Samyuktha Varma

Samyuktha Varma ( സംയുക്ത വർമ്മ ), born November 26, 1979^[1] is an award winning actress in Malayalam Movie Industry.^[2] She entered filmdom through the Malayalam movie Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal directed by Sathyan Anthikkad. Then she acted in several Malayalam feature films and bagged some awards. Later she left the scene after her marriage to actor Biju Menon.^[3]

Early life

She was born to Ravi Varma and Uma Varma and belongs to the Nedumpuram Palace clan in Tiruvalla, Kerala. She hails from Thrissur, had never thought of becoming an actress although her aunt Urmila Unni had already been recognized as an accomplished actress, active in both Cinema and Teleserials in Malayalam. Her parents are settled in Thrisur and got a younger sister named Sanghamitra Varma. She had also learnt dancing, but had no plans to become a professional dancer either. When she was studying at Sree Kerala Varma college, Thrissur, she got the offer to do the female lead role in Veendum Chila Veettukaaryangal.^[4]

Film career

Samyukta Varma’s three-year movie career saw her essaying a string of strong characters.^[5] Samyuktha did so well that her first movie Veendum Chila Veetukaryangal hit the theatres (in 1999) and the audience did not ever feel that the girl doing the lead role was a miscast. But hit-maker Joshi's Vazhunnor, released in 1999 itself, proved all speculations wrong. In 1999 Samyuktha Varma being cast in her third film, Chandranudikkunna Dikkil by Lal Jose, in which she was one of the two heroines, the other being debutante Kavya Madhavan. And also in the cast was Biju Menon, co-starring with whom in two of her later films, Samyuktha was to give scintillating performances. The year 2000 was not very fruitful to Samyuktha. Her second film opposite Jayaram, Nadanpennum Naattupramaaniyum of director Rajasenan, though the film appealed very much to Rajasenan's fans, it did not do much good business at the box office.

And then came a film that could be perhaps one of Samyuktha's most ambitious ventures. She was cast for the first time opposite National Award–winning superstar Mohanlal in hit-maker Fazil's home production Life is Beautiful. The film grossed average. Director Mohan's Angane Oru Avadhikaalaththu, in which Samyuktha was cast opposite Sreenivasan, offered her as well etched out role, which she did to perfection.

Then Samyuktha Verma stunned the audience with real scintillating and sensitive performances in three of her films. The first was Mazha, noted director Lenin Rajendran's film based on a short story by noted writer Madhavikutty. Samyuktha won accolades as Bhadra, a young girl caught between two worlds-one full of romantic dreams, poetry and music, and the other replete with bitter and harsh realities. Lost between these two worlds, Bhadra was indeed a well etched out role for Samyuktha and she did full justice to her role.

Then came Kamal's Madhuranombarakaattu, in which she was again cast opposite Biju Menon as Priyamvada, who finds that life for her is an unending war against fate which has nothing but sorrows in store for her. This again was a really sensitive role. Along with Madhuranombarakaattu, Swayamvarapanthal was released, directed by national award-winning filmmaker Harikumar. As Priya opposite Jayaram, Samyuktha lived in the role of an insane girl with a haunting past.

Though Samyuktha Varma did really wonderful work of her different roles, commercial success went on eluding her films. Her films in 2000, from Naadanpennum Naattupramaaniyum to Swayamvarapanthal, all were flops. But the year ended on a promising note for this young actress, as far as the commercial aspect is concerned. Rafi-Mecartin's Thenkasi Pattanam, in which she is one of the three heroines, did well and was a super hit. Starring opposite Suresh Gopi, Samyuktha dons the role of Meenakshi, a character that is more of a lighter vein compared to her earlier characters. Her next movie Meghasandesham did not do well in the box office. Rajasenan's horror movie with Suresh Gopi, newcomer Rajshri Nair and Abhirami too in the cast was a flop.

Her most noted characters are-that of Bhadra in Mazha and that of Priyamvada in Madhuranombarakaattu.^[6]

Personal life

She acted in several Malayalam feature films and retired from her profession after her marriage to actor Biju Menon on November 21, 2002. The couple have a son Dhaksh Dharmik who was born on 14 September 2006.^[7]

While on tour in the United States in 2002, Varma was on a flight to New York. Before landing, a few passengers heard her father, Ravi Varma, pointing out the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and other buildings in Malayalam. One suspicious passenger alerted a flight attendant. The plane was escorted to La Guardia Airport by two fighter jets. The family, two others in their group and one unconnected man were questioned by the Joint Terrorism Task Force for approximately five hours before being released. After the incident, Varma said, "At first I thought I would never want to come to America again, I was so scared, but the police were very nice to us. They made sure we were comfortable and they treated us well. America is good country, and I understand people are afraid of people who look different."^[8]

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards:

• 1999 - Best Actress - Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal
• 2000 - Best Actress - Madhuranombarakattu, Mazha,Swayamvara Panthal

Asianet Film Awards

• 1999 - Best Newface award
• 2000 - Best Actress Award - Mazha, Madhuranobharakkate
• 2001 - Best Actress Award - Meghamalhar
• 2001 - Best Star Pair Award - Meghamalhar (with Biju Menon)

Filmfare Awards South

• 2000-Best Actress-Mazha
• 2001-Best Actress-Megamalhar

Other Film Awards

• Film Critic Award 2000
• Arya
• Face of the year 1999
• Mathrubhumi
• Medimix
• Gulf malayali Award
• Kala Vedi Award
• Arya 2001
• State Award 2001
• Mathrubhumi 2001
• IndiaInfo Online Award 2001

• FOKANA Film Award, 2002 - Mekhamalhar

^{[9] [10]}

Filmography

References

External links

• Samyuktha Varma at the Internet Movie Database
• Lynda Polygreen. "Bollywood Farce: Indian Actress and Family Are Detained" (18 July 2002) and "Actress's Detainment Upsets Indians in U.S. and Abroad" (19 July 2002), New York Times.