Divyaa Unni
Divyaa Unni | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 22, 1981 (36 years) |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, Indian classical dance performer and teacher |
| Years active | 1987-present |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
Divyaa Unni is a renowned classical dancer and teacher, who teaches various forms of dance like Bharathanatyam, Kuchipudi and Mohiniyattom. She is also an cine actress and has appeared in more that 50 Indian Movies made in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages.
Early life and family
Divyaa Unni was born to Ponnethmadhatil Unnikrishnan and Kizhkemadhatil Uma Devi at Kochi,Kerala, India. Her mother Uma Devi, is a Sanskrit teacher and is the Head of Sanskrit Department; at Bhavans Vidya Mandir, Girinagar. She was awarded the National Award for Teachers (India),[1][2] in the year 2013 by the President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee. She has a sister, Vidhya Unni, who has worked as a lead in couple of Malayalam movies. Divyaa completed her schooling in Bhavan's Vidya Mandir, Girinagar. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Communicative English from St. Teresa's College, Ernakulam. Divyaa is related (cousin) to Malayalam actress Meera Nandan, Remya Nambeesan and Prayaga Martin.
Film career
Divyaa has acted as a lead in over 50 films in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada and has appeared in films like Pranayavarnangal and Bharathan's last movie Churam.
As a child, Divyaa got her first break in the film Nee Ethra Dhanya when she was a student in second grade. It was followed by Pookalam Varavayi directed by Kamal and Oh Faby by Srikuttan. She also did a TV serial Iniyonnu Vishramikkatte directed by Vinayan.
Divyaa's first feature film as a lead actress was Kalyana Sowgandhigam with actors like Dileep and Kalabhavan Mani in the lead roles - one she did when she was fourteen; studying in the tenth grade. Subsequently, she worked with the actors Mohanlal, Mammootty, Suresh Gopi and Jayaram and directors Bharathan; I V Sasi; Sibi Malayil and Lohithadas.
Dance career
Divyaa started her Bharatanatyam dance training at the age of three,[3] thereafter she was trained in Kuchipudi, and Mohiniyattam. Subsequently, Divyaa Unni was crowned, in 1990 and 1991, ''Kalathilakom'' in Kerala School Kalolsavam statewide competitions. On India's premier Television Channel Doordarshan, she has presented a variety of Indian dance art-forms to such as Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam, and Indian folk dance. She continues to perform at various Indian dance festivals[4][5][6][7] in India[8] and international stages throughout North America, Europe and Persian Gulf countries.
She has received many awards including the Aravindaksha Memorial Award – the Abhinaya Tilaka Puraskaram for the best state dance performance.
In the pursuit of promoting Indian culture in the West, Divyaa is developing the artistic talents of young children in the United States, where she currently resides. With this goal, she is currently the Director of Sreepadam School of Arts in Houston, Texas, United States.
Filmography
Telugu films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2006 | Illalu Priyuralu | Divya |
Kannada films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2001 | Baanallu Neene Bhuviyallu Neene | Lalitha/Anita |
Tamil films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2000 | Sabhash | Shanthi | |
| Kannan Varuvaan | Parvathi | ||
| Palayathu Amman | Savithri | ||
| 2001 | Vedham | Anitha Sanjay | |
| Aandan Adimai | Gayathri |
Malayalam films
References
- ^ "National award for Sanskrit teacher Ms. Umadevi K. Ms. Umadevi K. Sanskrit teacher bagged the national Award for Best Teacher 2013 instituted by MHRD, New Delhi. She was invited to attend the award ceremony at New Delhi on Teachers Day". www.bhavans.info/news/show_other_news.asp?nid=774&kid=32. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ "List of teachers who were awarded National Award on Teachers Day 2014 | Curriculum Magazine". www.curriculum-magazine.com. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
- ^ "Reinventing the Panchakanya Women Through Bharatanatyam". Brown Girl Magazine. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
- ^ M, Athira (9 November 2017). "Artistic endeavours" – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ "A lifelong passion for dance". 9 November 2017.
- ^ "Divya Unni back on stage with mesmerizing dance steps - Video".
- ^ Nampoothiri, Hareesh N. (16 November 2017). "Review: Young dancers take the stage at Soorya's 'Parampara' festival" – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ "Review - The flavors of a festival - Padma Jayaraj". www.narthaki.com.
External links
- Divya Unni at IMDb
- Living people
- Actresses from Kochi
- 20th-century Indian actresses
- 21st-century Indian actresses
- Actresses in Tamil cinema
- Actresses in Malayalam cinema
- Indian film actresses
- Kuchipudi dancers
- Bharatanatyam exponents
- Indian dance teachers
- Actresses in Malayalam television
- Indian television actresses
- 20th-century Indian dancers
- Women artists from Kerala
- Teachers of Indian classical dance
- Women educators from Kerala
- 20th-century American dancers
- 20th-century Indian educators
- 20th-century Indian women artists
- Educators from Kerala
- 1981 births
- Dancers from Kerala