Malavika Avinash
Malavika Avinash is an Indian actress, television personality and politician who is the current State spokesperson for Bharatiya Janata Party of Karnataka. She is known for her work in Kannada and Tamil films. She hosted Baduku Jataka Bandi, a television show that aired on Zee Kannada.[1] She is in the ensemble cast in the Kannada movie K.G.F: Chapter 1.
Malavika Avinash | |
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Malavika Avinash in 1998 Kannada serial Mayamruga | |
Personal details | |
Born | Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India | 28 January 1976
Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party, Karnataka (2013–present) |
Spouse(s) | |
Children | Gaalav |
Alma mater | Bangalore University |
Occupation |
Early life
Malavika was born on 28 January 1976, in a Tamil family to N. Ganesan. Her father was a banker and writer, and her mother, Savithri, a vocalist and dancer. She was initiated into classical arts under the tutelage of Padmashree Leela Samson in Bharatanatyam and Pandit Partho Das on the sitar. G.V. Iyer spotted her at a dance performance as Krishna and cast her as Krishna in his Krishnavataar. She then played a lead role as a princess in Prema Karanth's Panorama children's film Nakkala Rajakumari.
She completed her Bachelor of Law at Bangalore University and was awarded 3rd rank.[2]
Career
Malavika's stint as a child artist was followed by her entry into cinema as the heroine in award-winning Malayalam films for Lenin Rajendran and popular Kannada films. Television however, turned out to be the medium that adopted her. Her earlier television series were for Girish Karnad and Ashutosh Gowariker in Hindi, Ashok Naidu in Kannada and Dinesh Baboo in Malayalam. Her performance in Mayamruga provided her iconic status among Kannada television viewers. Mayamruga's success caught the eye of K. Balachander, who then chose to usher her into Tamil cinema world with Anni, where Malavika played the protagonist Anni.
Malavika's Tamil films and Serials include Raji Or Raja Rajeshwari Role in "Raja Rajeshwari" Sun Tv Serial 90'S Kids Favourite (Saregama India Ltd) Company Episodes Directors are Selva Kumar and Selva Pandi and K. Balachander's Nilavai Pidippom where she portrayed a middle-class working woman, Pudhuyugam, Pralayam in "Comedy Colony" again under her mentor Balachander. She played Madurai Thilaka in Arasi and Muththazhagi in Chellamey. She played key roles in Tamil films.[4]
Another milestone was her portrayal of Nanjamma, the protagonist in Girish Kasaravalli's film of S.L. Bhyrappa's celebrated novel, Gruha Banga. In her decade of television acting, Malavika played roles in Tamil, Kannada and Hindi productions including cross-over film Cyanide, in which Malavika's portrayal of Shubha won her critical acclaim. Apart from Manvantara for T.N.Seetharam, Malavika swayed the Kannada audiences with her cult figure like character of Madhavi Patel, IPS, in his Muktha.
Agni, a talk show that Malavika hosted on E-TV Kannada was followed by Baduku Jataka Bandi. In the latter, Malavika deals with the problems of individuals, thereby providing an Alternate Dispute Resolution forum for resolving family issues. She also discusses social issues.[5] She was a housemate in Bigg Boss Kannada Season 4.
In 2017, she played a judge in Ilayathalapathy Vijay's movie Bairavaa. She also starred in the current highest grossing Kannada film K.G.F: Chapter 1 as well as the highly acclaimed Tamil movie Kaithi, all 3 which have grossed more than 100 crores at the box office.
Journalism
Malavika participated in and won many international moot courts as a student, served as editor of her college journal, joined Madhyam, a development communications organization, served as assistant-editors of Madhyam journal, a legal column for the Times of India and UDAYAVANI for two years, her "Malavika Pakkam" column in Kumudam, a Tamil weekly, an Agony aunt column for Kumudam and more recently, 'Malavika order', a weekly column in Vijaya Karnataka. Malavika served as head of programming at Zee Kannada.
Dance
Malavika's association with Bharatanatyam commenced at age five when her mother introduced it to her. She trained under M. R. Krishnamurthy of Kalakshetra, followed by advanced tutelage under Padmashri Leela Samson in Delhi. She was a recipient of the CCERT (a unit of the Culture Ministry) scholarship for Bharatanatyam. She pursued dance along with her dancer sister, an alumnus of Kalakshetra, Ranjani Ganesan Ramesh. As a duo they performed at cultural centres in India and abroad, including Hampi festival, Pattadakkal festival, Khujrajo festival, Chidambaram Natyanjali and Uttara Chidambaram. Together, they organise an annual dance festival called Arudhra at Bangalore.
