Meera Jasmine

Meera Jasmine (Malayalam: മീര ജാസ്മിന്‍), is an Indian actress who appears in regional Indian films that includes Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films. She won the National Film Award for Best Actress in 2004 and is a two time recipient of the Kerala State Film Award as well as the prestigious Kalaimamani Award from the government of Tamil Nadu.

Early Life

Meera Jasmine was born in Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India, to Joseph and Aleyamma. She completed her schooling in Bala Vihar, Thiruvalla and Marthoma Residential School, Thiruvalla. She appeared for her Higher Secondary Exams in March 2000. She had enrolled for a BSc degree in Zoology at Assumption College, Changancherry and completed nearly three months when she was spotted by director Blessy (who was then an assistant director to director Lohitadas) and offered a role in Soothradharan.

Career

Malayalam

Meera Jasmine made her debut in the Malayalam film Soothradharan. Soon, she started getting offers from other languages. Her second film was Gramaphone, directed by Kamal, alongside Navya Nair, opposite Dileep. Her role as a Jewish girl was appreciated by Malayalam cine goers. Her third movie was Swapnakkoodu, a romantic comedy alongside Prithviraj,Kunchako Boban, Jayasurya, and Bhavana under director Kamal. Her performance was appreciated and the movie was a big success at the box office. Among the five main characters, the one who scored the most was again Meera. She got real attention in Malayalam cinema with the movie Kasthooriman directed by her mentor Lohithadas. She acted comedy and sentimental scenes. She received her first film fare award for her performance in Kasthooriman. The film was also a success at the box office: running for 100 days. The same year, she acted in T V Chandran’s acclaimed Padam Onnu Oru Vilapam. She played a 15-year-old Muslim girl who was forced to marry an older man, for which she was awarded a State Award and the National Award in addition with several other awards. Then came a performance as Raziya in Perumazhakkalam alongside Kavya Madhavan. In the movie Achuvinte Amma(2005), she enacted the young, adorable character Achu with such an extraordinary ease that she seemed to live the character instead of acting. She then paired with Super StarMohanlal in Rasathanthram (2006). She played as a guy in the half and the movie went on to became a block buster. Her next movie with Dileep – Vinodayathra was again with Sathyan Anthikkad who repeated her in his 3rd consecutive movie. She then starred opposite Mammootty in critically acclaimed movie Ore Kadal. The movie was showcased in film festivals and won awards. Her performance as an innocent middle class woman won praise from various corners. Media quoted her as, “Matching step with the megastar in this histrionic race is Meera Jasmine, who amazes you with a stunning delineation of her difficult role”. Her next movie was Calcutta News with Dileep. Blessy, who introduced her to film field, was the director of Calcutta News. In Innathe Chintha Vishayam (2008), she collaborated with Sathyan Anthikkad for his fourth consecutive film, again opposite Mohanlal, but failed to attain a success. Her next films Minnaminnikoottam with Kamal and Rathri Mazha with Lenin Rajendran (which released after a long post-production delay) were box office failures. She had to wait for more than an year to get a notable role in Malayalam. She played the role of a music-passionate and singer in Rajeev Anchal’s Paattinte Palazhy. Though the movie did not clicked at the box office, her character was noted and her performance gave her a good comeback. Her next film, Four Friends, was a multi-starrer directed by Saji Surendran. She played the role of a cancer patient in the comedy movie that set cash registers ringing. Her upcoming project is East Coast Vijayan’s triangular love story Mohabbat, in which she will play the lead role opposite Anand Michael and Munna.

Tamil

Jasmine’s Tamil film entry made her a well-known star in the South. The success of Tamil film Run and Bala (2002) has given her the chance to work with the established actors of the Tamil film industry. She won the Film fare Best Female debut actress award for Run. The success of the films led her to work with directors such as Mani Ratnam in Aayutha Ezhuthuand SS Stanley in Mercury Pookkal. Meera has acted in 15 Tamil films.

