Veteran Malayalam actor Meena Ganesh dies

Meena Ganesh
| Photo Credit: Facebook

Malayalam cinema and serial actor Meena Ganesh died at private hospital at Shoranur, Palakkad, Kerala on Thursday (December 19, 2024) morning. She was 81. She was under treatment for age-related issues for some time. She stayed away from acting after she suffered a stroke six years ago.

Meena acted in more than 100 films. Notable among them were Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njanum, Karumadikkuttan, Punaradhivasam, Meesha Madhavan and Nandanam, among others.

Born in 1942 at Kallekulangara in Palakkad to Tamil actor K.P. Keshavan, Meena began her career as a theatre artiste when she was 19. She worked with theatre groups such as SL Puram Surya Soma, KPAC, Kayamkulam Kerala Theatres, Angamaly Pournami, Kottayam National Theatres, Changanassery Geetha, and Thrissur Chinmayi. She won many awards for theatre performances.

Drama troupe

She entered cinema with P.A. Backer’s Manimuzhakkam in 1976. She married playwright and actor A.N. Ganesh in 1971, and together they established a drama troupe Pournami Kalamandir at Shoranur. When Ganesh used to write plays, Meena continued to act in them.

Meena performed in two dozen plays written by Ganesh, including Panchajanyam, Mayookham, Simhasanam, Swarnamayooram, Aayiramnaavulla Mounam, Kaattu Maari Veeshi, Searchlight, Paalaapakadathil, Bharathakshethram, Rajasooyam, Nishagandhi, Pralayam, and Nokkukuthikkal.

Meena was known for her commitment to her art. She even acted on stage when she was eight months pregnant. In 1992, Ganesh’s play Udaranimiyaam won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award.

Meena is survived by two children. Her son Manoj Ganesh is a television serial director. Her daughter is Sangeetha.

Her funeral was set to take place on Thursday afternoon at Shanthitheeram, Shoranur.