Amal Neerad
Amal Neerad
Born	(1975-10-07) 7 October 1975 (age 36) Kottayam, Kerala, India
Occupation	Cinematographer, Film director
Years active	2004 - present

Amal Neerad (born on October 7, 1975 in Kottayam, Kerala, India) is an Indian film director, cinematographer, and screenwriter. Began his career as a cinematographer, he also turned into direction with Big B (2007).^[1] He is known for his stylishly choreographed and photographed action scenes, often compared to Hollywood. He is famous and infamous among critics for his frequent use of stylized slow motion in action scenes.

Early life[link]

Amal Neerad was born to a well educated family in Kerala, India. His father Prof C.R Omanakuttan was professor of Maharajas College, Ernakulam. After completing degree from Maharajas College, Ernakulam, Amal joined Satyajit Rai Film Institute in Kolkata.^[2] While doing his course in cinematography, he was sent to Berlin film institute on a scholarship.

Career[link]

After reaching back from Kolkata, Amal Neerad started doing cinematography for several ad films. He made his debut as a cinematographer with the Mammootty starrer Malayalam film Black (2004).^[2] Directed by Ranjith, this film was a hit, but Amal Neerad had to wait long for his next break. In the year 2005, he was called by Ram Gopal Varma as the cinematographer for Shiva, which was a career break for Amal Neerad. He then did cinematography for James and Darna Zaroori Hai in Bollywood, before turning to direction. His first film as director happened in 2007 with Mammootty starrer Big B.^[2] Noted for its stunning camera techniques, this film was a box office superhit.^[3] His second film Sagar alias Jacky Reloaded, starring Mohanlal got released in 2008, was a failure but captured the audience despite yet another good show behind the camera.^[4] His third film Anwar, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Mamta Mohandas is noted for its technical perfection.^[5] He is signed in by UTV Motion Pictures for their upcoming film, details of which is not yet disclosed.^[6] It was announced that he will be directing a movie starring Mammootty, in which Pritviraj will play the villain role.This movie will be produced by august cinemas.Sankar Ramakrishnan will pen the script.The story which is set in the kerala of 1950's is not historical. The movie has been kept on hold for now, and Amal Neerad has commenced another film titled Bachelor Party.

Filmography[link]

External links[link]

• Amal Neerad - IMDB profile
• Interview with Amal Neerad. He also talks about his issue with Raj Zacharias

References[link]

Kalabhavan Mani
Born	Mani Raman (1971-01-01) January 1, 1971 (age 41) Chalakudy, Kerala, India
Years active	1995–present
Spouse	Nimmy
Children	Sree Lakshmy
Parents	Late Raman Ammini
Website
http://www.kalabhavanmani.in

Kalabhavan Mani (Malayalam: കലാഭവൻ മണി; born 1 January 1971) is a South Indian actor and singer. He began his career in Malayalam film industry, later he became a busy artist in Tamil and telugu industry, especially in villain roles. Although he began his career as a comedian, he proved his versatility in various roles such as serious actor, heroic and villain. He has acted in a number of films in Malayalam and Tamil. He has proved his acting talent in the movies called Vasantiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njanum, in which he plays a blind street singer.

Career[link]

He was born in Chalakudy, Kerala. He started his career as a mimicry artist in Kalabhavan, Kochi. He started his acting career in the Malayalam film Aksharam as an auto rickshaw driver. Since then, he has acted in several movies as a comedian. His first serious role was in the film Vasantiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njanum. He has acted in more than 80 films in Malayalam and more than 20 films in Tamil.

He is also a professional playback singer and a singer of Nadan Paattu (folk songs). His first album was Kannimanga Prayathil. He has since established a parallel industry of 'Nadan Pattukal', selling a record number of releases. He has also released a few religious songs and Mappila Pattukal.

Mani's career started portraying comedic roles primarily in Malayalam films; he later shifted to serious roles. Eventually he became popular all across South India portraying negative characters in an unusual style. Despite all the popularity, Mani is known for his down-to-earth personality and for providing humanitarian aid to people in need.

Awards and honors[link]

National Film Awards:

• 2000 - Special Jury Award - Vasantiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njanum

Kerala State Film Awards:

• 1999 - Special Jury Award - Vasantiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njanum

Asianet Film Awards:

• 1999 - Best Actor Award - Vasantiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njanum
• 2007 - Best Actor in a Villain Role - Chotta Mumbai

Vanitha Award:

• 2008 - Vanitha Chandrika Award for Best Villain - Chotta Mumbai

Jaihind TV Award:

• 2010 - Special Jury Award

Filmography[link]

Malayalam films[link]

2010s[link]

2000s[link]

1990s[link]

" swarna kireedam" co star- manoj.k.jayan

Tamil films[link]

• Enthiran (2010) ... as Pachaimuthu
• Modhi Vilayadu (2009) ... as Rajan Vasudev
• Vel (2007) ... as Sakkara Pandi
• Something Something... Unakkum Enakkum (2006) ... as "Mark" Mayandi
• Aaru (2005) ... as a police officer
• Mazhai (2005) ... as Shailaga's father
• Anniyan (2005) ... as a house owner (cameo)
• Aai (2004)
• Bose (2004) ... as Kottaiperumal
• Singara Chennai (2004)
• Kuththu (2004) ... as Anjali's father
• Jey Jey (2003) ... as Sivam - the co-hero of the film
• Pudhiya Geethai (2003) ... as Reddiar
• Banda Paramasivam (2003) ... as Sivam
• Gemini (2002) ... as Teja
• Marumalarchi (1998) ... as Velu