Telugu and Kannada

Jasmine became known in Telugu film industry with her first film (dubbed from Tamil) Run. She was in the Telugu films in 2004 with Ammayi Bagundi and Gudumba Shankar but also entered Kannada cinema by co-starring with Puneet Rajkumar in Maurya. Her Kannada film Arrasu again with Puneet Rajkumar and Ramya aka Divya Spandana is a hit. Her other Kannada films include Devaru Kotta Thangi and Ijjodu.

Jasmine’s biggest Telugu hit was Bhadra with Ravi Teja in the male lead. Her other Telugu films are Raraju, Maharadhi, Yamagola Malli Modalayindi, Gorintaku and Maa Ayana Chanti Pilladu, in which she is paired for a second time with Sivaji.

Controversy

She offered prayers at Raja Rajeshwara temple at Taliparamba in Kerala where the entry of non-Hindus is prohibited. This led to a controversy and sparked off a protest by Hindudevotees. Later, she paid Rs. 10,000 as penalty to the temple authorities to conduct the purification rituals.

Awards

National Film Awards

  • 2004 – Best Actress, Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam

Kerala State Film Awards

  • 2003 – Best Actress, Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam, Kasthuri Maan
  • 2007 – Best Actress, Ore Kadal.

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

  • 2005 – Tamil Nadu State Film Award (Special Prizes), Kasthuri Maan

Tamil Nadu Government

  • 2008 – Kalaimamani Award

Filmfare Awards

  • 2002 – Filmfare Best Female Debut (Tamil), Run
  • 2003 – Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Malayalam), Kasthoorimann
  • 2006 – Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Malayalam), Achuvinte Amma
  • 2007 – Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Malayalam), Ore Kadal

Asianet Film Awards

  • 2003 – Best Actress Award, Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam
  • 2004 – Best Actress Award, Perumazhakkalam
  • 2005 – Best Actress Award, Achuvinte Amma
  • 2007 – Best Actress Award, Ore Kadal

V Shantaram Awards

  • 2003 – V Shantaram Award for Best Actress, Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam.
  • 2007 – V Shantaram Award for Best Actress, Ore Kadal

Vanitha Film Awards

  • 2004 – Vanitha-Chandrika Film Award For Best Actress , Perumazhakkalam
  • 2007 – Vanitha-Nipon Paint Film Award for Best Actress, Ore Kadal

Mathrubhumi Film Awards

  • 2003 – Mathrubhumi – Medimix Award for Best Actress, Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam
  • 2004 – Mathrubhumi – Medimix Award for Best Actress, Perumazhakkalam

Other Awards

  • 2001 – Bharathan Award For Best Female Debut Actress, Soothradharan
  • 2002 – Dinakaran Award For Best Female Debut Actress, Run
  • 2003 – National Film Academy Award for Best Actress, Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam.
  • 2003 – Kaveri-Film Critics Award, Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam
  • 2003 – Kerala Film Audience Council Award, Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam
  • 2003 – Kerala Film Critics Association Award, Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam
  • 2004 – Tikkurishi Award for Best Actress, Perumazhakkalam.
  • 2005 – Amrita Film Fraternity Award for Best Actress, Achuvinte Amma
  • 2006 – Jeevan TV-Mastro Mania award for Best Actress, Rasathanthram
  • 2007 – Dubai AMMA award for Best Actress, Ore Kadal
  • 2007 – Fokana award for Best Actress, Ore Kadal
  • 2007 – Amrita Film Award for Best Actress, Ore Kadal
  • 2007 – Sreevidya Puraskaaram (Best Actress), Ore Kadal
  • 2007 – Tharangini Film Award for Best Actress, Ore Kadal
  • 2008 – Best Actress at 8th Annual Imagine Indian Film Festival, Spain, “Ore Kadal”
  • 2008 – Dubai AMMA award for Best Actress, Calcutta News
  • 2009 – Veera Pazhassi Awards -Swarna Mayoogam