Koyya Hassan Manik

The Mohamed Hilmy and Ali Waheed directed film, Ihsaas was released in 1993 in which Manik starred as a guardian to an orphan boy who is being psychologically disturbed following a false arrest. This was followed by his collaboration with Yoosuf Rafeeu for his tragedy drama film Vaudhu which follows the separation of a happy couple due to the societal differences.[1] Afterwards, he played the role of a dedicated brother who discovers the immoral relationship of his niece with one of her teachers, in Amjad Ibrahim's debut direction Huras (1996).[2] The film was developed solely with the intention of winning Gaumee Film Awards though it failed to garner any award at the 2nd Gaumee Film Awards ceremony.[3]

In 2000, he played the father of Fayaz, an ignorant husband who is deeply in love with a patient suffering from congenital heart disease in Abdul Faththaah's television drama series Dhoapatta.[4] Starring alongside Niuma Mohamed, Sheela Najeeb and Jamsheedha Ahmed, the series centers on unrequited love and complications of a relationship within and beyond marriage.[5] The same year, he starred opposite Hussain Sobah, Jamsheedha Ahmed and Mariyam Nisha in Fathimath Nahula's debut direction Fahuneyvaa (1998) which portrays the love-conflict of a man between a prominent stage performer and a deaf-mute poor girl.[6] In the film, he played the role of Zubair Ali, father of a second wife who discovers her husband's secret marriage.[7] The film was critically appreciated by critics and was a commercial success.[8] This was followed by the Ali Musthafa-directed Umurah (1999) opposite Jamsheedha Ahmed and Reeko Moosa Manik.[1]

In 2000, Manik featured alongside Ahmed Asim, Mariyam Nazima and Waleedha Waleed in the Haajara Abdul Kareem-directed Ajaaib which marks the first film in which Manik plays the lead role. The film depicts the relationship of two exemplary wives and their respective families regardless of societal norms.[9] He then played a supporting role in a film directed by Ali Waheed, Kulunu starring Ismail Wajeeh and Aishath Shiranee, in which Manik was featured as an advisor to a conflicted father who arranges the marriage of his only daughter to an already committed man. The same year he played the role of an unbearable and confused step-father in Abdul Faththaah's directorial debut, Himeyn Dhuniye which received positive reviews from critics.[10]

The following year, he starred alongside Yoosuf Shafeeu, Sheela Najeeb, Jamsheedha Ahmed, Mohamed Shavin and Ibrahim Giyas in the Amjad Ibrahim-directed Aaah (2001) which revolves around two siblings involved in family business and the downfall of the younger brother's love life when he discovers his fiancé is already married to an abusive husband.[11] This was followed by Fathimath Nahula's drama film Naaummeedhu (2000) which depicts the story of a happily married couple whose life is shattered into pieces when they unintentionally invite a seductive woman into their life.[12] The film received favourable reviews from critics and emerged as the highest grossing Maldivian film of the year.[8]

Manik collaborated with Easa Shareef for the horror film Ginihila (2003) alongside Ali Seezan, Niuma Mohamed, Mariyam Nisha and Reeko Moosa Manik, playing the role of Ibrahim Rafeeu, father of a mentally unstable young girl who commits suicide when her boyfriend rebuked her demand to leave his wife for her.[13][14] The film narrates the story of a young couple who decide to spend a romantic break to save their crumbling marriage and how events take a sinister turn when the wife experiences supernatural incidents involving her husband.[13] The film is an unofficial remake of Vikram Bhatt's Indian horror film Raaz (2002) featuring Bipasha Basu, Dino Morea, Malini Sharma and Ashutosh Rana which itself is an unofficial adaptation of What Lies Beneath.[15]

