Manju Warrier is one of the most loved actresses in South Indian cinema, especially in Malayalam films. Today is 15 December 2025, and even now she is active and popular as a strong female star. She is known for her simple nature, powerful acting, and inspiring life story.
Early Life And Family
Manju Warrier was born on 10 September 1978 in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, in a Malayali family. Her father T. V. Madhavan worked as an accountant, and her mother Girija is a trained classical dancer and Kathakali artist. She has an elder brother, Madhu Warrier, who is also an actor and producer in the Malayalam film industry. Manju spent her childhood in Kerala even though she was born in Tamil Nadu. Her family later moved, and she grew up in different parts of Kerala. From a young age she showed interest in dance and stage performances. Her mother’s art background helped her to enter the world of performance easily.
Education
Manju studied in schools in Kerala where she took part in many youth festivals and cultural events. She was very active in dance competitions and stage shows. This helped her gain confidence to face the camera later. She also did some television programs and ads before entering films. Her education was normal like any other middle-class girl, but her focus slowly moved more towards acting and dance. She became known as a talented young performer in school and college level stages. This attention opened doors for her in the television and film world.
Manju Warrier Age, Height, Wikipedia, Biography, Husband, Daughter, Family
Career
Manju’s first steps in the entertainment industry were through television. She appeared in a Malayalam television serial at a young age. These early roles were small but important. They showed producers that she had a natural screen presence.
Her film debut came in the mid-1990s with Malayalam cinema. Some sources mention that her early film appearance was in the movie “Sakshyam” around 1995. Very soon she got a major role in the film “Sallapam” in 1996, which became a big turning point in her career.
Rise to Fame
After “Sallapam,” Manju Warrier became one of the busiest actresses in Malayalam films. Between 1995 and 1999 she acted in almost 20 films, which is a very high number in such a short time. Many of these movies were hits and made her a favourite among family audiences.
She became famous for strong female characters and emotional scenes. Films like “Ee Puzhayum Kadannu,” “Kaliyattam,” “Aaraam Thampuran,” and “Summer in Bethlehem” made her a top heroine. Her performance in “Ee Puzhayum Kadannu” won her the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress, which is a big honour for any Malayalam actor.
Awards
By the end of the 1990s, Manju was considered one of the best actresses of her generation. She received a National Film Award special mention for her role in “Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu.” This showed that her talent was recognised not only in Kerala but at the national level also. Over her career she has won multiple Filmfare Awards South and Kerala State Film Awards. [5] These awards came for different films and different types of roles, which shows her range as an actress. Critics often praise her for natural acting and strong screen presence.
Long Break
In 1998, at the peak of her career, Manju Warrier married Malayalam actor Dileep. Soon after marriage she decided to step away from films. For many years she did not act in movies, even though fans wanted to see her back on screen. During this time, she focused on her family life. The couple had a daughter named Meenakshi. Manju kept a low profile in the film world for more than a decade. This long break was unusual because she was a leading actress when she stopped acting.
Personal Challenges
After many years of marriage, problems came into their relationship. Finally, Manju and Dileep got divorced in 2015. Their separation was widely covered in the media because both were famous actors. Even in this difficult time, Manju stayed calm and did not speak much about personal matters in public. The divorce was a painful phase, but it also became a turning point in her life. She slowly started to rebuild her identity as an independent woman and artist. Many fans and women in Kerala saw her as a symbol of strength and courage.
Grand Comeback
Manju Warrier made her big comeback to films with the 2014 Malayalam movie “How Old Are You?”. The film told the story of a middle-aged woman who rediscovers her dreams and self-respect. The role suited Manju’s real-life situation, and the audience connected deeply with it. “How Old Are You?” became a hit and proved that she was still a star. The success of the film restarted her career and opened many new offers. After this, she started acting regularly again in Malayalam cinema. Many people called her comeback one of the strongest returns by any Indian actress.
Notable Work
After 2014, Manju worked in a wide range of movies. In “Udaharanam Sujatha” (2017), she played a poor single mother who does everything to educate her daughter. The film got great reviews and showed Manju’s ability to carry a film on her shoulders. She also acted in “Aami” (2018), a biographical film based on famous Malayalam writer Kamala Das.This role was challenging because the character was complex and emotional. In 2019, she appeared in the Tamil film “Asuran” with Dhanush, which brought her wider South Indian recognition beyond Malayalam cinema.
Work in Tamil
Though she is mainly a Malayalam actress, Manju has also worked in Tamil films. “Asuran” became a major success and introduced her to a new audience. [5][7] Her performance as a strong village woman in the film received high praise. She later appeared in other Tamil projects and also showed interest in working in more Indian languages. [5] With streaming platforms and pan-India releases, her popularity has slowly grown outside Kerala too. This made her a more recognised name in Indian cinema as a whole.
Skills
Apart from acting, Manju Warrier is a trained classical dancer. She has performed on stage at many cultural programs and award shows. Even during her break from films, she stayed connected with dance. She has also been a brand ambassador for several products and social campaigns. In Kerala, she is often chosen to promote women’s empowerment messages and awareness programs. Her clean image and simple lifestyle help her connect with the public easily.
Personality
Manju is known for her humble and soft-spoken nature. She usually stays away from unnecessary controversies. Even though her personal life went through ups and downs, she handled it with dignity. Fans respect her for focusing on her work and for supporting social causes quietly. She often speaks about women’s independence, self-respect, and the importance of following one’s dreams at any age. This makes her not just a star but also a role model for many women.
Manju Warrier as a Producer
In recent years, Manju has also stepped into film production. She has produced or co-produced some projects, which shows her interest in working behind the camera as well. This move gives her more creative control and helps her support meaningful cinema. Her involvement in production also proves that she is thinking long-term about her career in the film industry. It is not only about acting roles but also about shaping good stories and strong female characters.
Legacy
Manju Warrier is often called the “Lady Superstar” of Malayalam cinema. She changed the way female roles were written in Malayalam films during the late 1990s. Her characters were not just romantic partners; they had strong emotions, opinions, and inner strength. Her comeback after a long break and a public divorce inspired many. It showed that a woman can restart her life and career even after many years. Young actresses in Malayalam cinema often mention her as an example of talent, hard work, and courage.
Present Life
Today, in 2025, Manju Warrier continues to act in films and occasionally appear in television shows and events. She balances commercial movies with content-driven roles. She also spends time with her family, especially her daughter, and keeps her personal life mostly private. Looking at her journey, Manju’s life is a mix of early success, sacrifice, struggle, and strong comeback. Her story teaches that talent combined with courage can help a person rise again after any fall. For many cinema lovers, she is not only a star on screen but also a symbol of hope and self-belief in real life.
