Malayalam Movie Review Mera Naam Shaji - Cast & Crew

Shreya Ghoshal, one of the most famous singers in Bollywood today, was born on March 12th, 1984, in Berhampore, West Bengal. Her father Biswajit Ghoshal is an electrical engineer and mother Sharmistha Ghoshal is a postgraduate in literature. She started singing since the age of 4 when her mother taught her. She started her formal training in Hindustani classical Gharana of music when she was only six years old. She was trained for 18 months after which she continued her training in Mumbai with Late Mukta Bhideji. She completed her graduation in Arts with majors in English. Her first on-stage performance was at their club’s annual function. Her first studio album was in Bengali in 19998 and was named Bendhechhi Beena, and her first onscreen performance was in Awaz Nayi Andaaz Wohi. In 1995, she became the winner of All India Light Vocal Music Competition. Her fame and career began with her winning a television singing reality show named Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.

Nikhila Vimal is a Malayalam actress, and a classical dancer hails from Kannur. Nikhila is the daughter of Kalamandalam Vimala Devi, who is an acclaimed classical dancer and her father Pavithran who works in a statistics department. Nikhila started learning dance at a very young age and was an active participant in the youth festival circuit. She is a trained dancer in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, mono-acting, and Keralanadanam. Nikhila, a dancer, never dreamed of pursuing acting in her career. She did her graduation Sir Sayyed College in Botany. Currently, she is staying in Taliparamba in Kannur. Nikhila in her plus two was offered the role in ‘Bhagyadevatha’ by the director Sathyan Anthikad. She played the active role of sister of ‘Jayaram’s character in the movie. After the film, she took a very long break and debuted in the movie ‘Love 24x7’ directed by Sreebala K Menon. Nikhila also acted in a documentary on Saint Alphonsa before her acting career, aired on Shalom TV.

B Rakesh is a famous Indian producer who is well known for his work in the Malayalam Film Industry. He is also the owner of the Universal Cinemas which works mainly for the Malayalam cinema. For the last two decades, Rakesh has been working tirelessly producing not only films but also Television serials. He has produced several shows on Doordarshan like Chitrageetham, Smrithylayam.

N.M. Badusha works in the Malayalam film industry as a producer, associate director, production manager, and actor. N.M. Badusha was born in the Indian state of Kerala, in the town of Aroor. He went to GHS Chandiroor for his education and graduated from Santa Cruz College. He is the father of two children, Sahir Badusha and Shifa Badusha. He is married to Manju Badusha.

Shafeer Sait is an Indian film producer, production controller, and actor. He is basically working with the Malayalam Film Industry. He was born in He has the Indian nationality. He was born on January 25 and in the year 1975. His father name is Sathar Sait. His mother name is Beevikunji. He was born in Kodungallur, Kerala, India. His spouse name is Aisha. C. Ali. Her other name is Aisha Shafeer on June 18 and in the year 2009. They have two children. His son name is Daiyan Sait. Daiyan was born in the year 2014. His daughter name is Diya Qurban. She was born in the year 2010. Shafeer Sait has started his career as Production Manager. He did the first project as a children's movie. The movie name is Gharaksharangal. He did it in the year 2000.

Vinod Illampally is a cinematographer of the Malayalam cinema. It is true that cinema is the director’s vision but an audience sees this through the eyes of the cinematographer. Hence, we may term that a cinematographer can also be called as a ‘co-director’. Vinod Illampally had begun his career in cinematography in early 2000. He made his debut as an independent cinematographer in the movie ‘Red Salute’ (2006). The film dealt with liquor issues in the state and the film did not get any warm welcome by the masses.

Santhosh Varma is a well known Tamil Lyricist and has done many movies. He has written the lyrics of many amazing movies and the audience like the songs written by him. Songs are the most important part of the movies as the music attracts the audience the most. Songs of the movies are released even before the movie and most of the people like music a lot. Lyrics that are written by him are appreciated by everyone. He has written the heart-touching lyrics of many Tamil movies. He has written the lyrics of the songs of the film Vetri Nadai. He wrote the lyrics very well and it was very heart touching and was liked by everyone as well.

