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Shwetha Menon

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Shwetha Menon
Menon at an event
Born (1974-04-23) 23 April 1974 (age 50)[1][2]
Chandigarh, India[3]
Occupations
  • Actor
  • model
  • television anchor
Years active1991–present
Title
Spouses
  • Bobby Bhonsle
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2004; div. 2007)​
    [5]
  • Sreevalsan Menon
    ​
    (m. 2011)​
Children1
RelativesAnoop Menon (cousin)
AwardsKerala State Film Awards
Websitewww.shwetha-menon.com

Shwetha Menon (born 23 April 1974),[1][2] is an Indian actress, model, television anchor and beauty pageant titleholder. She has won Femina Miss India Asia Pacific 1994. She has predominantly acted in Malayalam and Hindi language films, besides appearing in a number of Telugu and Tamil Language Films. She won two Kerala State Film Awards for Best Actress and two Filmfare Award South. She participated in Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 1.[6][7]

Starting her career as an actress in Malayalam feature films in the early 1990s, she ventured into modeling and became noted, after participating and winning at several beauty pageants, which led to her debut in Bollywood. It was the film Ishq (1997) where she received notable attention as the dancer for the song, "Humko Tumse Pyaar Hai", featuring Aamir Khan and Ajay Devgn and also in Bandhan (1998). Following appearances in over 30 Hindi films, in which she generally conveyed a glamorous image, her acting career took a turn by the mid-2000s, with her returning to Malayalam cinema and accepting substantial roles.[8] She received critical praise and several accolades including the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress for her performances in Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha (2009) and Salt N' Pepper (2011). In 2018, she contestant in the Malayalam reality TV series Bigg Boss and was eliminated after 36 episodes aired on Asianet, hosted by the veteran actor Mohanlal. She simultaneously appeared in commercial films, television reality shows and parallel films.

Early life

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Shwetha Menon was born on 23 April 1974[1][2] in Chandigarh to Malayali parents T. V. Naranankutty and Sarada Menon who hail from Valanchery in Malappuram district in Kerala.[3] Her father served in the Indian Air Force while her mother remained a housewife. She studied in Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 1, East Hill, Kozhikode.[9]

Career

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Films

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She started her career as an actress in the Malayalam film Anaswaram (1991), directed by Jomon, playing the female lead opposite Mammootty, after which she focused on modeling.[citation needed] She competed in the Miss India contest in 1994 and finished third runner-up behind Sushmita Sen, Aishwarya Rai and Fransesca Hart.[citation needed] She became the first Gladrags female super model in 1994 (Kelly Dorjee was the male super model) and then, Miss Asia Pacific semi-finalist in 1994 in Manila Cebu Island, Philippines.[10] She subsequently made her debut in Bollywood and appeared in over 30 films; some of her Bollywood films include Asoka (2001), Maqbool (2003) and Corporate (2006).

Menon returned to Malayalam in 2006 with Thantra and then went on to do famous Malayalam films such as Keerthi Chakra (2006) and the award-winning Paradesi. Her performance as Sarojini, a middle-class woman who fights against extreme odds, in Madhya Venal earned her a special mention by jury chairman Bahman Ghobadi, a famous Iranian director at the International Film Festival of Kerala. In 2010, she won the Kerala State Government's Best Actress for her portrayal of Cheeru, a village woman in the film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha directed by Ranjith. She won the Mathrubhumi-Amrita TV Special Jury Award and the Asianet Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for the same film. In 2011, Shweta Menon starred in the remake of Rathinirvedam an Erotic Movie, playing the titular character, originally played by Jayabharathi. In the same year, she got the Kerala State Award for Salt N' Pepper. For her next movie, Naval Enna Jewel, Shweta Menon has undergone a remarkable makeover as an elderly man.[11]

In 2010, Menon approached a local court and the Women's Commission in Kerala after the distributor of her movie tied up with Musli Power, a sex stimulant drug, to jointly promote the movie. "Met with Women's Commission regarding the Kayam ad and they offered me full backing. Thank you all and I hope justice will be done," she tweeted.[12]

