Bhavana (actress)


Karthika, known by her stage name Bhavana, is an Indian film actress who predominantly appears in Malayalam and Kannada films. She made her acting debut at the age of 15 with the Malayalam film Nammal. Bhavana is a recipient of several accolades, including two Kerala State Film Awards and a Filmfare Award South.
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Early life

Bhavana was born as Karthika Menon on 6 June 1986 in Thrissur, Kerala. She is the daughter of assistant cinematographer G. Balachandran and Pushpa. She has an elder brother, Jayadev. She was educated at Holy Family Convent Girls School in Chembukkavu, Thrissur.
Bhavana has described herself as a restless person and someone who's "hard to handle". When she was young, she dreamed of becoming an actress. She was an 11th standard student when she got her break in a film career.

Career

Bhavana made her acting debut in the Malayalam film Nammal at the age of 15. She portrayed the character Parimalam, and the role proved to be her breakthrough performance. The following year she had six releases, Thilakkam, Chronic Bachelor, C.I.D. Moosa, Swapnakoodu, Ivar and Valathottu Thirinjal Nalamathe Veedu failed at the box office. In 2005, she appeared in Hridayathil Sookshikkan, Police, directed by V. K. Prakash Banglavil Outha. and Daivanamathil. She then appeared in Chanthupottu, Naran and Bus Conductor.
In 2006, she made her debut in Tamil cinema with the release of Chithiram Pesuthadi. She then starred in Chinthamani Kolacase, Kisan, Chess, and despite having mixed reviews Kizhakku Kadarkarai Salai, Veyil, and Koodal Nagar. In 2007, she starred in Deepavali, Chotta Mumbai,Aarya, and Rameswaram In 2008, she was seen in the films, Vaazhthugal, Ontari which marks her Telugu debut film,Hero,Jayamkondaan, Twenty:20, Lollipop Sagar Alias Jacky Reloaded, Winter,Robin Hood, Mahatma, Happy Husbands, and Aasal.
In 2010, she was seen in the Kannada film alongside Puneeth Rajkumar, Jackie, Marykkundoru Kunjaadu with Dileep, Doctor Love, Kudumbasree Travels, The Metro, Oru Marubhoomikkadha, Vishnuvardhana, Nippu, Romeo, Ozhimuri, Trivandrum Lodge, Yaare Koogadali, Topiwala and Bachchan. Her next films were Honey Bee and Ezhamathe Varavu, She appeared in films such as Polytechnic, Koothara, Angry Babies in Love, Hello Namasthe and Kuttikalundu Sookshikkuka, all of which were poorly received.
She was a part of Ivide, Chowka, Honey Bee 2: Celebrations, Adventures of Omanakuttan, Vilakkumaram, Adam Joan. In 2018, she starred in Tagaru, and 99, In 2021, she appeared in a series of Kannada films, Inspector Vikram, SriKrishna@gmail.com, Govinda Govinda and Bhajarangi 2.
In 2022, it was announced that Bhavana would return to Malayalam cinema with Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnn and the film was released in 2023.
She came back to Tamil cinema after 15 years, with the horror film The Door.

Abduction and sexual assault

In February 2017, she was kidnapped while returning home from a shoot and sexually assaulted by a group of men. In April 2017, media reports, citing statements by investigating police officials, alleged that actor Dileep had links to the main accused, Pulsar Suni. In July 2017, Dileep was arrested by the investigating team, which said in its charge sheet that there was circumstantial evidence for Dileep's alleged conspiracy with the other accused men. He was released on bail in October 2017. In 2022, the police registered an additional case against Dileep and five others, alleging attempts to intimidate an investigating officer.
After the assault, Bhavana withdrew from the Malayalam movie industry for five years. Bhavana made her first comment about the case in 2022. She spoke of attempts to "humiliate, silence and isolate" her and said that the journey "from being a victim to becoming a survivor" had not been easy. Writing on her Instagram page, she vowed to keep striving for justice to ensure no one else had to endure such an ordeal.
Bhavana's assault partly contributed to the creation of Women in Cinema Collective and the formation of Hema Committee. A couple of months after Bhavana spoke out, the Kerala state assembly announced plans to implement legislation to protect women working in the Malayalam film industry.
The trial began on 8 March 2018 at a sessions court in Ernakulam and continued for eight years, with charges against 10 accused, including Dileep. On 8 December 2025, the Ernakulam Principal District and Sessions Court delivered its verdict, acquitting Dileep and three others, while convicting the main accused, Sunil N. S., and five others. The convicted persons were sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment for gang rape, criminal conspiracy, and other offences. The court further directed that ₹5 lakh collected as fines be paid to Bhavana.

Personal life

Bhavana and Kannada film producer Naveen got engaged in March 2017. The couple got married on 22 January 2018.

Media image

Bhavana was one among the highest-paid Malayalam actresses. In the Bangalore Times Most Desirable Women list, Bhavana was placed 27th in 2017, 23rd in 2019, and 30th in 2020.

