Fun facts about ‘Idli Kadai’ actress Nithya Menen

Nithya Menen is back on the big screen with ‘Idli Kadai’, written and directed by Dhanush, that released worldwide on October 1. She plays the role of Kayal. While fans are eager to see her on screen, the story of the actor herself is just as captivating. She’s a true artist who almost chose a completely different path in life. From journalism to cinematography and finally to acting, here's a closer look at the versatile star.

Acting was never Nithya’s first career choice. She initially enrolled in a journalism course at Manipal University with dreams of becoming a journalist. However, she grew disillusioned with the profession and left, feeling filmmaking was a more honest and impactful way to tell stories. Her passion then led her to enroll at FTII, Pune, to study cinematography. It was during her time there that she met director Nandini Reddy, who ultimately convinced her to step in front of the camera and pursue acting.

Nithya Menen's journey in front of the camera began much earlier than most people realize. Her very first appearance in a film was at the young age of eight. She played a small but memorable role in the 1998 English-language Indian film titled 'The Monkey Who Knew Too Much'. In this debut performance, she had the incredible opportunity to share screen space with the legendary actor Tabu, giving her an early and valuable glimpse into the world of professional filmmaking.

One of the most impressive details about Nithya Menen is her incredible command over multiple languages. She is fluent in a remarkable six languages: from native Malayalam, to Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and English. This rare ability allows her to act seamlessly across different film industries without a language barrier holding her back. Even more impressively, it enables her to dub for her own characters, a practice that is quite rare but adds a powerful layer of authenticity to all of her performances.

In addition to her well-known acting and singing talents, Nithya Menen has also showcased her incredible skills as a dubbing artist for major Hollywood productions. In 2019, she lent her voice to the much-loved character Elsa in the Telugu version of the Disney animated blockbuster 'Frozen II.' She expressed great excitement about taking on the project, calling the film's script absolutely "fascinating" and bringing her unique vocal talent to one of the world's most popular animated characters.

Nithya Menen's impressive acting career spans over a decade and includes more than 50 films primarily in Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam languages. She also gained wider recognition in Bollywood for her memorable role in 'Mission Mangal' alongside Akshay Kumar. Throughout her prolific journey, she has always been very particular about her movie selections. Known for her strong principles and artistic integrity, she famously turns down mainstream offers, preferring scripts that are well-written and give her a substantial character to portray.