Geetu Mohandas

Geetu Mohandas
Geetu Mohandas
	Geethu in 2010
Born	Gayatri Das; 8 June 1981; Kochi, Kerala, India
Other name	Geetu
Occupations	Actress; film director;
Years active	1986–Present
Spouse	Rajeev Ravi (m. 2009)
Children	1
Awards	Kerala State Film Awards, Best Actress, 2004; Filmfare Awards, Best Actress, 2004; Sundance Film Festival, Global Film Maker Award, 2016;

Gayatri Das (born 8 June 1981), better known by her stage name Geetu Mohandasi, is an Indian actress and director known for her works in Malayalam cinema. In 2013, she directed the socio political film Liar's Dice which has received two National Film Awards, was premiered at Sundance Film Festival,^[1] and was India's official entry at the 87th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.^[2]

Career

Acting

Gayatri Das adopted her nickname "Geetu" as her screen name as when she appeared in her fourth film, Onnu Muthal Poojyam Vare (1986), starring Mohanlal. At the age of five, she portrayed a fatherless child who forms a bond with an anonymous telephone caller.^[3]^[4]

As a child actor, she also played the title role in the Tamil film En Bommukutty Ammavukku, a remake of Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku, in which Shalini had portrayed the lead character.^[5]

Geetu made her debut as an adult actor in Life Is Beautiful, again starring Mohanlal. She subsequently appeared in films including Thenkasi Pattanam, Valkannadi, and Nammal Thammil. Her performance in Akale, directed by Shyamaprasad and produced by Tom George Kolath, earned her the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress and the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam in 2004.

Directing

Geetu Mohandas formed her film production house, Unplugged, in 2009 which produced her directorial debut short fiction film titled Kelkkunnundo (transl. Are You Listening). The film premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and subsequently won 3 International awards for Best Short fiction as well as the National Film Award in India. The film has been included as a chapter in the 12th standard Kerala state syllabus since 2014.

Her first feature film, Liar's Dice, received the Hubert Bals fund for script and project development and the film was selected in Competition for the world dramatic competition at Sundance Film Festival in 2014. Liar's Dice went on to win six major international awards across the world and two National awards in India. It was also India's official entry for the Best Foreign Film category for the 87th Academy Awards.^[6]

Her second feature film, Moothon was mentored by the Sundance film lab and Geetu also won the Global film maker award at Sundance Film Festival in 2016. Moothon had its World premiere at Toronto International Film Festival in 2019 and was the opening film at MAMI 2019.^[7]^[8]

Her third film, Toxic, starring Yash, Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Rukmini Vasanth, Tara Sutaria and Huma Qureshi was released on August 26, 2026.^[9]

Personal life

She was born as Gayatri Das to Mohandas and Latha on 8 June 1981 at Kochi. Studied in India, Malaysia and Canada. She has a brother living in US.^[10] On 14 November 2009, she married cinematographer Rajeev Ravi.^[11] The wedding took place at night in Kochi, Kerala, India. The couple have a daughter.

Awards

As director

International Film Festival of India

2009 – IFFI Golden Lamp Tree Award for Best Film and Director – Kelkkunnundo Film Chamber of Commerce

International Awards

2017 - Global filmmaking award for story in Sundance Film Festival 2016 - Moothon

Mumbai International Film Festival

2010 – Jury Award – Kelkkunnundo

Awards for Moothon

2020- 3 awards at NYIFF for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Child Actor^[12]^[13]
2020- 3 awards at NYIFF for Best Supporting Actor for Shashank Arora, Best Child Actor for Sanjana Dipu, Best Screenplay for Geetu Mohandas
2020- 2 awards at INDO - GERMAN FILM WEEK 2020 for Audience Choice Award, Best Supporting Actor for Roshan Mathew^[14]
2020- 2 awards at Iat NEWYORK INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL for 4 nominations for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Child Actor 2020
2020- won the Best Film and Jury Prize at the prestigious Festival du Film d'Asie du Sud - FFAST in Paris^[15]