As a singer in Malayalam films[link]

• Abraham Lincoln (2007)
• Achaneyanishttam (2001)
• Akasthile Paravakal (2001)
• Ananthabhadram (2005)
• Bamboo Boys (2002)
• Ben Johnson (2005)
• Chacko Randaaman (2006)
• Evan (2007)
• The Guard (2001)
• Kabadi Kabadi (2008)
• Kanmashi (2002)
• Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu (1999)
• Kanninum Kannadiykkum (2004)
• Karumadikkuttan (2001)
• Kazhcha (2004)
• Kissan (2006)
• Kottaram Veettile Apputtan (1998)
• Kusruthy Kannan (2003)
• Malsaram (2004)
• O Priye (2000)
• Red Salute (2006)
• Sammanam (1995)
• Twenty Twenty(2010)
• Vaalkannadi (2002)

As Music Director[link]

• MLA Mani 10am Classum Gusthiyum (2011)

External links[link]

• Kalabhavan Mani at the Internet Movie Database
• Official website

Nithya Menen (Malayalam: നിത്യ മേനോന്‍ )^[2][3][4] is an Indian film actress, who works mainly in the Malayalam film industry. She has also acted in Telugu, Tamil and Kannada films and tried playback singing.^[5]

Early life[link]

Nithya Menen was born in Goa into a Malayali family and studied journalism at the Manipal Institute of Communication.^[6] Her father's family is from Calicut and her mother's is from Palakkad. She once said in an interview that she never wished to become an actress but a journalist as she was "an idealist",^[7][8] but felt journalism was "not what it used to be".^[9] She then decided to become a filmmaker as she could express her ideas "better through films",^[8][10] and enrolled for a course in cinematography at the FTI Pune. During the entrance examination, she met Nandini Reddy, who "brainwashed" ^[11] and convinced her to take up acting.^[12] Nandini Reddy would later turn director and sign Nithya for the lead female role in her first project.

Career[link]

Nithya Menen appeared first on screen as a child artiste when she was ten in the Indian English language film, Hanuman (1998), playing the younger sister to Tabu's character.^[13] The 2008 off-beat film Aakasha Gopuram, directed by National Film Award-winning director K. P. Kumaran, marked her debut in a leading role, in which she was paired with Mohanlal. She was in the midst of her 12th class exams when she was offered the role, after Mohanlal had spotted her on the front cover of a tourism magazine.^[3][7] Her performance was well received, with critics writing that she shows "sparkle in her debut venture" and "makes her entry in an impressive role",^[14][15] though the film, based on the Norwegian play The Master Builder, got mixed reviews and was a financial failure.^[14][15] She next made her Kannada debut with the film Josh. She essayed a supporting role in the film, which received rave reviews,^[16][17][18] and became a commercial success as well, with her performance garnering her a nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category at the 57th Filmfare Awards South.

In 2011, her first release was Nandini Reddy's romantic comedy Ala Modalaindi, which was Nithya's maiden Telugu venture as well.^[2] The film opened to favorable reviews by critics and turned out to become a sleeper hit,^[19] while Nithya received critical praise for her performance. Idlebrain's Jeevi in his review cited that she "epitomized Nitya character with her fabulous performance", "looks beautiful in all kinds of dresses" and was "the best debut in recent years of Telugu cinema after Samantha in YMC",^[20] while another critic wrote that she was a "charming find" and "...quite the Genelia replacement that our cinema so badly needs right now."^[21] She eventually won the Nandi Award for Best Actress for her performance.^[22] Further more, she also sang two songs for the soundtrack album of the film, tuned by Kalyani Malik.^[6][23] Nandini Reddy, later, went on to describe Nithya as "the discovery of the decade".^[19] Following Ala Modalaindi, she starred in Santosh Sivan's historical fiction Urumi as part of an ensemble cast.^[24] She portrayed a Chirakkal princess named Bala, playing the love interest of Prabhu Deva's character,^[24] which gained positive remarks, with a Sify review claiming that she "looks pretty and is a scene stealer".^[25] Nithya quoted that much of her character was based on "Santosh's perception of who I am", with Sivan stating that he had written that role for her and that only she could play it.^[24] She next appeared in ad-filmmaker Jayendra's bilingual venture 180/Nootrenbadhu, made and released in Tamil and Telugu, in which she played a photo journalist named Vidhya.^[26] She described the character as "bubbly, full of life, nosey, wide-eyed and innocent in life" and to be similar to herself.^[26] Later the year, she was seen in Sibi Malayil's Violin in Malayalam and the Gautham Menon-produced Veppam in Tamil.

She is currently working on half-a-dozen projects; Karmayogi, a Malayalam adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet is in post-production stages, while she is currently shooting for the Telugu romance film Ishq with Nitin Reddy and Aidondla Aidu in Kannada, for which she had sung and also choreographed one of the songs, titled "Payasa".^[27] She has signed on two Malayalam projects, T. K. Rajeev Kumar's Thalsamayam Oru Penkutty, in which she portrays a village woman whose daily life is filmed and broadcast as a reality show for a month,^[28] and Usthad Hotel to be directed by Anwar Rasheed.^[29]

Filmography[link]

Awards[link]

• 2012: Thikkurissy Foundation Award for Most Popular Actress^[33][34]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Nithya Menen at the Internet Movie Database