{{Short description|Indian actress}} {{Other uses|Urvashi (disambiguation)}} {{EngvarB|date=September 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Urvashi | image = Urvashi (2022) 03.jpg | caption = Urvashi in 2022 | other_names = | birth_name = Kavitha Renjini | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|9|6|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Kollam]], [[Kerala]], India<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 July 2024 |title=കിരീടം വെക്കാത്ത ലേഡി സൂപ്പർസ്റ്റാർ ഉർവശിയുടെ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ യോഗ്യത; പഠനത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് താരത്തിന്റെ വെളിപ്പെടുത്തൽ |url=https://malayalam.news18.com/photogallery/buzz/education-of-malayalam-actor-urvashi-who-acted-in-several-language-movies-mm-680738.html |access-date=19 August 2024 |website=News18 മലയാളം |language=ml}}</ref> | occupation = [[Actress]] | works = [[Urvashi filmography|Full list]] | parents = | relatives = {{ubl|[[Sooranad Kunjan Pillai]] (grandfather)<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=RsXD5-ZLLKJ3FTQM&v=BWPujPovWbQ&feature=youtu.be |title=அந்த 2 பேர் இழப்பு என்ன ரொம்ப பாதிச்சது – Actress Urvashi interview {{!}} Vasanth TV |date=18 January 2025 |last=Vasanth TV |access-date=9 February 2025 |via=YouTube}}</ref>|[[Kalaranjini]] (sister)|[[Kalpana (Malayalam actress)|Kalpana]] (sister)|}} | spouse = {{ubl|{{marriage|[[Manoj K. Jayan]]|2000|2008|end=divorced}}|{{marriage| Shivaprasad|2013}}}} | children = 2 | awards = [[List of awards and nominations received by Urvashi|Full list]] }}
'''Kavitha Manoranjini'''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/did-you-know/kavitha-ranjini-is-the-real-name-of-actress-urvashi/articleshow/64494591.cms |title=Kavitha Ranjini is the real name of actress Urvashi|author=<!--not stated--> |date=7 June 2018|access-date=18 June 2021}}</ref> (born 25 January 1969), known professionally as '''Urvashi''', is an Indian actress, dubbing artist, television host, screenwriter and film producer known for her work in the [[Cinema of India|Indian film industry]], predominantly in [[Malayalam]] and [[Tamil language|Tamil]] films, and also in [[Kannada]] and [[Telugu language|Telugu]] films.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies/interview/114588/ |title=നായികമാര് എന്തിന് ഭയക്കണം?, Interview – Mathrubhumi Movies |publisher=Mathrubhumi.com |date=21 July 2010 |access-date=13 August 2014 |archive-date=15 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015122105/http://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies/interview/114588/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In a career spanning over four decades, she has won two [[National Film Award|National Film Awards]], six [[Kerala State Film Awards]], three [[Tamil Nadu State Film Awards]] and three [[Filmfare Award South]]. Known for her versatility, she is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in [[Indian cinema]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Urvashi, the mother of all roles |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/urvashi-the-mother-of-all-roles/photostory/79297126.cms |access-date=6 February 2023 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=8 February 2020 |title=Why Malayalam Cinema's Usual Rules Do Not Apply To Urvashi |url=https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/urvashi-malayalam-cinema-actress_in_5e3d16ccc5b6bb0ffc0e8e5f |access-date=6 February 2023 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref>.
Urvashi was a prominent [[lead actress]] of the 1980s and 1990s, primarily in [[Malayalam film|Malayalam]] Films. She has written the films ''[[Utsavamelam]]'' and ''[[Pidakkozhi Koovunna Noottandu]];'' the latter was also produced by her. She has won the [[National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress]] twice: first for her role in ''[[Achuvinte Amma]]'' (2005), which marked her return to cinema after a six-year break, and again for her performance in ''[[Ullozhukku]]'' (2024).<ref name="mathrubhumi1">{{cite web |url=http://www.mathrubhumi.com/mb4eves/online/malayalam/kerala/women/articles/infocus_interview-article-90671 |title=ഏകാന്തതയുടെ കടല് ഞാന് നീന്തിക്കടക്കും – articles, infocus_interview – Mathrubhumi Eves |publisher=Mathrubhumi.com |access-date=13 August 2014 |archive-date=15 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015122514/http://www.mathrubhumi.com/mb4eves/online/malayalam/kerala/women/articles/infocus_interview-article-90671 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She has won the [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress]] a record six times, including three consecutive wins from 1989 to 1991. She has also received three [[Tamil Nadu State Film Awards]] including [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize]] for ''[[Magalir Mattum (1994 film)|Magalir Mattum]]'' (1994), [[Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Award|Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Kalaivanar Award]] and [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Comedian]] for ''[[Magalir Mattum (2017 film)|Magalir Mattum]]'' (2017).