Festivals for Moothon

2020- selected to the 18th ANNUAL IFFLA at Los Angeles, California^[16]
2020- screened at London Indian Film Festival and Birmingham Indian Film Festival.
2020- premiered at 43rd GOTEBORG FILM FESTIVAL 2020 In Sweden^[17]
2020-24th edition of International Film Festival of Kerala - IFFK

Awards for Liar's Dice

2014- Sofia International Film Festival -Special Mention award & FIPRESCI AWARD for best film
2014- New York Indian Film Festival - Best Actress award
2014 - Special Jury award at the 18th Sofia International Film Festival - Liar's Dice
2014- Pesaro International Film Festival- Lino Micciche Award for the Best Film
2014- Granada Cines del Sur Film Festival- Bronce Alhambra award

As actress

Kerala State Film Awards

2004- Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress – Akale, Oridam
1986- Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist – Onnu Muthal Poojyam Vare

Filmfare Awards South

2004-Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam – Akale

Asianet Film Awards

2004-Special Jury Mention – Akale

Kerala Film Critics Association Awards

2001- Best Actress – Shesham
2004- Special Jury Award – Akale

Mathrubhumi, Medimix film

2004-Best character Actress – Akale

Ramu Karyat award

2020- Promising director Award -Moothon

Filmography

As an actress

List of Geetu Mohandas film acting credits
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1986	Onnu Muthal Poojyam Vare	Deepa	Child Role
	Sayam Sandhya	Vinu
	Veendum	Anu
	Rareeram	Geethu
1988	En Bommukutty Ammavukku	Tinnu	Child Role; Tamil film
2000	Life Is Beautiful	Bala	Debut as lead actress
2000	Thenkasipattanam	Sangeetha
2001	Kannaki	Kumudam
2002	Kakke Kakke Koodevide	Sudharma
	Pakalppooram	Seemandini
	Krishna Gopalakrishna	Gayathri
	Sesham	Meera
	Valkannadi	Devu
2003	Sahodharan Sahadevan	Arathi
	Shingari Bolona	Maya
	Nala Damayanthi	Damayanthi	Tamil film
	Choonda	Mohini Varma/Archana
	Mullavalliyum Thenmavum	Eva Cherian
2004	Oridam	A Sex worker with no name
	Thudakkam	Karthika
	Akale	Rose
2005	Ullam	Radha
	Pauran	Annie
	Rappakal	Malavika Varma
2006	Kisan	Ammu / Ambili Varma
	Poi	Ramya	Tamil film
	Arunam	Seetha
	Mouryan	Anjali
2007	Bharathan Effect	Geetha
	Thakarachenda	Latha
	Naalu Pennungal	Kumari	Segment: Kanyaka
2008	Aakasha Gopuram	Catherine
2009	Nammal Thammil	Anu
2009	Seetha Kalyanam	Abhirami

As director

Key
†	Denotes films that have not yet been released

List of Geetu Mohandas film directing credits
Year	Film	Language	Notes	Ref.
2009	Kelkkunnundo	Malayalam	Short film
2013	Liar's Dice	Hindi	Special Jury award at the 18th Sofia International Film Festival Received two National Film Awards	^[18]
2019	Moothon	Malayalam	Global Filmmaking award for story in Sundance film festival 2016	^[18]
2026	Toxic -A	Kannada English	Bilingual film	^[19]

