Monisha Unni

Monisha Unni was born in Panniyankara, Kozhikode in 1971 to Narayanan Unni and Sreedevi Unni. She completed her schooling at St. Charles High School, Bangalore and Bishop Cotton Girls School, Bangalore. She completed her graduation in psychology at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She had an elder brother, Sajith Unni. Malayalam novelist M. T. Vasudevan Nair, who is also a screenwriter and film director, was a family friend of Monisha. M. T. was responsible for Monisha's entry into films. She made her debut in Nakhakshathangal (1986), which was written by M. T. and directed by Hariharan. The film portrayed a love triangle involving three teenagers. Monisha's portrayal of Gowri, the film's female protagonist, won her the National Film Award for Best Actress in 1987.