Malavika served as a judge on TV dance shows and hosted Takadhimithaa, a game show dedicated to Bharatanatyam on JayaTV politics
Malavika Avinash entered politics campaigning for BJP leader Sushma Swaraj in Bellary. She is a member of the BJP's Mahila Morcha.[6][7][8] She joined Bharatiya Janata Party in September 2013[9] and was appointed one of its co-spokespersons in February 2014.[10]
Controversy
Sanitary pad controversy
Goods and Service Tax applied on sanitary napkins when items like bangles and sindhoor were exempted from the new tax system by the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party has come under criticism from women and men.[11] On July 2017, Malavika defended the BJP and said that sanitary pads are not required as Multi-national corporations have been dumping sanitary pads in India since it was rejected by developed countries, Cloth is hygienic in contrast to sanitary pads.[12] The defense of Malavika on the decision of her party to enforce GST on sanitary pads provoked a lot of backlash from people.[13]
Filmography
Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1988 | Krishnaavataar | Kannada | ||
1989 | Nakkala Rajakumari | Rajakumari | Kannada | |
1992 | Daivathinte Vikrithikal | Elsie | Malayalam | |
1993 | Janam | Reshma | Malayalam | |
1995 | Kalyanothsava | Rashmi | Kannada | |
1995 | Samara | Sandhya | Kannada | |
1995 | Ravitheja | Teja | Kannada | |
2003 | Jay Jay | Meena | Tamil | |
2005 | Aaru | Nirmala as Surya's (Aru's) Akka(Sister) | Tamil | |
2006 | Cyanide | Shubha | Kannada Tamil | |
2006 | Dishyum | Malar (Cinthya's mother) | Tamil | |
2006 | Aathi | Ramachandra's Wife | Tamil | |
2006 | Kalvanin Kadhali | Haritha's sister-in-law | Tamil | |
2008 | Jayamkondaan | Chandrika | Tamil | |
2010 | Irandu Mugam | Thilakavathy | Tamil | |
2011 | Vanthaan Vendraan | Arjun and Ramana's mother | Tamil | |
2012 | Munjane | Manu's mother | Kannada | Nominated—SIIMA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role |
2012 | Dashamukha | Madhuri | Kannada | |
2012 | Drama | Gayathri | Kannada | |
2012 | Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna | Goddess | Kannada | |
2012 | Yaare Koogadali | Kumara's Stepmother | Kannada | |
2013 | Myna | Revathi | Kannada | |
2013 | Karodpathi | Kannada | ||
2014 | Kalyanamasthu | Kannada | ||
2014 | Adyaksha | Kannada | ||
2014 | Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari | Sudha | Kannada | IIFA Utsavam Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Kannada) Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Kannada |
2015 | Ring Road | Kannada | ||
2016 | Mukunda Murari | TV Interviewer | Kannada | |
2016 | Shivalinga | Police commissioner | Kannada | |
2017 | Bairavaa | Judge | Tamil | |
2018 | K.G.F: Chapter 1 | Deepa Hegde | Kannada | |
2018 | David | Kannada | ||
2019 | Boomerang | Siva's mother | Tamil | |
2019 | Kaithi | Nalini | Tamil | |
2020 | K.G.F: Chapter 2 | Deepa Hedge | Kannada |
Television career
Year | Title | Role | Language | Director | Note(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1998–2000 | Mayamruga | Malavika | Kannada | T. N. Seetharam | ||
2001–2003 | Manvantara | Gargi | Kannada | T. N. Seetharam | ||
2001–2003 | Grihabhanga | Nanjamma | Kannada | Girish Kasaravalli | ||
2001–2003 | Anni | Angayarkkani | Tamil | K. Balachander | ||
2004–2006 | Mukta | SP Madhavi Patel | Kannada | T. N. Seetharam | [14] | |
2004–2006 | Nilavai Pidippom | Tamil | K. Balachander | |||
2004–2006 | Chidhambara Ragasiyam | Thulasi | Tamil | Naga | replaced by Devadarshini | |
2004–2006 | Raja Rajeshwari | Raji Or Raja Rajeshwari | Tamil | Episodes Directors are Selva Kumar and Selva Pandi | replaced by Abitha | Sun Tv (Saregama India Ltd) Company |
2008–2009 | Comedy Colony | Tamil | ||||
2008–2009 | Arasi | Madurai Thilakavathy | Tamil | Samuthirakhani | replaced by | Sun Tv |
2009–2013 | Chellamey | Muthazhagi | Tamil | O. N. Rathnam | ||
2010–2011 | Baduku Jataka Bandi | Host | Kannada | |||
2013–2014 | Mahaparva | Judge in few episodes | Kannada | T. N. Seetharam | ||
2015 | Aradirali Belaku | Host | Kannada | |||
2016–2017 | Bigg Boss Kannada | Herself | Kannada | As contestant; season 4 | [15] | |
2019 | Magalu Janaki | Sheela Bhushan | Kannada | T. N. Seetharam | [16] | |
2020-present | Kaatrukkena Veli | Saradha | Tamil | Star Vijay |
Awards and honours
- Best Actress award given by the Tamil Nadu government
- Kalaimamani award for her achievements as an actress
- Aryabhata award
- Kempegowda award
References
- "TV star Malavika Avinash Zee head". Oneindia.in. 6 September 2006. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- "BJP's versatile spokespersons". The Hindu. 7 February 2014. Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
- "From reel love to real love". Times of India. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
- "I am born to be CM". Vijay Times. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- "Malavika back to TV". Softlayer.com. Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- "Malavika – Another Glam Doll to Join Janata Dal (S)". Daiji World. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- "Malavika comes to JDS". IndiaGlitz.com. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- "Actress Malavika Avinash appointed as new Secretary for JDS" (in Malayalam). OneIndia.in. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- "Actor Malavika joins BJP". The Hindu. 28 September 2013. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
- "Karnataka BJP gets 4 women co-spokespersons". The Hindu. 6 February 2014. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- N, Prathibha; N, akumarPrathibha; Jul 10, akumar / Updated; 2017; Ist, 04:00. "Progress and support, not tax". Bangalore Mirror. Archived from the original on 21 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
- "GST: Politics behind sanitary napkins and PERIODS". Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd. Archived from the original on 22 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- NewsKarnataka. "Malavika's defence over GST on sanitary pads irks netizens". NewsKarnataka. Archived from the original on 22 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- "Small-screen "Anni" thinks big". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
- K., Bhumika (24 December 2016). "Who is watching who?". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
- "Malavika Avinash is back on television as advocate - Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 15 August 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019.