References

↑ "Nawazuddin's Liar's Dice in Sundance Film Festival". Starblockbuster. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
↑ Gitanjali Roy (23 September 2014). "India will send Hindi-language road film Liar's Dice to the Oscars next year, the Film Federation of India (FFI) announced today". Retrieved 23 September 2014.
↑ "I, Me, Myself – Geethu Mohandas". The Hindu. 4 July 2003. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
↑ Shobha Warrier (11 February 2003). "Geetu Mohandas is Damayanthi". Rediff.com. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
↑ "In the big league". The Hindu. 12 June 2003. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
↑ Liar's Dice wins Special Jury award at Sofia International Film Festival Archived 21 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 6 April 2014.
↑ "'This Is The Bronze Age Of Malayalam Cinema. I Won't Call It The Golden Age. We Are Not There Yet': Geetu Mohandas". Silverscreen.in. 18 September 2019. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
↑ "Moothon, Geetu Mohandas' Malayalam action thriller, will open 21st edition of MAMI Mumbai Film Festival". 13 August 2019..She will going to direct Yash's next movie names Toxic.
↑ Nyayapati, Neeshita (1 July 2026). "Toxic Ladies & Ladies teaser introduces the women of Yash, Geetu Mohandas film: Kids warned to stay away. Watch". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
↑ http://cinidiary.com/people.php?pigsection=Actor&picata=2&no_of_displayed_rows=8&no_of_rows_page=10&sletter= Archived 5 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 5 May 2015.
↑ "ഗീതു മോഹന്‍ദാസ്‌ വിവാഹിതയായി" Retrieved 18 April 2011.
↑ "Moothon Wins Awards for Best Film, Best Actor and Best Child Artist in New York Indian Film Festival - Zee5 News". 5 August 2020.
↑ "Moothon wins three awards at Cincinnati Indian Film Festival 2020". The Times of India.
↑ "'Moothon' Wins Two Awards at Indo-German Film Week in Berlin". 3 October 2020. Archived from the original on 27 December 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
↑ Mathews, Anna. "Moothon wins at FFAST, Paris". The Times of India.
↑ "18th Annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles". 21 February 2020.
↑ "Geetu Mohandas-directed 'Moothon' wins Best Film at film festival in Paris". 4 February 2020.
1 2 Shriijth, Sajin (21 November 2019). "Geetu Mohandas: No one other than Nivin could have played Akbar so beautifully". Cinema Express. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
↑ "Yash-starrer 'Toxic - A film' to go on floors on this date". The Hindu. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.

External links

Geetu Mohandas at IMDb

[1] "Nawazuddin's Liar's Dice in Sundance Film Festival". Starblockbuster. Retrieved 17 April 2014.

[2] Gitanjali Roy (23 September 2014). "India will send Hindi-language road film Liar's Dice to the Oscars next year, the Film Federation of India (FFI) announced today". Retrieved 23 September 2014.

[3] "I, Me, Myself – Geethu Mohandas". The Hindu. 4 July 2003. Retrieved 13 April 2009.

[4] Shobha Warrier (11 February 2003). "Geetu Mohandas is Damayanthi". Rediff.com. Retrieved 13 April 2009.

[5] "In the big league". The Hindu. 12 June 2003. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2009.

[6] Liar's Dice wins Special Jury award at Sofia International Film Festival Archived 21 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 6 April 2014.

[7] "'This Is The Bronze Age Of Malayalam Cinema. I Won't Call It The Golden Age. We Are Not There Yet': Geetu Mohandas". Silverscreen.in. 18 September 2019. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.

[8] "Moothon, Geetu Mohandas' Malayalam action thriller, will open 21st edition of MAMI Mumbai Film Festival". 13 August 2019..She will going to direct Yash's next movie names Toxic.

[9] Nyayapati, Neeshita (1 July 2026). "Toxic Ladies & Ladies teaser introduces the women of Yash, Geetu Mohandas film: Kids warned to stay away. Watch". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 1 July 2026.

[10] ttp://cinidiary.com/people.php?pigsection=Actor&picata=2&no_of_displayed_rows=8&no_of_rows_page=10&sletter= Archived 5 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 5 May 2015.

[11] "ഗീതു മോഹന്‍ദാസ്‌ വിവാഹിതയായി" Retrieved 18 April 2011.