Television

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Besides working in films, she has anchored several TV, stage and film awards shows. Menon rose to popularity after presenting the musical programme, Star Wars on Kairali TV in 2008.[13] She won the Asian Television Award for Best Anchor for the same program. In Hindi, she hosted the group band based show, Razzmatazz on Zee TV with actor Arshad Warsi.[14] The next television show she did was Dancing Queen in 2008 on Colors. In 2010, she anchored the Malayalam reality show, Honeymoon Travels on Surya TV. The show became an instant hit for Shwetha's accented Malayalam and her attempts to read from the original script without a formal learning in the language. Recently, she appeared as a contestant with her father in the game show, Deal or No Deal on Surya TV. She was the anchor of the family-based reality show Veruthe Alla Bharya on Mazhavil Manorama.[15] She has participated in the popular game show Ningalkkum Aakaam Kodeeshwaran on Asianet. She was running popular comedy reality show Minto Goal Comedy Stars on Asianet in 2015. She has acted in many advertisements. She was a contestant in the season 1 of the reality TV show Bigg Boss aired on Asianet, from which she was eliminated after 36 episodes. In 2019 she made her TV comeback as the host for a family talent hunt show on Mazhavil Manorama titled Kusurthi Kudumbam.[16]

Personal life

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Shwetha was married to Bollywood model, Bobby Bhonsle, but it ended up in divorce.[17] On 18 June 2011, she married Sreevalsan Menon, a native of Thrissur, who works in Mumbai. The ceremony took place at the Neythalappurath Sastha Ayappa temple, Valanchery, Kerala.[18] She has a daughter, whose delivery was recorded on camera as part of the film Kalimannu.[19]

Controversies

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Shwetha Menon was charged with insulting the Indian flag at a fashion show on 5 January 2004. The show was organized by NIFD at a resort, where Menon walked the ramp allegedly with the tricolour wrapped around her body.[20][21]

In 2011, she had filed a case against Kunnath Pharmaceuticals' managing director K. C. Abraham for misusing stills from her film Kayam (2011) for promoting their Ayurvedic aphrodisiac Musli Power Extra. The Ernakulam Central Police arrested Abraham.[22][23]

Shwetha allowed her delivery to be recorded for Blessy's film Kalimannu (2013). The act was condemned for commercializing the most private affair of a woman by the Kerala Film Exhibitors.[24]

On 4 November 2013, she filed a case against N. Peethambara Kurup of the Indian National Congress in a groping incident. Shweta later dropped her complaint against Kurup, saying the 71-year-old leader tendered a "personal apology" to her hours after she lodged the FIR against him.[25]

Awards

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Kerala State Film Awards
Filmfare Awards South
South Indian International Movie Awards
  • 2012 – SIIMA Award for Actress – Special Appreciation – Rathinirvedam
  • 2013 – SIIMA Award for Best Supporting Actress – Ozhimuri
Other Awards