==Early and personal life==
Urvashi was born to popular drama actors Chavara V. P. Nair and Vijayalakshmi at [[Sooranad]] in the [[Kollam district]] of [[Kerala]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 July 2024 |title=കിരീടം വെക്കാത്ത ലേഡി സൂപ്പർസ്റ്റാർ ഉർവശിയുടെ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ യോഗ്യത; പഠനത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് താരത്തിന്റെ വെളിപ്പെടുത്തൽ |url=https://malayalam.news18.com/photogallery/buzz/education-of-malayalam-actor-urvashi-who-acted-in-several-language-movies-mm-680738.html |access-date=19 August 2024 |website=News18 മലയാളം |language=ml}}</ref> She is the granddaughter of famous Malayali writer [[Sooranad Kunjan Pillai]]. Her elder sisters are actors [[Kalaranjini]] and [[Kalpana (Malayalam actress)|Kalpana]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/photo-features/popular-siblings-from-the-malayalam-film-industry/photostory/48708581.cms |title=Popular siblings from the Malayalam film industry |date=28 August 2015 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=18 June 2021}}</ref> Her family was resettled to [[Thiruvananthapuram district|Thiruvananthapuram]]. Her two brothers, Kamal Roy and Prince, had also acted in a few Malayalam movies. Prince (Nandu of [[Layanam]] fame) committed suicide at the age of 17.<ref>{{cite news |date=20 March 2009 |title=Friday Review : The Urvashi formula |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/03/20/stories/2009032050740100.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=9 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324074316/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/03/20/stories/2009032050740100.htm |archive-date=24 March 2009}}</ref>
Urvashi studied at Fort Girls' Mission High School in Thiruvananthapuram until fourth grade and later at Corporation Higher Secondary School, Kodambakkam, until ninth grade, when the family shifted to [[Chennai]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lifeglint.com/content/emigre/140324/uravashi-and-munthanai-mudichu |title=മുന്താണെ മുടിച്ചും പതിനാലുകാരി കവിതയും |language=ta |author=PK Sreenivasan |date=24 March 2014 |access-date=9 March 2018}}</ref>
Firstly, Urvashi was cast by director [[K. Bhagyaraj|K.Bhagyaraj]] in his village-based film ''[[Mundhanai Mudichu]]''. The film was successful and declared a super hit at the box office. She could not continue her studies since she had become busy with her movie career by then.
Urvashi married film actor [[Manoj K. Jayan]] on 2 May 2000. They have a daughter, Teja Lakshmi, born in November 2001. However, they got divorced in 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A messy divorce! |url=http://sify.com/movies/tamil/fullstory.php?id=14541702 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012231018/http://sify.com/movies/tamil/fullstory.php?id=14541702 |archive-date=12 October 2007 |access-date=4 December 2025 |website=Sify.com}}</ref> Urvashi then married [[Chennai]]-based builder Sivaprasad in November 2013. The couple had a boy, Ishaan Prajapathi, in August 2014.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.vinodadarshan.com/2014/03/actress-urvashi-second-marriage-with.html |title=Actress Urvashi's Second Marriage with Sivaprasad |date=30 March 2014 |access-date=9 March 2018}}</ref>
==Career==
She acted in around 350 films (upto 2025) in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. She started her acting career as a child artist, at the age of 10, in a Malayalam movie ''[[Kathirmandapam]]'', released in 1979, as [[Jayabharathi]]'s daughter. She acted as [[Srividya]]'s dance student in the movie ''[[Dwik Vijayam]]'', released in 1980, she plays [[Krishna]] in the song sequence ''Madhumaasa Nikunjathil'', where her sister [[Kalpana (Malayalam actress)|Kalpana]] plays [[Radha]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Cinemaa Chirimaa with Kalpana and Manju Pilla: 22-9-2014 | date=22 September 2014 |url=http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x26f7br_cinemaa-chirimaa-22-9-2014-22-september-2014-part-2-mazhavil-manorama_tv?start=220 |publisher=mazhavilmanorama |access-date=9 March 2018}}</ref> 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 (actor)|Karthik]] in the movie ''Thodarum Uravu'', which completed shooting in 1983, but released in 1986.<ref name=mathrubhumi1/>
Her first released Tamil film as heroine was ''[[Mundhanai Mudichu]]'' directed by [[K. Bhagyaraj]] in 1983, making her debut movie. ''[[Ethirppukal]]'' in 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,<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 August 2024 |title=Kerala State Film Awards 2024: Mammootty, Prithviraj, Urvashi in the running for Best Actor, Actress |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/news/kerala-state-film-awards-2024-mammootty-prithviraj-parvathy-urvashi-1.9813622 |access-date=9 February 2025 |website=English.Mathrubhumi |language=en}}</ref> without taking a single penny as remuneration. She was awarded Best Actress for this role. She has acted in some advertisements, and has participated in many stage shows also. She also hosted Kannada Show Krazy Couple on [[Zee Kannada]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 January 2014 |title=Urvashi returns to Kannada |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/kannada/urvashi-in-sandalwood/articleshow/28226299.cms |access-date=9 February 2025 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
==Filmography== {{Main|Urvashi filmography}}
==Awards and nominations== {{Main|List of awards and nominations received by Urvashi }}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} * {{IMDb name}} * {{BH person|urvashi}} * [http://en.msidb.org/displayProfile.php?category=actors&artist=Urvashi&limit=120 Urvashi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062526/http://en.msidb.org/displayProfile.php?category=actors&artist=Urvashi&limit=120 |date=4 March 2016 }} at MSI
{{NationalFilmAwardBestSupportingActress}} {{KeralaStateAwardForBestActress}}{{Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam}}{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Urvashi}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]] [[Category:Women artists from Kerala]] [[Category:21st-century Indian actresses]] [[Category:Actresses in Malayalam cinema]] [[Category:Actresses in Tamil cinema]] [[Category:Actresses in Telugu cinema]] [[Category:Actresses in Kannada cinema]] [[Category:Best Supporting Actress National Film Award winners]] [[Category:Filmfare Awards South winners]] [[Category:Kerala State Film Award winners]] [[Category:Indian film actresses]] [[Category:Actresses from Thiruvananthapuram]] [[Category:Tamil Nadu State Film Awards winners]] [[Category:Child actresses in Malayalam cinema]] [[Category:Indian television actresses]] [[Category:Actresses in Malayalam television]] [[Category:Actresses in Kannada television]] [[Category:Actresses in Telugu television]] [[Category:Actresses in Tamil television]] [[Category:Indian women television presenters]] [[Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema]] [[Category:Tamil comedians]] [[Category:Indian voice actresses]] [[Category:1969 births]]