Sreejaya Nair – Younger sister of Malayalam lead characters of 1990s

Sreejaya Nair is a character artist of Malayalam cinema. She mostly played sister kind of roles in the early phase of career in the 1990s, and took a break from acting in 2000 following her marriage. She returned to silver screen in a bang almost around 15 years later, and played the memorable roles of Thankamani Varasyar in Odiyan and a dancer’s role in Aravindante Adhikal, celebrating her comeback. A trained classical dancer she owns a dance school in Bangalore – Sreejaya’s School of Classical Dance.

Sreejaya Nair was born into a middle-class family in Kothamangalam, Ernakulam. Started her dancing lessons at a tender age of 5, she later joined Kerala Kalamandalam and took advanced studies in Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam and Kuchipudi. She also studied under Chitra Chandrasekhar Dasarath. As a film actress, she was first seen in a brief role in 1992 Mohanlal film, Kamaladalam. Throughout 1990s she played sister kind of roles before disappearing from screen. After marriage she moved to Bangalore where she established her dance school. Now her dance school owns 5 branches with more than 500 students.

Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal, Anuragakottaram, Ponthanmada, Lelam, Ayal Kadha Ezhuthukayanu, Pathram, Kanmadam, Summer in Bethlehem etc are some of her noted roles in 1990s. Malayali audience accepted her as a younger sister in 1990s. When she was offered a meaty role of a professional dancer for the first time in her professional career, she accepted. Thus she made a great comeback through Aravindante Adhikal in 2018. Though she received many roles earlier, she rejected all. Yet she was seen in a couple of movies – Careful and Avatharam before Aravindante Adhikal and Odiyan happened. She played Dileep’s sister in Avatharam.

Sreejaya Nair – Some interesting and less-known facts

1. She joined Kerala Kalamandalam after completing her 7^th grade class, where she completed her graduation in dance forms.

2. She got her first film role when Kamaladalam’s shooting was done at Kerala Kalamandalam, where she was studying. She was spotted by the director.

3. Her debut film was without any dialogues.

4. In films, she has played sister to Mammootty, Mohanlal, Manju Warrier etc in the 1990s before she took hiatus.

5. She appeared as the cover girl of Vanitha magazine in the late 1990s. Her husband Madan came up with the marriage proposal after seeing this picture.

6. Despite holding a graduation in different classical forms from the prestigious Kerala Mandalam, it took more than 17 years to get her first dance role through Aravindante Adhikal.

7. After a few years of stay in Bangalore, her family shifted to Canada. Though her husband got good job there, she couldn’t succeed as a professional dance teacher. She got into depression, and as suggested by her husband she moved back to Bangalore, where she established a successful dance school.

8. She appeared for a brief period in the TV series, Aayirathil Oruval.