{{Short description|Indian actor}} {{BLP sources|date=February 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = Utthara Unni | image = Utthara Unni Actress Edavapathy.jpg | caption = Utthara Unni in the film ''Edavappathy'' | birth_date = | birth_place = Thiruvalla, Kerala, India | alma_mater = | occupation = {{Flatlist| * Dancer * actress }} | education = | years_active = 2012{{En dash}}2018 | website = {{URL|https://www.uttharaunni.in/}} | partner = | parents = Ankarath Ramanunni<ref>{{cite web | url=http://urmilaunni.com/profile.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110402113621/http://urmilaunni.com/profile.html | archive-date=2 April 2011 | title=Urmila Unni }}</ref> <br/>Urmila Unni | relatives = }}
'''Utthara Unni''' is an Indian Bharatanatyam dancer from Kerala. She has directed some short films, documentaries and music videos. She also acted in two films. She heads a dance academy called Temple Steps{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} in Kochi, Kerala.
== Career==
=== As a dancer=== She has performed in Natyanjali festivals held at Chidambaram, Kumbakonam, Thirunallar, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvarur and Thanjavur. Some of her stages include Soorya Dance Festival – Parampara,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/when-uthara-unni-became-a-viraha-nayika/articleshow/66591827.cms|title=When Uthara Unni became a 'viraha nayika'|date=n.d.|work=The Times of India}}</ref> Mylapore Fine Arts – Chennai, Sangeetha Nataka Akademi – Thrissur, Nishagandhi – Trivandrum, Eranakulam Shiva temple, Guruvayur, Mookambika temple, Vyloppilli Samskriti Bhavan – Trivandrum. Utthara has also made a name for herself by giving solo concerts in other countries such as Nepal, Thailand, UAE, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Bahrain and Kuwait.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2017/may/07/uthara-unni-a-dancer-extraordinaire-1602237.html|title=Uthara Unni: A dancer extraordinaire|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ritzmagazine.in/actress-utthara-unnis-bharathanatyam-recital-event/|title=Actress Utthara Unni's Bharathanatyam Recital Event {{!}} RITZ|date=11 November 2016|work=RITZ Magazine|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref>
She is also the director of the dance school "Temple Steps" situated in Cochin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cinemamangalam.net/index.php/en/home/index/183/42|title=ബഹറിനിൽ ഊർമിള ഉണ്ണിയും ഉത്തര ഉണ്ണിയും ഡാൻസ് സ്കൂൾ തുടങ്ങി|last1=Maattumantha|first1=MS Das|date=16 March 2015|publisher=Cinema Mangalam|pages=42, 43, 44, 45|access-date=5 October 2016}}</ref>
She is a member of the UNESCO International Dance Council.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.uttharaunni.com/about.html|title=About – Utthara Unni {{!}} Official Website|website=www.uttharaunni.com|access-date=16 January 2018|archive-date=17 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117131136/http://www.uttharaunni.com/about.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
=== Film career=== Utthara's directorial debut was through a short film ''Randaam Varavu''<ref>{{Citation|last=Utthara Unni|title=Short Film [Horror] – "Randaam Varavu" by Utthara Unni|date=30 January 2015|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTRlyZG_7Bo|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref> featuring her mother Urmila Unni. The film won her five awards for best direction.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/Actress-Uthara-Unni-takes-up-direction/articleshow/42355410.cms|title=Actress Uthara Unni takes up direction |work=The Times of India|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref> She later directed a supernatural short-film featuring Urmila Unni and Devan called ''Ninth Month''.<ref>{{Citation|last=Utthara Unni|title=9th Month – A Short Film {{!}} Directed by Utthara Unni {{!}} Devan {{!}} Urmila Unni|date=30 October 2016|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa1Cn5wMkr8|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref> Her next short film ''Paw Prints''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/uttara-unnis-short-film-explores-the-special-relationship-between-man-and-dog/articleshow/59037128.cms|title=Uttara Unni's short film explores the special relationship between man and dog |work=The Times of India|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Playground Digital Cinema|title=Paw Prints – Official Full Short Film {{!}} Utthara Unni Malayalam Short Film 2017 (English Subtitles)|date=4 June 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoZOxF4mmB8|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref> featuring Siddique is a short film is about relationship between a man and a dog.