Filmography

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Films

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List of Shwetha Menon film credits
Year Title Role Language Notes
1991 Anaswaram Catherine Malayalam
1992 Welcome to Kodaikanal Kavitha Malayalam
Nakshthrakoodaram Nirmala S. Menon Malayalam
1993 Koushalam Sashikala Malayalam
1995 DeshaDrohulu Anu Telugu
1997 Prithvi Lucky Hindi
Ishq Dancer Hindi Special appearance
1998 Bandhan Vaishali Hindi
2000 Shikari Tania Jacobs Hindi
Snegithiye Police Inspector, Jayashree Tamil
Sandhitha Velai Dancer Tamil Special appearance
2001 Asoka Nandaneshwari Hindi
Anandam Dancer in song Telugu Special appearance
Khatron Ke Khiladi Dancer Hindi
Kakkakuyil Dancer Malayalam Special appearance
Dubai Dancer Malayalam Item Dance
2002 Kaaboo Dancer/Singer Hindi Special appearance
Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya Hindi
Vadh Hindi Cameo
Annarth Khatun Hindi Cameo
Ab Ke Baras Chembakam Hindi
Anokha Bandhan Hindi
2003 Koi Hai... Liza Hindi
Tu Bal Bramhachari Main Hoon Kanya Kunwari Rani Hindi
Dhund: The Fog Tanya Khurana Hindi
Pran Jaye Par Shaan Na Jaye Sheela Hindi
88 Antop Hill Teesta Hindi
Kahan Ho Tum Santhali Hindi
Maqbool Mohini Hindi
Market Isha Hindi
Mission Mumbai Hindi
Juniors Telugu Cameo
Hungama Hindi
2004 The Killer – Ek Qatil Hindi
Omkara Kannada Cameo
Run Ganpat's wife Hindi
30 Days Paro/Shalu Hindi
Bazaar: Market of Love, Lust and Desire Hindi
Shikaar Rama Sahay Hindi
2005 Mera Yudh Hindi
Bad Friend Hindi
Vardi Hindi
Topless Hindi
Fresh Lime Hindi
Dhamkee Chandni Hindi
2006 Corporate Archana Hindi
Sandwich Maggie Hindi
Keerthi Chakra Aathira Malayalam
Pakal Latha Mohankumar Malayalam
Thanthra Swethamukhi Malayalam
2007 Raakilipattu Jayasree Malayalam
Nehlle Pe Dehlla dancer/singer Hindi Cameo
Aur Phir Ek Din Hindi
Paradesi Aamina Malayalam
Rock & Roll Meenakshi Malayalam
Abraham & Lincoln Lulu Malayalam
2008 Summer 2007 D.S.P Keerti Hindi Special appearance
Sadhu Miranda Tamil Special appearance
Laptop Mother Malayalam
Aakasha Gopuram Alice Malayalam
Samayam Manikyam Malayalam
2009 Kisse Pyaar Karoon Chameli / Julie Hindi
Naan Avanillai 2 Nisha Tamil
Madhya Venal Sarojini Malayalam
Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha Cheeru Malayalam Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress
Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Malayalam
Kerala Cafe Devi Malayalam segment "Aviraamam"
2010 Chase Kareena Chopra Hindi Cameo
Pokkiri Raja Dancer Malayalam Special appearance
Penpattanam Suhara Malayalam
Sadgamaya Jyothi Malayalam
T. D. Dasan Std. VI B Chandrika Malayalam
Valiyangadi Lakshmi Malayalam
Kadaksham Revathy Malayalam
2011 Kayam Thamara Malayalam
August 15 Dr. Farida Malayalam
City of God Liji Punnose Malayalam
Rathinirvedam Rathi Malayalam
Salt N' Pepper Maya Krishnan Malayalam Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam
Rajanna Dorasanni Telugu
2012 Unnam Sereena Malayalam
Aravaan Rajaambaal Tamil Special appearance
Thalsamayam Oru Penkutty Sareena Malayalam
No. 66 Madhura Bus Rita Mammen Malayalam
Ivan Megharoopan Maya Maheswari Malayalam
Ithra Mathram Sumithra Malayalam
Ozhimuri Kaliamma Malayalam
Parudeesa Thresia Malayalam
Aakasmikam Anitha Malayalam
2013 Mumbai Police Dr. Tanuja Nair Malayalam
Kalimannu Meera Malayalam
Careebeyans Catherine Malayalam
2014 100 Degree Celsius Nila Malayalam Also playback singer[27]
2015 Thunai Mudhalvar Thangamani Tamil [28]
Appavum Veenjum Dr.Nayana Malayalam
Rudrasimhasanam Umayamma Malayalam
Akeldamayile Pennu Agnes Malayalam [29]
Maayamalika Manikyam Malayalam
Haram Herself Malayalam
2016 Dhanayathra Vijila Malayalam
2017 Inayathalam Helen Tamil
Naval Enna Jewel Chachu Malayalam
2018 Kammara Sambhavam Malayil Maheshwari Malayalam
Premanjali Subhadra Malayalam
Oru Kuprasidha Payyan Dr. Renuka Subramanian Malayalam
2019 Fancy Dress Priya Malayalam
2021 Black Coffee Maya Krishnan Malayalam
2023 Pallimani Malayalam [30]
Queen Elizabeth Dr. Shanti Krishna Malayalam [31]
2024 Badal Malayalam [32]

