Skip to content Skip to navigation

Urmila nominated for Film awards

By Aiyushman Dutta |

There seems to be no stopping this young Assamese actress. Mumbai-based Assamese actress Urmila Mahanta who has been in the news for the past couple of years is back in the limelight. Making the entire State of Assam and Northeast India proud, Urmila has shown her mettle by being nominated for the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) for her stellar performance in the Tamil crime thriller Vazhakku Enn: 18/9.

Urmila has been nominated in two categories in the prestigious SIIMA awards – as Best Debutant Actress and Best Supporting Actress. The awards will be given in Dubai in the third week of September. Urmila is the first Assamese girl to be nominated for the SIIMA award, that too in two categories. She has also been nominated for the Best Actress Debut awards in Vijay TV awards.

A Post Graduate in Acting from Film & Television Institute of India, Urmila had earlier received critical praise for her sensitive portrayal in the highly acclaimed teen crime thriller Vazhakku Enn: 18/9. Directed by Balaji Shaktivel, the film had gone on to pick up National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil, National Film Award for Best Make-up Artist. The SIIMA awards 2013 saw her name being nominated in two categories.

Talking about her nomination to the SIIMA awards, Urmila says, “It is really a humbling experience to know that people in South India have accepted the films I have worked in and also my acting capabilities. This goes to prove that language is no barrier for acting and I am really thankful to God and my directors, producers and co-workers for putting all their support on me.”

Assamese people in Mumbai as well as back home are upbeat about Urmila’s achievement. In the words of National School of Drama pass-out Assamese actor Jyoti Narayan Nath, “What Urmila has done is no mean achievement. Balaji Shaktivel is known to be a sticker for perfectionism and the fact that she got selected for the film and portrayed the role of Tamil lady so well is itself praiseworthy. Urmila has done Assam and Northeast India proud and people across the region should come out to vote for her.”

Parineeta Chakraborty, a Mumbai-based Assamese actress who has worked in many Hindi serials, films and Assamese feature films, said, “Urmila has done Assam and Northeast proud. People of Northeast should vote for Urmila and ensure that she wins this prestigious award.”

Voting lines are open in the SIIMA website. People in Assam and Northeast can visit www.siima.in/2013 and vote for Urmila. Please vote for Urmila and help her script history as the first actress from Northeast to win the prestigious South India International Film awards.

 

About Urmila

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

Urmila had been acting in plays since her childhood and bagged many awards. Afterwards, she was featured in several television serials such as Murder and Tejimola for Doordarshan (NE), 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. Urmila 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. Urmila 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". Similarly, a reviewer from IndiaGlitz.com noted that Urmila was "impressive as a short poetry on screen", further adding that she "bubbles with energy and emotes at ease", 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". The film itself received widespread acclaim, with reviewers calling it "excellent", a "must-watch", and even "the film of the year".

Add new comment

Random Stories

Assam gearing up for Int’l Agri-Horti Show 2017

21 Dec 2016 - 10:31pm | Mowsam Hazarika
After immense success in the previous Agri-Horticultural Shows, the Departments of Agriculture and Horticulture & Food Processing, Government of Assam along with the Assam Agricultural University...

MK Subba ailing

3 Apr 2014 - 11:13am | AT News
Tezpur independent candidate Mani Kumar Subba is ailing. The former MP is suffering from heart attack.He is on the way to Guwahati to be admitted in the GNRC for treatment.  Details are awaited.

Four dead in road accident in Alipurduar

29 Jul 2019 - 10:09pm | AT Kokrajhar Bureau
KOKRAJHAR: Four persons of a family died and three others have received serious injuries at a road mishap at Nimti national highways under Kalsini police station in Alipurduar of West Bengal on...

Ready for release- India-Burma Relations: Trends Developments

9 Mar 2012 - 2:29am | Nava Thakuria
A compilation of articles on India-Burma Relations: Trends...

Other Contents by Author

First Guwahati International Music Festival mega success

Curtains came down on the 1st Guwahati International Music Festival (GIMF) last week amidst scintillating performances by top artists from various parts of the globe. The two day festival, which was participated by 33 top artistes from different parts of the country as also abroad, had been a resounding success, with a number of musicians, students and music lovers attending the various events. Organized by the Eastern Beats Music Society of Guwahati in collaboration with the North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Dimapur, the landmark event GIMF 2011 was supported by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), under the Ministry of External Affairs; North Eastern Council (NEC),...

Goa, Nagpur and Raipur to wake up to NE splendour

The fact that Northeast India has a rich and varied cultural heritage is known throughout the world. Very few people, however, manage to experience the rich traditions and culture of the various tribes and communities here. Leave alone other nations, even other parts of our own country are found to be totally ignorant about the people of the region and their culture. In a bid to highlight the rich cultural heritage of Northeast India and to showcase the art forms of this region, the North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC) organizes the mega event, Octave – Festival of the North East. The Octave Festival, which tours different towns and cities of the country with artistes from...