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/mollywood/060617/story-from-her-life-utthara-unni.html|title=Story from her life: Utthara Unni|date=6 June 2017|work=Deccan Chronicle|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref> She has also created music videos and documentaries.<ref>{{Citation|last=Utthara Unni|title=Utthara Unni's Kathakali Documentary|date=25 May 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hopzRBBMap0|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref> Utthara Unni is also an acclaimed singer and has released a music album titled ''Pathirapontheril.''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4gJwqmiIFs|title=Pathirapontheril Malayalam Album Song-Uthara Unni|date=25 April 2015 |via=YouTube|access-date=27 April 2015}}</ref>
She made her debut in the Tamil film ''Vavval Pasanga'' (2012) directed by Suresh. Her first Malayalam film<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/151116/entertainment-mollywood/article/i-wanted-edavapathi-mark-my-debut-utthara-unni|title=I wanted Edavapathi to mark my debut: Utthara Unni|date=17 November 2015|work=Deccan Chronicle|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/Uthara-Unni-makes-her-debut-in-Mollywood/articleshow/13478903.cms|title=Uthara Unni makes her debut in Mollywood |work=The Times of India|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref> was ''Edavappathy'', directed by Lenin Rajendran. Utthara portrayed dual roles of Vasavadatta (a famous character from Kumaran Asan's poem ''Karuna'') and a modern girl Yamini in the parallel story of the film. Her performance was critically acclaimed and won her the Kerala Film Critics Association Award for the best upcoming actor (debut).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBMB0sF8MgM|title=Edavappaathy Shooting Location|via=YouTube|access-date=10 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/others/news-interviews/Manisha-Koirala-praises-Uthara-Unni/articleshow/12801296.cms|title=Manisha Koirala praises Uthara Unni|date=22 April 2012|work=The Times of India|access-date=10 May 2015}}</ref>
Utthara started her TV career in 2015 with a show called Mambazham in Kairali TV. Currently, she is hosting a reality show on Amrita TV called Autumn Leaf<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/malayalam/autumn-leaf-a-new-reality-show-to-crown-the-best-music-band/articleshow/66416089.cms|title=Autumn Leaf: A new reality show to crown the best music band|date=n.d.|work=The Times of India}}</ref> to find the best music band in Kerala.
==Personal life== alt=Utthara Unni Urmila Unni Actress|thumb|Utthara Unni and her mother, actress Urmila Unni Utthara Unni is daughter of Malayalam actress Urmila Unni and is married to businessman Nithesh S Nair.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/Urmila-Unni-gets-busy-in-Kollywood/articleshow/10016914.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203064008/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-17/news-interviews/30169018_1_malayalam-film-tamil-film-mollywood|url-status=live|archive-date=3 December 2013|title=Urmila Unni gets busy in Kollywood|last=Parvathy S Nayar|date=17 September 2011|work=The Times of India|access-date=8 October 2011}}</ref>
==Awards== *Drishya award for best direction for the Short Film Randaam Varavu<ref name=":0" /> *Guru Gopikrishna National Award for Bharatanatyam in 2016<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/mollywood/241016/in-love-with-her-chilanka-utthara-unni.html|title=In love with her 'chilanka': Utthara Unni|date=24 October 2016|work=Deccan Chronicle|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref>
==Filmography==
=== As actress=== {| class="wikitable collapsible sortable" style="text-align:left;" |- ! Year ! Film ! Role ! Language ! Notes |- | 2012 ||''Vavval Pasanga''|| ||Tamil|| |- | 2016 ||''Edavappathy''||Vasavadatta/Yamini ||Malayalam|| |}
=== As TV show host=== {| class="wikitable collapsible sortable" style="text-align:left;" |- ! Year ! Show Name ! Role ! Channel ! Language ! Notes |- |2015 |''Mambazham'' |Host |Kairali TV |Malayalam | |- | 2018 || ''Autumn Leaf''||Host ||Amrita TV||Malayalam|| |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|7290335}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Unni, Utthara}} Category:Living people Category:Indian film actresses Category:Actresses in Malayalam cinema Category:Actresses in Tamil cinema Category:Actresses from Kochi Category:21st-century Indian actresses Category:People from Thiruvalla Category:Bharatanatyam dancers Category:Indian dancers Category:Indian female dancers Category:Year of birth missing (living people)