Web series

[edit]
List of Shwetha Menon web series credits
Year Title Role Language Notes
2024 Nagendran's Honeymoons Laila Sulthana Malayalam Disney+ Hotstar[33]

Television

[edit]
List of television credits
Year Show Role Channel Language Notes
90's Manasi Actress Malayalam TV series
90's Ladies Hostel Actress Malayalam TV series
2001 Razzmatazz Co-host Zee TV Hindi with Arshad Warsi
2007 Star Wars Host Malayalam Won, Asian Television Award for Best Anchor
2008–2009 Dancing Queen Contestant Colors TV Hindi
2009 Honeymoon Travels Host Malayalam Replacing Lalu Alex
2010 Deal Or No Deal Participant Surya TV Malayalam
2010 Idea Star Singer Celebrity Judge Asianet Malayalam
2010 Super Jodi Judge Malayalam
2011–2012 Veruthe Alla Bharya Host Mazhavil Manorama Malayalam
2012 Veruthe Alla Bharya Season 2 Host Mazhavil Manorama Malayalam Replaced by Rimi Tomy
2013 Ningalkkum Aakaam Kodeeshwaran Participant Asianet Malayalam
2015 Veruthe Alla Bharya Season 3 Host Mazhavil Manorama Malayalam
2015–2016 Comedy Stars Season 2 Judge Asianet Malayalam
2015 Star Challenge Participant Malayalam
2015 Page 3 Model Malayalam
2016–2017 Katturumbu Judge Flowers TV Malayalam
2016 Aluvayum Mathikariyum Herself Asianet Plus Malayalam Cameo in promo
2016 Onachithrangal Special host Malayalam
2017 Manasaveera Promo anchor Asianet Plus Malayalam Promotion of the show
2017 Comedy Circus Judge Mazhavil Manorama Malayalam
2017 Tharodayam new face hunt Judge Malayalam
2017 Laughing Villa Season 2 Judge Malayalam
2017 Asianet Comedy Awards Promo anchor Asianet Malayalam
2018 Super Jodi Judge Malayalam Replaced by Annie
2018 Bigg Boss (Malayalam season 1) Contestant Asianet Malayalam Evicted on day 35
2019 Kusruthi Kudumbam Host Malayalam
2020 Suryajodi No.1 Judge Surya TV Malayalam Replacing Ineya
2020–2021 Comedy Stars Season 2 Judge Asianet Malayalam
2020–2021 Funny Nights Judge/Host Zee Keralam Malayalam
2020 Red Carpet Mentor Amrita TV Malayalam
2021 Udan Panam Contestant Mazhavil Manorama Malayalam
2021–2022 , 2024 Star Magic Mentor Flowers TV Malayalam
2021 Super Power Mentor Malayalam
2021 Aram + Aram = Kinnaram Host Surya TV Malayalam
2021 Manjil Virinja Poovu Actress Shweta (Guest Role) Mazhavil Manorama Malayalam TV Serial
2021–2022 Comedy Stars Season 3 Judge Asianet Malayalam
2021 Oru Chiri Iru Chiri Bumper Chiri Judge Mazhavil Manorama Malayalam
2021 Asianet Big B Dhamaka Contestant Asianet Malayalam
2022 Mounaragam Actress Shweta (Guest Role) Asianet Malayalam TV Serial
2022,2024 Comedy Masters Judge Amrita TV Malayalam
2022 Oru Kodi Contestant Flowers TV Malayalam
2023 Dancing Stars Judge Asianet Malayalam replacing Durga Krishna
2023–2024 Ammayum Makalum Judge Amrita TV Malayalam
2023–2024 Kidilam Judge Mazhavil Manorama Malayalam
2024 Bigg Boss (Malayalam season 6) Guest Asianet Malayalam Day 59-61 as Challenger[34]
2024-present Enkile Ennodu Para Host Asianet Malayalam [35]