[12] "Moothon Wins Awards for Best Film, Best Actor and Best Child Artist in New York Indian Film Festival - Zee5 News". 5 August 2020.

[13] "Moothon wins three awards at Cincinnati Indian Film Festival 2020". The Times of India.

[14] "'Moothon' Wins Two Awards at Indo-German Film Week in Berlin". 3 October 2020. Archived from the original on 27 December 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.

[15] Mathews, Anna. "Moothon wins at FFAST, Paris". The Times of India.

[16] "18th Annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles". 21 February 2020.

[17] "Geetu Mohandas-directed 'Moothon' wins Best Film at film festival in Paris". 4 February 2020.

[director-18] 1 2 Shriijth, Sajin (21 November 2019). "Geetu Mohandas: No one other than Nivin could have played Akbar so beautifully". Cinema Express. Retrieved 2 June 2024.

[19] "Yash-starrer 'Toxic - A film' to go on floors on this date". The Hindu. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.

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Filmfare Award for Best Malayalam Actress
1972–1989	Roja Ramani (1972) Nanditha Bose (1973) Lakshmi (1974) Lakshmi (1975) Lakshmi (1976) Sheela (1977) Jayabharathi (1978) Srividya (1979) Srividya (1980) Jalaja (1981) Poornima Bhagyaraj (1982) (1983) (1984) (1985) (1986) Sharada (1987) Revathi (1988) Rekha (1989)
1990–2009	Shobana (1990) Amala Akkineni (1991) Geetha (1992) Maadhavi (1993) (1994) Annie (1995) Manju Warrier (1996) Manju Warrier (1997) Manju Warrier (1998) Manju Warrier (1999) Samyuktha Varma (2000) Samyuktha Varma (2001) Navya Nair (2002) Meera Jasmine (2003) Geetu Mohandas (2004) Meera Jasmine (2005) Padmapriya Janakiraman (2006) Meera Jasmine (2007) Priyamani (2008) Shwetha Menon (2009)
2010–present	Mamta Mohandas (2010) Kavya Madhavan (2011) Rima Kallingal (2012) Ann Augustine (2013) Manju Warrier (2014) Parvathy Thiruvothu (2015) Nayanthara (2016) Parvathy Thiruvothu (2017) Manju Warrier (2018) Nimisha Sajayan (2020–2021) Darshana Rajendran (2022) Vincy Aloshious (2023) Urvashi (2024)

Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress
1969–1970	Sheela (1969) Sharada (1970)
1971–1980	Sheela (1971) Jayabharathi (1972) Jayabharathi (1973) Lakshmi (1974) Rani Chandra (1975) Sheela (1976) Santhakumari (1977) Shoba (1978) Srividya (1979) Poornima Bhagyaraj (1980)
1981–1900	Jalaja (1981) Maadhavi (1982) Srividya (1983) Seema (1984) Seema (1985) Shari (1986) Suhasini Maniratnam (1987) Anju (1988) Urvashi (1989) Urvashi (1990)
1991–2000	Urvashi (1991) Srividya (1992) Shobana (1993) Shanthi Krishna (1994) Urvashi (1995) Manju Warrier (1996) Jomol (1997) Sangita (1998) Samyuktha Varma (1999) Samyuktha Varma (2000)
2001–2010	Suhasini Maniratnam (2001) Navya Nair (2002) Meera Jasmine (2003) Kavya Madhavan and Geetu Mohandas (2004) Navya Nair (2005) Urvashi (2006) Meera Jasmine (2007) Priyanka Nair (2008) Shweta Menon (2009) Kavya Madhavan (2010)
2011–2020	Shweta Menon (2011) Rima Kallingal (2012) Ann Augustine (2013) Nazriya Nazim (2014) Parvathy (2015) Rajisha Vijayan (2016) Parvathy (2017) Nimisha Sajayan (2018) Kani Kusruti (2019) Anna Ben (2020)
2021–present	Revathi (2021) Vincy Aloshious (2022)