Urmila Mahanta

Urmila Mahanta

Mahanta standing in a white dress.

Mahanta at the music launch of Purab Ki Aawaz in May 2016
Born Sonapur, Assam, India
Occupation Actress
Years active 2012–present

Urmila Mahanta is an Indian actress. A student of the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, Mahanta appeared in various plays, short films and television series, before making her feature film debut in the critically acclaimed 2012 Tamil crime thriller Vazhakku Enn 18/9. She has acted in Hindi, Assamese, Bengali and Malayalam films.

Career

Mahanta was born to Giridhar Mahanta and Ramala Mahanta in Sonapur, Assam; she has three siblings, Jutika Mahanta, Munmi Mahanta and Munindra Mahanta.[1] Mahanta did her entire schooling in Sonapur and later graduated from Dimoria College in Khetri, Kamrup.[1] Mahanta spent her major part of life in Mumbai, Maharashtra,[2] and then went on to enroll at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.[1]

Mahanta had been acting in plays since her childhood and won many awards.[1] Afterwards, she was featured in several television serials such as Murder and Tejimola for Doordarshan (NE),[3] which were followed by appearances in various critically acclaimed short films including Aaliya, that won the Special Critic Award at the 2012 Mumbai International Film Festival, Their Story and Cheng Kurthy.[3] Mahanta was also seen in Assamese singer Tarali Sarma's album Henguliya.

While attending the International Film Festival of India at Goa, she was spotted and selected among few others following a lengthy process lasting two years including multiple auditions conducted by director Balaji Sakthivel for his drama-thriller Vazhakku Enn 18/9.[2][4] Mahanta has received notable praise for portraying the character of a slum dweller, Jyothi, who works as a housemaid. The Times of India critic M. Suganth wrote: "It is Urmila Mahanta's understated performance as Jothi that is the film's pivot".[5] Similarly, a reviewer from IndiaGlitz.com noted that Mahanta was "impressive as a short poetry on screen", further adding that she "bubbles with energy and emotes at ease",[6] while another critic quoted: "Urmila is a treat to watch. She delivers what Balaji Sakthivel wants from her. She is cool and passes the test with ease and elan".[7] The film itself received widespread acclaim, with reviewers calling it "excellent",[8] a "must-watch",[9] and even "the film of the year".[5] Mahanta ultimately went on to state that Vazhakku Enn 18/9 was the best decision she had ever made.[10]

She then shot for her first Bollywood project, Pareshaanpur directed Dilip K. Mukharia.[1] She played a supporting role in Ajita Suchitra Veera's Ballad of Rustom (Rustom Ki Dastaan) that fetched Veera the Best Director Award at the 12th Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema,[11] and was shortlisted in the Best Picture category at the 86th Academy Awards.[12] In 2014, she made her debut in the Bengali language with the remake of Vazhakku Enn 18/9, Chirodini Tumi Je Amar 2, and in her mother tongue Assamese with TRP Aru.[13] Due to the delay in Pareshaanpur's release, her maiden Hindi release became Manjhi - The Mountain Man.

She is filming for her first Malayalam film Udal and AR Murugadoss' Hindi directorial Akira.[14]

Filmography

Films
Year Film Role Language Notes
2012 Vazhakku Enn 18/9 Jyothi Tamil Nominated—SIIMA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominated—SIIMA Award for Best Female Debutant
Nominated—Vijay Award for Best Debut Actress
2012 Ballad of Rustom Hindi-English
2014 Chirodini Tumi Je Amar 2 Jyoti Bengali
2014 TRP Aru... Pallavi Assamese
2015 Manjhi - The Mountain Man Lauki Hindi
2015 Pareshaanpur[15] Radhika Hindi
2016 Kothanodi- The river of Fables Keteki Assamese
2016 Antareen Torali Assamese Won 'Best Actress' in Prag Cine awards ,Northeast 2016
2016 Epah Phulil Epah Saril[16] Kanaklata Barua Assamese
2016 Purab Ki Awaz[16] Kanaklata Barua and Urmila Hindi
2016 Bokul[16] Bokul Assamese
2016 Akira[17] Anna Hindi Filming
2016 Udal[17] Malayalam In production
2016 Chakallashpur[16] Champa Hindi
Short features
Television
TVC

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Sentinel". Sentinelassam.com. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Vazhakku was the best decision I ever made: Urmila Mahanta – Entertainment – DNA". Dnaindia.com. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  3. 1 2 "The Sentinel". Sentinelassam.com. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Urmila, a fresh face in Kollywood". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 23 April 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Vazhakku Enn 18/9 movie review: Wallpaper, Story, Trailer at Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  6. ↑ "Vazhakku Enn 18 / 9 Tamil Movie Review – cinema preview stills gallery trailer video clips showtimes". IndiaGlitz. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  7. ↑ "Premalo Padithe Movie Review @ 3/5". Aplive.Net. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  8. ↑ "Movie Review:Vazhakku Enn 18/9". Sify.com. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  9. ↑ "Review: Vazhakku En 18/9 is a must-watch – Rediff.com Movies". Rediff.com. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  10. ↑ DNA, Daily News Analysis. "Urmila Mahanta".
  11. ↑ "12th Osian's Cinefan Festival Awards Best of Asian, Arab Cinema". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  12. ↑ Konwar, Rajiv (10 January 2014). "Urmila film on Oscar shortlist - Ballad of Rustom nominated for Best Picture". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  13. ↑ Konwar, Rajiv (24 November 2014). "Betrayed, trafficked, tortured & judged". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  14. ↑ Soman, Deepa (8 November 2015). "Urmila Mahanta wants to speak Malayalam". The Times of India. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  15. ↑ Ashish Roy & Barkha Mathur (26 December 2013). "Now, rustic charm of the region draws Hindi filmmakers too". The Times of India. Nagpur. TNN. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  16. 1 2 3 4 "Hindi film on Kanaklata". The Assam Tribune. Guwahati. 21 September 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  17. 1 2 Soman, Deepa (8 November 2015). "Urmila Mahanta wants to speak Malayalam". The Times of India. TNN. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
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