Dubbing artist

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In 2017, she lent her voice for the role of a police officer played by Raashii Khanna in Malayalam film Villain.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Happy Birthday Shwetha Menon: Lesser known facts about the diva". The Times of India.
  2. ^ a b c Gomes, Eric Joseph (20 April 2023). "Swetha Menon Biography: Age, Birthday, Early Life, Career, Controversies, Awards".
  3. ^ a b "Actress Shweta Menon's father passes away". 1 September 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Shweta Menon is a third runnerup in Miss India contest '94". The Times of India. 11 June 2014.
  5. ^ "Divorce is like mercy killing: Bobby". The Times of India. 17 August 2007.
  6. ^ "Bigg Boss Malayalam: Mohanlal's show to begin from June 24". The Indian Express. 2 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Bigg Boss Malayalam: Mohanlal releases the motion poster". ETimes. 2 June 2018.
  8. ^ "Back to Mollywood". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 16 June 2006. Archived from the original on 9 November 2012.
  9. ^ "Shwetha Menon is the cousin of Anoop Menon". The Times of India. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  10. ^ Divorce is like mercy killing: Bobby. The Times of India (17 August 2007). Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  11. ^ "ഞെട്ടിപ്പിക്കുന്ന മേക്ക് ഓവറിൽ ശ്വേത മേനോൻ; പാട്ടും ട്രെൻഡായി". ManoramaOnline.
  12. ^ Shwetha Menon [@menonshwetha] (6 December 2010). "Met with Womens' [sic] Commission regarding the Kayam ad and they offered me full backing. Thank you all and I hope justice will be done" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 March 2014 – via Twitter.
  13. ^ "Battle of the campuses". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 30 November 2007. Archived from the original on 2 December 2007.
  14. ^ "The Sunday Tribune – Spectrum – Television". The Tribune. 18 November 2001. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  15. ^ Nagarajan, Saraswathy (24 November 2011). "All in the family". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  16. ^ "Actress Shwetha Menon back to entertain with TV show 'Kusruthi Kudumbam'". Onmanorama. 24 May 2019.
  17. ^ "Bobby makes a comeback". The Times of India. 7 November 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  18. ^ "Shwetha Menon enters wedlock". The Times of India. 18 June 2011. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  19. ^ "Divorce is like mercy killing: Bobby". The Times of India. 7 December 2016. Archived from the original on 7 December 2016.
  20. ^ "Court rejects Shweta Menon's anticipatory bail plea". Hindustan Times. 15 December 2009. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  21. ^ "Model Shweta Menon appears before local court". Zee News. 27 January 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  22. ^ Galatta (7 May 2011). "Misuse of Shweta's stills: K.C. Abraham arrested". Yahoo News India. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  23. ^ "Musli Power maker moves high court". The Times of India. 14 September 2011. Archived from the original on 21 October 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  24. ^ "Swetha Menon's Kalimannu delivery scene sparks controversy". Times of AP. 26 November 2012. Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  25. ^ "Actress Shweta Menon withdraws Molestation Charges against Congress MP". Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  26. ^ "Mammotty, Kavya Madhavan bag Asiavision awards". Emirates 24/7. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  27. ^ Soman, Deepa (13 August 2014). "I am a mad person and I like to work with mad people!". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  28. ^ Soman, Deepa (20 June 2014). "Shwetha Menon, Jayaram and Kadhal Sandhya join Bhagyaraj for Thunai Mudalvar". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  29. ^ Suresh, Meera (25 November 2014). "Her Life, Her Woes". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  30. ^ "'Pallimani' gets a release date". The Times of India. 12 February 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  31. ^ "Meera Jasmine and Narain's Queen Elizabeth gets a release date". Cinema Express. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  32. ^ "Badal Premiere Locked: Shwetha Menon's Political Thriller Will Release On THIS Date". News18. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  33. ^ "'Nagendran's Honeymoons': First look of Suraj Venjaramoodu's web series with Nithin Renji Panicker out". The Hindu. 23 May 2024.
  34. ^ "Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 6: Former contestant Shweta Menon enters house as second challenger; WATCH". Asianet News.
  35. ^ "ഏഷ്യാനെറ്റില്‍ പുതിയ ഗെയിം ഷോ; 'എങ്കിലേ എന്നോട് പറ' അവതരിപ്പിക്കാന്‍ സാബുവും ശ്വേതയും". 22 October 2024.
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