Nadir Shah is an Indian artist. He is famous for Mimicry, Comedy, Singing, Acting and Direction in Malayalam movies. He is also a Television Host, Music Composer and Lyricist. He was born in Kochi in Kerala. He started his career as an actor in the 1992 film ‘Kasargod Khader Bhai’. This was followed with movies like ‘Manathe Kottaram’ released in the year 1994 and also ‘Ezharakoottam’ in the year 1995. Once his acting career started to flourish, he began experimenting with his other talents like Playback Singing and Writing Lyrics for various Malayalam movies. He lent his voice for the movie ‘Ennethedi ... Maanchiyam’ as a playback singer in the year 1996 followed by ‘Manjaadikkunnile Praave ... Meenakshikkalyaanam’ in the year 1998 and ‘Aa Maalaninakkaanu ... Korappan The Great’ released in the year 2001, where he also debuted as a lyricist.

Jassie Gift is a music composer and singer who hails from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He predominantly works for Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Tamil movies and is currently, based in Bengaluru.

Javed Ali (Javed Hussain) was born in Delhi in 1982. He has been working as an Indian playback singer since 2000. Ali started his singing journey at a very early age with his father, who is a popular Qawwali singer named, Ustad Hamid Hussain. He is also a playback singer in Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Kannada, and Tamil. 

He has been singing since 2000, but his song “Ek Din Teri Raahon Mein” from the film Naqaab (2007) made him famous in Bollywood. After that, he sang hit song like Jashn-E-Bahaara from the Movie Jodha Akbar (2008). He also sang the song Guzarish (Ghajini) and Maula mere Maula (Arziyan). Javed started his career by singing the song for movie Beti No.1, but this couldn’t help him to grow up his career. After that, he worked in many movies like Chameli, Golmal, Ho Gaya Na, Dil Jo Bhi Kahey, Neal n Nikki and Zindagi Rocks. His song Nagada Nagada with Sonu Nigam from the movie “Jab We Met” has been a great hit. Also, his song “Tu Muskura” along with Alka Yagnik and A R Rahman from movie Yuvvraaj had hit. 

He has also sung many songs in Tamil movies like Siragugal, Chinnanjirusuga Manasukkul, Kungumapoovum Konjumpuraavum, Maattrraan, Thuppakki, Alex Pandian, and Singam 2. Javed Ali has even sung many Telugu songs in popular movies like Tanemando, Maham Maye, Alibaba, Surro Surra, Raccha Rambola, O Meri Jane Jana, Ori Devudo, and Vachchaadu.

He was also seen as a judge for the show “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs” in 2011 which is a famous reality show on Zee TV.

Sameera Saneesh is a South Indian costume designer and fashion designer who works in the Malayalam film industry. She was born on 27th June 1983. She is well known for designing costumes of Mammootty, Jayasurya, Prithviraj Sukumaran and other stars. Sameera hails from Eroor village of Ernakulam district in Kerala. Her parents are Ibrahim and Jameela. She married a software engineer named Saneesh K. J. on 26th November 2006. She learned drawing and painting from Kalabhavan Kochi during her school years. Sameera did an under graduation course at Bharat Mata College before joining a Fashion Designing diploma at the Nation Institute for Fashion Designing in Panampilly Nagar. After diploma, she worked as an in-house designer for “Raymonds” for some time before becoming a freelance costume designer for ad-films. Her first projects were the advertisements for “Saundarya Silk”. She rose to prominence due to her work in Seemas.

PV Shankar is an Indian-Cinematographer. He primarily works in the Tamil Film Industry. He is thinking of working in the Hindi Film Industry, Telugu Film Industry, Kannada Film Industry, and Malayalam Film Industry. Starting from his childhood days, he was very much interested in Photography.