Joi to the Soul

When Eleuterio Sánchez Rodríguez was convicted and sentenced to death in Spain for a crime he professed to have never committed, it marked the birth of an outlaw who gave the Spanish law enforcement agencies a torrid time. The erroneous conviction of Rodriguez and his subsequent fight for freedom stirred the emotions of many, and the same went on to become the subject of many a creative endeavour, including a hit single by German band Boney M. The song in question was titled El Lute, which took a bit of time to pick up on the charts but which, over time became symbolic of imprisonment, hope and liberation. Thousands of miles away from Europe where the song was conceived and...

Riotous flavours of spring to erupt this March

Northeast India is known for its geological marvels, nature’s splendor and an unparalleled spectrum of ethno-cultural multiplicity. A multitude of tribes and races with myriad ethno-cultural traditions, languages and religious beliefs live here side by side keeping alive their traditions, institutions, languages and religious practices. A fine texture of diverse hues spraypainted on a beautiful landscape makes this melting pot of human races a true ethnological wonder, perhaps the only one of its kind in the whole world. The onset of springtime is undoubtedly the most preferred time to visit Northeast India. For this is the time when the people of the region, belonging to...

Innovative music portal big draw for rock lovers

Rock outfits of the country, especially the Northeast, have long had to grapple with the lack of opportunities – be it a platform to showcase their abilities or a medium through which they can reach out to the populace. Practitioners of the genre would say this is nothing new but given the immense pool of talent here, it is indeed sad that nothing much has changed over the past couple of decades. Despite the dreary scenario, however, the enthusiasm and efforts of a few people still manage to bring a smile to one’s face, proving that when it comes to rock the spirit is all that is required, is all that it matters. Meet Sanjib Kalita – a rock enthusiast who has combined...

Indian immigrant’s debut offering bridges East-West musical divide

For a change, the voice of the Indian diaspora is now being heard, albeit without the expected, ubiquitous sitar and tabla. Mumbai-born and US-based musician Ameet Kamath recently released his debut album, Greasy Rails, in New York, breaking new grounds in bridging the popular divide of the music of the East and the West. Talking about his debut offering, Ameet says, “Greasy Rails is about coming to terms with what matters in life. It’s about refusing to take anything less than what you’ve been seeking.” He adds, “In it, I’m telling stories so that the listeners can understand life as I do – constantly negotiating spaces as an immigrant in...

Northeast had less of phoren and more of desi in 2010

For a region known for its fascination with rock, 2010 was a bit of a dampener in the Northeast because of the absence of performances of international bands worth reckoning; a major reason being the lack of viable venues and the closing down of some of the previous ones. But despite it all, the music calendar of the region was packed to the brim this year, marked by the emergence of a lot of new local talents thanks to the fast emerging pub rock scene. Another interesting development that could be witnessed here was the re-emergence of folk or experimental music as a preferred choice of music fans here. Talking about experimental music, the ICCR-sponsored performance of Mexican singer...

Livewire finally reaches NE

The East Zone eliminations for Livewire Mood Indigo, the annual rock fest of IIT Bombay, will be held at Gangtok on November 30 next. A number of bands from the Northeast have applied for registration in the regional auditions, says head coordinator Yogesh Kumbhejkar. Interested bands from the Northeast can apply for the competition by sending their band profile and demos to livewire@moodi.org or call at +91-9619436493 or +91-9860663515. The highlight of this year’s Livewire is the headlining performance by Swedish Metal Giants KATATONIA and legendary Indian rock band INDUS CREED. While Katatonia is likely to be a huge draw for the metal lovers, Indus Creed, for the uninitiated...

Zealous tribute to Cliff Burton

Mumbai-based thrash metal band Zealous recently released the live DVD of their tribute to legendary bass guitarist Cliff Burton. The DVD, which was released earlier this month on October 3, is being promoted all over the country, much to the delight of enthusiastic takers. The DVD was recorded in Akash Studio and it was mixed, mastered and engineered by Akash Sawant. THE DVD was shot at a Cliif Burton tribute gig performed by the band in Mumbai in the last week of September. Released at a function aired live by B-69 Bajao, the tribute to Cliff Burton DVD has been directed and produced by Vicky, frontman of the band Zealous. Cliff Burton is a name which is much revered in the music...

Saharia honoured in World Congress of Chinese Elite

Indo-Chinese relations received a shot in the arm when the 2010 World Congress of the Chinese Elite held at Xian on October 9 presented a special award to an Indian for “International Friendship and Emissary”. The Overseas Chinese elite 2010, which was participated by a formidable and influential 600 member-strong Chinese community diaspora from different parts of the world, saw the award being presented to Indian Chamber of Commerce chairperson Mahesh Saharia, who is also the Founder Chairman of the Center for Promotion of India China Cooperation. The presentation of the award has brought good cheers to the people of Assam. This is more so because Mahesh Saharia, who is a...