Tollywood has brought forward several gems in the past few decades. These stars have now become ginormous names in Indian cinema. Today, we are talking about one such actress who has become a hot topic in the past few years. Recently, her Tamilian action thriller, Vaathi, has been a blockbuster hit. Yes, we are talking about the rising star Samyukhta Menon. Though Menon is an economics graduate, she has been passionate about acting since childhood.
The Kalari starrer turned her passion into a profession in 2016 and now, nearly a decade later, she has become one of the leading actresses. This multilingual actress has been a part of multiple huge blockbusters but not every day and every movie has been the best for her. Samyukhta is better known for Vaathi these days but she has several hits under her belt. If you are wondering about the roles Samyukhta has portrayed, we have a curated list to sate your curiosity!
Vaathi Heroine Name
7. Kaduva
A Malayalam action thriller, Kaduva, has been one of the most-watched films of 2022. Starring the infamous Prithviraj Sukumaran and Samyukhta Menon in lead roles, Kaduva is an iconic vengeance tale. The movie is set in a revenge backdrop with Sukumaran as Kaduva and Menon as Elsa. The couple is living a dreamy life with their children, oblivious to everything happening outside their love nest.
When Kaduva gets involved with Joseph Chandy, his life is heavily altered. His family is dragged into the mess and nothing in his life remains simple anymore. Menon, who takes on the role of Elsa, doesn’t have much screen time. Yet, she delivers a powerful performance as the support system of Kaduva and helps him in his journey. Kaduva is one of the finest films of Menon and Elsa remains to be an impactful character.
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6. Kalki
Samyukhta as a protagonist is a delight to watch while Samyukhta in a negative role is a solid presence on the screen. In Kalki, a Malayalam action crime drama, Menon takes on the role of a doctor but she is no saviour here. Samyukhta as Sangeeta is a member of a political party entitles DYP that deals with several crimes daily. DYP is a ruthless organization which is led by a vicious leader, Amarnath, who exploits everyone for his gain. When a cop called Kalki aka K starts to bump heads with DYP and Amarnath, a war ensues.
Sangeeta is a clever doctor and she uses her wit to support her cousin, Amarnath. Though Kalki portrays a battle between a cop and a criminal, it also deals with issues of poverty, helplessness and the race between politicians. Samyukhta doesn’t have a huge role in the film and isn’t seen much on the screen either. But Menon’s powerful performance makes Kalki one of her best films.
5. July Katril
Another masterpiece brought to us by Samyukhta is July Katril aka In The Wind Of July. This film has been widely appraised as a riveting tale of romance. July Katril lets the audience perceive love in different retrospect through the journey of three adults. It is a modern take on the true meaning of love. Does love require a relationship tag? What does it mean if your “the one” turns out to be another someone, a passerby in your life? July Katril asks such deep questions and forces the audience to look beyond the specified limits of relationships.
Menon stars as Revathi, a modern, independent woman who has set high goals for herself. While trying to achieve these goals, Revathi comes across Rajeev who is already engaged to Shreya. The three of them find themselves entangled in a web of conflicting emotions. July Katril focuses on the lives of this trio as they weave through innocent love, painful breakups and the struggle of moving on. Here, Samyukhta is seen in the lead role as Revathi and has made this romantic drama a huge hit.
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4. Kalari
Another action thriller starring Samyukhta Menon, Kalari has a notable storyline. It centres around a father-son, Murugesan and Maari, the duo whose relationship is stumped due to Murugesan’s agoraphobia. Even though Murugesan is a nurturer and wants to live a life away from violence, his father is a different personality altogether. Maari is an ego-driven, abusive junkie who listens to no one but himself. While the back-and-forth between Murugesan and Maari continues, Thenmozhi is suffering due to the strain in their relationship.
Thenmozhi, Murugesan’s sister, is portrayed by Menon who steals the show with her subtle acting skills. Even though the movie wasn’t appreciated widely for its script, Menon’s performance received several compliments. Kalari is an emotional drama as much as an action thriller manifested by Kiran C.
3. Lilli
Samyuktha Menon in and as Lilli delivers an outstanding performance. This is a tale of vengeance and feminism delivered through the glasses of a troubled mother. When it comes down to Lilly’s family, she is ready to cross any lengths. But when the said family betrays her, she has no one to turn to. So, Lilli takes it upon herself to get justice for herself, her unborn baby and a mysterious girl. Dealing with several sensitive issues, Lilli is a grim tale that takes violence a bit too seriously.
For this very issue, Lilli has been considered a bit disturbing for people who don’t enjoy brutal violence. Other than that, Lilli is a marvellous movie led by Samyukhta Menon and crew. This is a mystery thriller with a touch of emotional drama and action-packed Malayalam espionage. The cast ensemble, especially Menon, makes this movie an epic watch.
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2. Theevandi
Menon knows how to blend into each role she has been considered for. Be it a revenge-filled warrior or a perplexed love-struck woman, Samyukhta nails it. In Theevandi, Samyukhta is seen as Devi, a simple villager who falls in love with Bineesh Damodaran. Her father, Madhu, doesn’t approve of Devi’s relationship with Bineesh. The reason? Bineesh is a chain smoker, hence the name of the movie Theevandi aka Chain Smoker.
Bineesh’s relationship with cigarettes has been lasting ever since childhood. His uncle, Ammavan, has led him towards addiction and now Devi is trying to get Bineesh back on track. Easier said than done, right? Devi struggles hard to convince Bineesh, who resists her attempts at first. But then, slowly, as Devi has almost given up on him, Bineesh’s conscience takes the wheel. On a quest to fulfil a challenge proposed by Madhu and save his sinking relationship, Bineesh cuts the ties with his so-called companion–tobacco-filled cigarettes. Menon has a significant role in Theevandi as Devi, an optimistic yet realistic person surrounded by secrets and politics.
1. Vaathi
The list of Samyukhta Menon’s top films would be incomplete without mentioning Vaathi. This period action drama has become one of the best projects of Menon because of its gripping storyline and Menon and Dhanush’s acting skills. Vaathi will take you back to the 1990s when video tapes were the definition of entertainment and teachers were considered to be the messengers of God. Vaathi follows the story of a mathematics teacher, Bala, as he becomes one of the best mathematicians.
There have been several films manifested around the same concept and similar storylines. But Vaathi focuses on the journey of Bala and Meenakshi as they dream to make education free for the underprivileged. Meenakshi, who is a biology teacher at a government college, is a humble soul who joins Bala in his endeavour. Somewhere along the journey, their relationship turns romantic and their bond becomes sacred. Narrated in a past tone, Vaathi is an eye-opening, intriguing series of two dedicated teachers. Menon plays the role of Meenakshi and makes Vaathi an engrossing action drama.
Vaathi Heroin Name And Movies: FAQs
Samyukhta Menon is the heroin of Vaathi. She plays the role of Meenakshi, a biology teacher at a government college, who aspires to make education available for the underprivileged.
Menon stars in the film as Lilli, a pregnant woman who has been betrayed by her husband. She has had a gloomy past which now threatens her future.
Menon, born and brought up in Kerala, is an economics graduate. She began her acting career in 2016 with a Malayalam romantic comedy, Popcorn.
Yes, Menon has worked in all these industries, and being multilingual surely works in her favour.
Vaathi and Lilli are the best movies by Menon. In both of these movies, Menon has nailed the roles of Meenakshi and Lilli, despite both of them being two distinct yet complex roles.
Menon is currently working on several upcoming projects including Boomerang and Virupaaksha. Their release dates and other details are yet to be known though. With Vaathi being Samyukhta’s grand entry in 2023, her upcoming movies are highly anticipated.
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