Menaka (actress)
Indian actress
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Menaka Suresh, (born Padmavathi Iyengar) known mononymously as Menaka, is an Indian actress and film producer.[1] She made her debut in the 1980 Tamil film Ramayi Vayasukku Vanthutta. In an acting career spanning from 1980 to 1987, Menaka appeared in over 125 films as a heroine, mostly in Malayalam. She also appeared in few Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films. She married Malayalam film producer G. Suresh Kumar.[citation needed] After 19 years, she made a comeback through the television serial Kaliveedu.[2] At 8th SIIMA, she received SIIMA Lifetime Achievement Award.[3]
2005–present
Menaka | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | Padmavathi Iyengar Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, India |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1980–1987 2005–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 (incl. Keerthy Suresh) |
Early life
Menaka, whose real name is Padmavathy Iyengar,[4] was born into a Tamil Iyengar Brahmin family in Nagercoil, Kanyakumari district, Travancore, India.[5] She was the only daughter among the four children of Rajagopal and Saroja. Both her parents were school teachers. Her mother Saroja taught at the Lourdes Girls' Higher Secondary School in Perambur, Madras.[6][7]
Career
Menaka had become one of the highest-paid actresses in South Indian cinema when she decided to retire from acting post-marriage.[6] After 24 years, she made a comeback as a film actress in 2011 with Fazil-directed Living Together, in a character role.[8]
Personal life
Menaka married film producer G. Suresh Kumar at Guruvayur Temple on 27 October 1987. They have two daughters — Revathy and Keerthy Suresh.[5] Initially they settled in Chennai and later moved to Thiruvananthapuram. Keerthy is a film actress and Revathy is an assistant director.[9][10]
Filmography
As an actress
Malayalam
Tamil
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Ramayi Vayasukku Vanthutta | Ramayi | Debut movie |
| Savithri | Savithri | ||
| Oli Pirandhathu | Kalyani | ||
| 1981 | Keezh Vaanam Sivakkum | Gayathri | |
| Kaalam | Jaya | ||
| Netrikkan | Menaka | ||
| 1982 | Om Shakti | Kanniamma / Amman | |
| Thooku Medai | Bhavani | ||
| Nijangal | Menaka | ||
| Iniyavale Vaa | Shakunthala | ||
| Nirantharam | Rani | ||
| Nalanthana | Raji | ||
| Panchavarnam | |||
| 1983 | Neethibathi | Geetha | |
| Urangatha Ninaivugal | Uma | ||
| 1985 | Maappillai Singam | Gouri | |
| Engirunthalum Vazhga | |||
| Kadivalam | Revathi | ||
| 1986 | Unakkaagave Vaazhgiren | Shakunthala | |
| 2012 | Mattuthavani |
Telugu
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Punnami Naagu | Poornima | |
| 1982 | Subbarao Ki Kopam Vacchindhi | ||
| 1988 | Indradhanussu | ||
Kannada
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Samayada Gombe | Lakshmi |
As producer
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Vishnulokam | Kamal | |
| 1992 | Australia | Rajiv Anchal | Unreleased film |
| 1993 | Butterflies | ||
| 1994 | Kashmeeram | ||
| 1995 | Thakshashila | Sreekuttan | |
| 1997 | Aaram Thamburan | Shaji Kailas | |
| 2000 | Cover Story | G. S. Vijayan | |
| Pilots | Rajiv Anchal | ||
| 2001 | Achaneyanenikkishtam | Suresh Krishna | |
| 2002 | Kuberan | Sundar Das | |
| Shivam | Shaji Kailas | ||
| 2009 | Seetha Kalyanam | T. K. Rajeev Kumar | [11][12] |
| 2022 | Vaashi | Vishnu G. Raghav | |
Television
- All shows are in Malayalam unless noted otherwise
Serials
| Year | Title | Role | Channel | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Scooter | DD Malayalam | |||
| 2005 | Kaliveedu | Surya TV | |||
| 2006 | Ammathottil | ||||
| 2007 | Chitrasalabham | Amrita TV | |||
| 2007-2008 | Ammakkayi | Surya TV | |||
| 2009 | Monoottante Onam | Telefilm | |||
| 2013 | Rajakumari | Durga Sivalingam | Sun TV | Tamil serial | |
| 2016 | Sundari | Sethu Lakshmi | Mazhavil Manorama |
TV shows
| Year | Title | Channel | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samagamam | Amrita TV | Herself | ||
| 2010 | Thillana Thillana | Surya TV | Judge | |
| 2011 | Vivel Big break | Surya TV | ||
| 2011 | Hairomax Mrs.Kerala | Asianet | ||
| 2012 | Lunars Comedy Express | Asianet Plus | ||
| 2013 | Veruthe Alla Bharya 2 | Mazhavil Manorama | ||
| 2013 | Travel to Kanchipuram | Manorama News | Host | |
| 2013 | Varthaprabhatham | Asianet News | Herself | |
| 2013 | Jeevitham Ithuvare | Jaihind TV | ||
| 2013 | Manassiloru Mazhavillu | Kairali TV | ||
| 2014 | JB Junction | Kairali TV | ||
| 2017 | Komady Circus | Mazhavil Manorama | Jury | |
| 2017 | Onnum Onnum Moonu | Mazhavil Manorama | Herself | |
| 2018-2020 | Comedy stars season 2 | Asianet | Judge | |
| 2018 | Comedy stars Plus | Asianet Plus | ||
| 2021 | Red Carpet | Amrita TV | Mentor | |
| 2022 | MY G Flowers Oru Kodi | Flowers TV | Participant | |