Manik received critical acclaim for his "authentic" performance as a pervert in Abdul Faththaah's critically praised romantic film Vehey Vaarey Therein (2003).[11] Featuring Jamsheedha Ahmed, Khadheeja Ibrahim Didi, Mohamed Shavin, Amira Ismail and Aminath Rasheedha in pivotal roles, the film narrates the story of unrequited love, and proved to be one of the highest-grossing Maldivian films of the year. Moomin Fuad and Ali Shifau's critically appreciated crime film Heylaa (2006) featured Manik in a small role as a concerned citizen.[16] The film narrates the story of a fourteen year old ambitious boy who finds himself unknowingly being involved in the smuggling of a revolver.[17] It was the first Maldivian film to be shot in high-definition digital video.[18] Though the film received positive reviews from critics, it was a commercial failure.[17][19] Co-director of the film Shifau opined that its commercial status was a result of casting "not very prominent" faces in the film and the "film-goers were not ready to accept the genre" at the time of release.[20] His next release, Ahmed Nimal's romantic film Vaaloabi Engeynama (2006), starred alongside Yoosuf Shafeeu, Mariyam Afeefa, Fathimath Fareela and Fauziyya Hassan was a critical and commercial success, considered to be the most successful Maldivian release of the year.[1]

In 2009, Manik starred alongside Niuma Mohamed, Ali Seezan and Nadhiya Hassan as a supportive father-in-law of a secure first wife in Seezan's melodrama Karuna Vee Beyvafa (2009).[21] The film follows a downfall of a happily married couple on realizing the wife's infertility and destruction of their relationship with the invasion of a second wife.[21] Manik's first release of 2010 was the Ali Seezan-directed family drama Maafeh Neiy, another collaboration with Seezan and Niuma Mohamed.[22] The film highlights many social issues including human rights abuses, forced marriages and domestic violence.[22] He played the role of Naseer, a wealthy businessman who abuses his wife.[22] The film received mixed reviews from critics, but was a moderate success at box office.[22] Later in 2010, Manik appeared in a small role in Yoosuf Shafeeu's Veeraana which deals with child sexual abuse.[23] The film received mixed to positive reviews from critics; praising the writer and director for touching a condemnatory topic though criticing its "over-the-top melodrama".[23] Having a strong buzz prior its release, the film proved to be a commercial success.[24] The last release of the year featured Manik in the drama film Heyonuvaane (2010) which was directed by Yoosuf Shafeeu and starring opposite Shafeeu, Sheela Najeeb and Fathimath Fareela.[25] The story revolves around a male who is a victim of domestic abuse.[25] Even though the film mainly received negative reviews from critics, it emerged as the second highest grossing Maldivian release of the year.[26][27]

The following year, he appeared in the family drama E Bappa (2011) which was produced by himself, featuring an ensemble cast including Yoosuf Shafeeu, Mohamed Manik, Sheela Najeeb, Amira Ismail, Lufshan Shakeeb, Mariyam Shakeela and Fathimath Fareela.[28] A film about fatherhood and how he has been treated by his family, received negative reviews for its "typical stereotype style" and was a box office failure.[28] He next worked with Hamid Ali for his Laelaa (2011) starring Yoosuf Shafeeu, Amira Ismail, Ahmed Easa and Hamid Ali.[29] The film revolves around two daughters who were forced into arranged marriages by their parent.[29] The film and his performance received negative reviews from critics and was declared a flop at the box office.[30]

In 2015, Manik appeared in two films released by Dark Rain Entertainment. The first film was Ali Shifau-directed romantic film Emme Fahu Vindha Jehendhen, alongside Mohamed Jumayyil and Mariyam Majudha.[31] The film narrating the struggle and challenges a happily married couple undergo, was the highest grossing Maldivian film of the year, and was a critical success.[32][33] Manik was next seen in the Ravee Farooq-directed film Mikoe Bappa Baey Baey (2015) opposite Aishath Rishmy and Mohamed Manik. The film follows a mother who is ready to do anything in her power to protect her child from any harm of adversity from a man who becomes afflicted with "Post Traumatic Amnesia".[34][35][36] It was one of the three entries from the Maldives to the SAARC Film Festival 2016.[37]

• Koyya Hassan Manik at IMDb