Anna Ben

Last updated

Anna Ben
Anna Ben 2020.jpg
Anna in 2020
Born
Kochi, Kerala, India
Alma mater St. Teresa's College
OccupationActress
Years active2019–present
Father Benny P. Nayarambalam

Anna Ben is an Indian actress who works primarily in Malayalam cinema. The daughter of screenwriter Benny P. Nayarambalam, she made her acting debut with Kumbalangi Nights in 2019. [1] [2] For her starring roles in the dramas Helen (2019) and Kappela (2020), she won two Kerala State Film Awards. [3] She has since played a supporting role in the top-grossing Telugu science fiction film Kalki 2898 AD (2024).

Contents

Early life

Anna was born and raised in Kochi, Kerala. [4] She is the daughter of a screenwriter Benny P. Nayarambalam [1] and Fulja. She completed schooling from Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Vaduthala. She is a fashion and apparel design graduate from St. Teresa's College, Kochi. [5]

Career

Anna made her feature movie debut in 2019 through commercially and critically successful Kumbalangi Nights in which she played the female lead Baby. She was selected through four rounds of auditions. [6] She described her character as "modern and traditional simultaneously, rooted, with her own point-of-view". [7] The Hindu wrote, "She stood out even in the presence of seasoned performers". [8] The success of that film paved the way for Helen , [9] a survival drama in which she played the titular character of Helen, and Kappela , both appreciated by audience and critics. [10] [2] Director Sathyan Anthikad praised her acting in the former, [11] and Manorama Online reported, "Anna Ben makes Kappela a delightful journey" about the latter. [2] Anna has also appeared in music videos. [12]

Filmography

Key
Denotes films that have not yet been released

Films

YearFilmRoleNotesRef.
2019 Kumbalangi Nights BabymolDebut film [13]
Helen Helen Paul [14]
2020 Kappela Jessi Varghese [15]
2021 Sara's Sara Vincent [16]
2022 Naaradan Shakira Mohammed [17]
Night Drive Riya Roy [18]
Kaapa Binu Thrivikraman [19]
2023 Thrishanku Megha [20]
2024 Kalki 2898 AD Kyra Telugu film [21]
Kottukkaali Meena Tamil film [22]
TBAAnchu Centum CeleenayumTBAFilming [23]

Television

YearTitleRole(s)LanguagePlatformNotesRef.
2024 Bujji and Bhairava Kyra Telugu Amazon Prime Video Voice [24]

Awards

AwardYearCategoryFilmResult
Kerala State Film Awards 2019 Special Jury Mention Helen Won [25]
2020 Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress Kappela Won [26]
CPC Cine Awards 2019Best Actress in Lead Role Kumbalangi Nights , Helen Won [27]
SIIMA Awards 2019Best Debutant Actress (Malayalam) Kumbalangi Nights Won [28]
Best Actress (Malayalam) Helen Nominated [29]
2020Best Actress Critics (Malayalam) Kappela Won [30]
Best Actress (Malayalam) Nominated [29]
Asianet Film Awards 2019Best New Face of the Year (Female) Kumbalangi Nights Won[ citation needed ]
Vanitha Film Awards Best Debutant ActressWon [31]
Best Star Couple (shared with Shane Nigam)Won [31]

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 Simon, Litty (7 March 2020). "Kappela movie review: A compelling narrative with outstanding performances". Manorama Online . Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  3. "Kerala State Awards: Kani Kusruthi, Suraj, Lijo Pellissery among winners". The News Minute. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  4. Mukherjee, Tatsam (16 August 2021). "How Anna Ben has made her place as Malayalam cinema's everywoman". India Today. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  5. Theresa, Deena (28 February 2019). "Anna Ben: I never expected people to notice me or my character in Kumbalangi Nights". The New Indian Express . Retrieved 8 March 2020.
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  7. Theresa, Deena (27 February 2019). "Anna Ben: I never expected people to notice me or my character in Kumbalangi Nights". Cinema Express . Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  8. Praveen, S. R. (8 February 2019). "'Kumbalangi Nights' review: Life and love in a beautiful, borderless isle". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  9. Navamy Sudhish (7 August 2019). "From 'Kumbalangi Nights' to 'Helen': Anna's on a roll". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  10. Radhakrishnan, Manjusha (27 November 2019). "Interview with Anna Ben: Malayalam thriller 'Helen' is a fight for survival". Gulf News . Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  11. George, Vijay (28 November 2019). "'Helen' was regarded as an experiment, says Anna Ben, the cynosure of all eyes now". The Hindu . Retrieved 8 March 2020.
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  15. Sunder, Gautam (30 June 2020). "Anna Ben on the success of 'Kappela': 'Art shouldn't be restricted to a language'". The Hindu . Retrieved 20 May 2021.
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  19. "Anna Ben's next is with Ranjan Pramod". The Times of India. 20 October 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  20. "Panjimittai song from Thrishanku is out". Cinema Express . 24 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  21. "Anna Ben joins Prabhas' Kalki 2898 AD; Says Excited to foray into Telugu cinema". The Times of India. 7 February 2024. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
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