rajinikanth, Dr. Kamal Haasan, Dr. Mohanlal, Dr. Mammootty, Chiranjeevi, Dr. Vishnuvardhan, Krishna, Balakrishna, Ravichandran, Vijayakanth, Nagarjuna, Venkatesh, Vijay, Ajith Kumar, Sathyaraj, Prabhu Deva, Sarathkumar, K. Bhagyaraj, Jayaram, Suresh Gopi, Prashanth, Harish Kumar, Kichcha Sudeep, Raviteja. She had hits with the films Nattamai film directed by K. S. Ravikumar. The film was successful and completed a 175-day run at the box office (1994). She just grabs the continuous offer and the opportunity to act in films like Avvai Shanmughi (1996) with Kamal Haasan, Porkkaalam with Murali (1997), Bharathi Kannamma (1997) with Parthiban and so on. Telugu audience remembers her for a variety of roles that called for mature acting that seemed tailor-made for her. The peppy girl who wins over her unrelenting grandfather with her endearing ways in Seetharamaiah Gari Manavaralu, the protected sister in Chanti, the bold housewife in Sundarakanda, the renowned poet and devotee ‘Tarigonda Vengamamba’. The combo of Victory Venkatesh and Meena is said to be one of the most successful combinations in Tollywood. They have 5 Blockbuster hits to their credit.[29] In 2000, her role in Rhythm (2000) won her Best Actress at the Cinema Express Awards.

But the film that brought her true recognition and fame was Muthu, one of Rajini's biggest hits. The movie was successful across Japan. Ranganayaki as the talkative, cheeky street theatre actress won the hearts of the audience. The film was directed by K. S. Ravikumar and produced by K. Balachander, and became the first Tamil film to be dubbed into Japanese, as Mutu: Odoru Maharaja.

She was part of an item dance number in one of Vijay's movies Shahjahan in 2001 after the director and producer recommended it.

Meena's releases in 2009 were Mariyadhai with Vijayakanth, directed by Vikraman. Katha, Samvidhanam: Kunchacko with Sreenivasan.[30] She played in Telugu as Saint Vengamamba in Tarigonda Vengamamba, directed by Uday Bhaskar.[31]

In 2011, she played the role of Narain's sister in the film Thambikottai. Her role in this movie was very good and well accepted.[32][33][34]

After marriage, she paired with Ramesh Aravind in the film Hendtheera Darbar, which was a remake of Varavu Ettana Selavu Pathana

In 2012, Udaya Bhaskar made a film titled Sri Vasavi Vaibhavam Telugu devotional film. Meena playing as a Goddess in the film. This marks her re-entry to films after a long period.[35]

She has agreed to star in an ad film with Prakash Raj. The commercial is being directed by producer Siva. She had played a cameo in J.K. Bharavi's Jagadguru Adi Shankara-devotional film lastly and did justice to her roles.[36] [37]

After a brief hiatus, Meena returned to Malayalam cinema and will be seen playing the role of wife to Mohanlal in Drishyam (2013). Directed by Jeethu Joseph, she will be portraying the role of a mother of two daughters, of which the elder is pursuing her plus two. The actress will also be seen in Pramod Payyanur's Balyakalasakhi alongside Mammootty. The actress would be playing Drishyam's remake in Telugu with Venkatesh.[38] Meena was in Allari Naresh's movie Mama Manchu Alludu Kanchu.[39][40]

Meena has been a playback singer for some albums with actor Manoj. Meena has composed music and sung and recorded two pop albums, 16 Vayathinile, and Kadhalism, which she began recording in 2001 with actor Vikram.[41][42] Meena has been a playback singer in the music of D. Imman in the movie sena and the song is "Indru intha kalayil en nenjil echo aachu", a super hit song.

Meena dubbed for Cheran's movie Pokkisham. Meena has rendered voice for Padmapriya Janakiraman.[43]