Asif Ali is a model –turned actor who was brought into the film by iconic director Shyamaprasad and Sathyan Anthikkad. Later on, he featured in some successful Malayalam movies and made his way to stardom. Though he was not a superstar, his image of a chocolate boy in a movie ‘Salt N Pepper' seems to be best suited to him as he is very cute and innocent-looking. But unfortunately, he was given to play scary characters that had gray and negative shades. 

Known for his good looks and easy-going personality, the actor did not get box office success for his films like 'Hi I'm Tony’, ‘Mosayile Kuthirameenukal’ and ‘Pakida' which is supposed to be his best films. That is one reason he could not be graded as a superstar. Known for his handsome looks, the actor had graduated from foreign university and had previously appeared in video commercial and small film roles. This actor had too many dramatic projects too such as Siby Malayil’s ‘Violin' that marked a milestone for the actor as he played the solo lead for the first time in his career. Even in S Siby Malayil ‘s ‘Apoorvaraagam' and Sathyan Anthikkad ‘s ‘Kadha Thudarunnu' and Aashiq Abu's ‘Salt n' Pepper, he got raving reviews from critics and audiences, as all these films were family-oriented dramas on screen. 

The actor has done cameo roles in five films. In between 2012-14, he had signed maximum film projects that made him a very star which went to earn him many buzzworthy roles which put him in the club of established actor in Mollywood. In 2015, he appeared in four successful movies such as Double Barrel, You Too Brutus, Kohinoor and Nirnayakam, which allowed him to try something new in commercial cinema. In 2013, he tied his knot with Zama Mazreen, and now the couple is blessed with a boy. The actor was born on 4th February 1986, to M. P. Shoukath Ali and Molly in Kerala.

The tall, dark and handsome Biju Menon started his acting career from the small screen. He acted in serials like Mikayelinte Santatikal and Ningalute Swantam Chandu. Mikayelinte Santatikal focused on the life of a family and their complex relationships. 

 In movies, he started with villain roles, second hero roles, and character roles and then graduated to main hero roles. Biju Menon married actress Samyukta Varma, and they have a son Daksh. Biju and Samyukta have acted together in a couple of movies during which they developed a likeness for each other. After the marriage, Samyukta decided to quit her acting career to become a full-time homemaker. Biju Menon resides with his family at Trichur. Their love and relationship is going strong day by day. 

Born in September 1974, Biju is the fifth son of PNB Pillai and Malathi. He had an inclination towards arts since early childhood. He did suffer a brief setback in his career towards the late nineties and early years of 2000, but he slowly found his own place in the industry through unique roles. The combination of Biju Menon and actor Kunchacko Boban has been a hit in the industry. Some of Biju’s recent successful movies include Velli Moonga, Bhaiya Bhaiya, Mannar Mathai Speaking (double role), Kalimannu, Romans, and Chettayess. He has also performed in Telugu and Tamil movies. Biju Menon’s strong and masculine voice is a unique trait which sets him apart from his colleagues.

V.K. Baiju is a well known Malayalam actor in the Malayalam industry. He has acted in several Malayalam serials and films and has got a good place in the industry. V.K. Baiju’s father is Vidyadhar Kurup, who was a social activist in a political party. His native is Malapuram in Kerala. During his young age, V.K. Baiju has done a lot of jobs before his entry to the cinema. He was a painter and also had run Auto rickshaws too. He has also worked as a salesman in a medical shop.

Actor Sreenivasan is a Malayalam actor who had ruled the regional cinema graph for over 25 years and has earned the credit of having acted in over 200 films so far. But he never attributes his success even once for the quantity of films that he had done so far. He is an actor who lacked star appeal always. Instead of relying on his looks, he concentrated more on his talent that helped him carve a niche in Mollywood. He could perform any character on screen whether it is a villain role or a comedy role which drew a parallel recognition when compared with the ranks of superstars.

Emil is one of the prominent Kannada music director and singer. He started his debut with the mega-hit song ‘Jinke Marina’ which was from the movie Nanda Nanditha. The film released in 2009 and is directed by B. N. Vijayakumar.

Bio coming soon...

Bio coming soon...

Bio coming soon...

Bio coming soon...