Kavitha Ranjini, known by the stage name Urvashi (born January 25, 1970), is an Indian film actress , Television host and producer.
Urvashi was a prominent lead actress of the 1980s and 1990s, primarily in Malayalam and Tamil films. She has written the films Ulsavamelam and Pidakkozhi Koovunna Noottandu, the latter was also produced by her. She won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Achuvinte Amma (2005).She has won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress five times, which includes three consecutive wins from 1989 to 1991. She has also won two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.
Personal life
Urvashi was born in 25 January 1968, at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala to actor Chavara V.P. Nair and Vijayalakshmi. Her elder sisters are actresses Kalaranjini and Kalpana. Her two brothers, Kamal Roy and late Prince had also acted in few Malayalam movies. Prince (Nandu of Layanam fame) committed suicide at the age of 26. She had her primary education from Fort Girl’s Mission High School, Thiruvananthapuram, till fourth grade and later at Corporation Higher Secondary School, Kodambakkam till ninth grade, when the family shifted to Chennai. She couldn’t continue her studies since she had become busy with her movie career by then. Firstly, Urvashi was acting in three films, Bhagyaraj saw the rush and booked her in Munthanai Mudichi. Those three directors helped Urvashi to get preference in Munthanai Mudichi call-seats. They calculated that the film would become a hit, then they could release their films with much profit.
Urvashi married film actor Manoj K. Jayan on 11 October 2000. They have a daughter Tejalakshmi, born in 2001. After divorce from her first husband Manoj K. Jayan in 2008, Urvashi married Chennai-based builder Sivaprasad on November 2013. The couple had a boy on August 2014, named Ishaan Prajapathi.
Acting career
She acted in around 500 films in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. She started her acting career as a child artist, at the age of 8, in a Malayalam movie Vidarunna Mottukal, released in 1977, her sister Kalpana also debuted in the same movie. She then acted in Kathirmandapam, released in 1979, as Jayabharathi’s daughter. She acted as Srividya’s dance student in the movie Digvijayam, released in 1980, she plays Krishna in the song sequence Madhumaasa Nikunjathil, where her sister Kalpana plays the role of Radha. She has also acted as a child artist in Ninaivukal Maraivathillai, a Tamil movie, in 1983, but it was never released. Then she acted as a heroine, at the age of 13, to Karthik in the movie Thodarum Uravu, which completed shooting in 1983, but released in 1986.
Her first released film as heroine was Munthanai Mudichchu (Tamil, directed by K. Bhagyaraj) in 1983, making her debut movie. Ethirppukal (Malayalam, 1984) was one of her earlier films in Malayalam. During the peak of her career, she starred in M.P. Sukumaran Nair’s award-winning film Kazhakam in 1995, without taking a single penny as remuneration. She was awarded Best Actress for this role. She has acted in some advertisements also. She has participated in many stage shows too.
Awards
National Film Awards
- 2006: Best Supporting Actress – Achuvinte Amma
- Kerala State Film Awards
- 1989: Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress – Mazhavil Kavadi, Varthamanakalam
- 1990: Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress – Thalayanamanthram
- 1991: Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress – Bharatham, Mukha Chithram, Kakkathollayiram, Kadinjool Kalyanam
- 1995: Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress – Kazhakam
- 2006: Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress – Madhuchandralekha
- Filmfare Awards South
- 2010: Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Malayalam – Mummy & Me
- 2018: 65th Filmfare Nomination for Best Supporting Actress – Tamil – Magalir Mattum
- Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
- 1994: Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize – Magalir Mattum
- 1995: Kalaivanar Award for Best Actress by Tamil Nadu Government
- Kerala Film Critics Association Awards
- 1990: Best Actress – Thalayanamanthram
- 1989: Best Actress – Varthamanakalam
- Amritha Film Awards
- 2005 : Best Supporting Actress- Achuvinte Amma
- Nana Film Weekly Awards
- 1990: Best Actress (Malayalam) – Thalayanamanthram
- 1991: Best Actress (Malayalam) – Bharatham
- 1992: Best Actress (Malayalam) – Venkalam
- 2005: Best Actress (Malayalam) – Achuvinte Amma
- 2009: Best Supporting Actress (Malayalam) – Bharya Swantham Suhruthu
- Other Film Awards
- 1983: Best New face Madras Telugu Film Academy Award – Mundhanai Mudichu (Tamil)
- 1984: Savithry Award for Best Actress – Mundhanai Mudichu
- 1992 :Ujala Award for Best Actress –Kizhakkan Pathrose & Venkalam (Malayalam)
- 1993 :Ujala Award for Best Actress – Kalippattam & Sthreedhanam
- 1993 :Woman of the Year Award By Film Fans Association for various films
- 1994 :Chennai Film City Academy Award for Best Actress – Naan Petha Magane & Vanaja Girija
- 1996 :Screen Videocon Award for Best Actress – Irattai Roja
- 1997: Madras Film Academy Award for Best Actress by Tamil Nadu Government
- 1999 :Film Council Audience Award for Best Actress –Garshom & Kottappurathe Koottukudumbam
- 2005 :Best Actress Award by Film Fans Association –Achuvinte Amma
- 2005 :Suvarna TV Special Award for Best Actress – Rama Shama Bhama (Kannada)
- 2007 :Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards for Best Comedian — Female – Malaikottai (Tamil)
- 2009 :Best Character (Female)-Siva Manasula Sakthi
- 2010 :Jaihind TV Special Award for Best Actress – Mummy & Me
- 2010 :Jayan Smaraka Award for Best Actress – Mummy & Me & Sakudumbam Shyamala
- 2017 :Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards for Best Comedian — Female – Magalir Mattum (Tamil)
- Television Awards
- 2008 : Best Anchor award (Surya TV) for game show “Swarnamazha” (Malayalam)
- 2010 : Popular Game Show (Surya TV) for “Rani Maharani” (Malayalam)
- 2002 : Best Anchor Award (Raj TV Award) for “Take It Easy Urvashi” (Tamil)