Filmography

Films

YearTitleRoleLanguageNotes
2002NammalParimalamMalayalam
2003ThilakkamGauriMalayalamCameo appearance
2003Chronic BachelorSandhyaMalayalam
2003C.I.D. MoosaMeenakshi PatelMalayalam
2003SwapnakooduPadmaMalayalam
2003IvarNandhiniMalayalam
2003Valathottu Thirinjal Nalamathe VeeduSangeetha VarmaMalayalam
2004ParayamSudhaMalayalam
2004Chathikkatha ChanthuIndiraMalayalam
2004RunwaySpecial appearanceMalayalamSpecial appearance in the song "Osalama Ailasa"
2004Youth FestivalParvathyMalayalam
2004AmruthamMridulaMalayalam
2005Hridayathil SookshikkanAmrithaMalayalam
2005PoliceSethulakshmiMalayalam
2005Bunglavil OuthaAswathyMalayalam
2005DaivanamathilSameeraMalayalam
2005ChanthupottuRosieMalayalam
2005NaranLeelaMalayalam
2005Bus ConductorSugandhiMalayalam
2005Udayananu TharamGayathriMalayalam
2006Chithiram PesuthadiCharumathi TamilTamil Debut
2006Chinthamani KolacaseChinthamani WarrierMalayalam
2006KisanKilimathiMalayalam
2006ChessDr. RadhikaMalayalam
2006Kizhakku Kadarkarai SalaiPriyaTamil
2006VeyilMeenakshiTamil
2007DeepavaliSusiTamil
2007Koodal NagarManimekalaiTamil
2007Chotta Mumbai'Parakkum' LathaMalayalam
2007AaryaDeepikaTamil
2007RameswaramVasanthiTamil
2008VaazhthugalKayalvizhi ThirunavukkarasuTamil
2008OntariBujjiTeluguTelugu Debut
2008MullaMentally challenged ladyMalayalamCameo appearance
2008JayamkondaanAnnapuraniTamil
2008HeroKrishnaveniTelugu
2008Twenty:20Ashwathy NambiarMalayalam
2008LollipopRosebellaMalayalam
2009Sagar Alias Jacky ReloadedAarathi MenonMalayalam
2009WinterShyama RamdasMalayalam
2009Robin HoodRoopa LakshmiMalayalam
2009MahatmaKrishnaveniTelugu
2010Happy HusbandsKrishnendu MukundhanMalayalam
2010AasalSulabha PillaiTamil
2010JackieLakshmiKannadaKannada Debut
2010Marykkundoru KunjaaduMary IttichanMalayalam
2011Kudumbasree TravelsAswathyMalayalam
2011The MetroAnupamaMalayalam
2011Doctor LoveEbinMalayalam
2011VishnuvardhanaBharathiKannada
2011Oru MarubhoomikkadhaEliana ThomasMalayalam
2012NippuVaishnaviTeluguCameo appearance
2012RomeoShrutiKannada
2012OzhimuriBalamaniMalayalam
2012Trivandrum LodgeMalavikaMalayalam
2012Yaare KoogadaliBharathiKannada
2013TopiwalaSuman BediKannada
2013BachchanDr. AshwiniKannada
2013Honey BeeAngelMalayalam
2013Ezhamathe VaravuBhanuMalayalam
2014PolytechnicAshwathi NairMalayalam
2014KootharaSwathyMalayalam
2014Angry Babies in LoveSarahMalayalam
2015MythriHerselfKannadaCameo appearance
2015IvideRoshni MathewMalayalam
2015Open Your MindSandhyaMalayalamShort flim
2015KohinoorLillyMalayalamCameo appearance
2016Hello NamasthePriyaMalayalam
2016Mukunda MurariRukminiKannadaSpecial appearance in the song "Murari Lola"
2016Kuttikalundu SookshikkukaShahida GauthamMalayalam
2017ChowkaBhoomikaKannada
2017Honey Bee 2: CelebrationsAngelMalayalam
2017Adventures of OmanakuttanPallaviMalayalam
2017VilakkumaramAswathy AnanthakrishnanMalayalam
2017Honey Bee 2.5Angel / HerselfMalayalamGuest appearance
2017Oru Visheshapetta Biriyani KissaKumari KamalambikaMalayalamGuest appearance
2017Adam JoanShwethaMalayalam
2018TagaruPanchamiKannada
201999S. Janaki Nagaraj Kannada
2021Inspector VikramBhavanaKannada
2021SriKrishna@gmail.comMalavikaKannada
2021Bhajarangi 2ChinminkiKannada
2021Govinda GovindaPadmavathiKannada
2023Ntikkakkakkoru PremondarnnNithyaMalayalam
2023Rani: The Real StoryTeacherMalayalam
2024Case of KondanaACP LakshmiKannada
2024NadikarAnn BavaMalayalam
2024HuntKeerthi JayarajanMalayalam
2025The DoorMithraTamil
2025Zara PhilipMalayalam
2025Bhavana / AkankshaKannadaPost-production
2025VeeravvaKannadaFilming
2025KannadaFilming

Accolades