Nithya Menen says winning National Award for Best Actress 'calmed her down'

Nithya Menen won the 70th National Award for Best Actress for her 2022 Tamil romantic drama 'Thiruchitrambalam', starring Dhanush in the lead role. The actress received the honor from President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday (October 8).

After receiving the honour, Nithya told ANI, “I dedicate the award to my co-stars and the entire team of 'Thiruchitrambalam'.” Nithya expressed her heartfelt admiration for Team 'Thiruchitrambalam', describing the experience as a significant milestone in her journey as an artist.

At the 70th National Film Awards red carpet event, Nithya Menen shared that receiving national recognition validated her diverse career choices. She expressed surprise at winning the award, stating, “I never thought of awards when I did any film.” Menen described the National Film Award as a calming influence, emphasizing how her unconventional career path often felt like “swimming upstream.” The award holds significant meaning for her, as it reassures her and affirms her artistic decisions. “It made me calmer. I have always taken difficult paths in my career,” she stated.


This accolade marked Nithya's first National Film Award for Best Actress. She shared the honor with actor Manasi Parekh, who received the award for her role as Monghi in the Gujarati film 'Kutch Express'.

Meanwhile, Nithya Menen has also confirmed reuniting with Dhanush in 'Idly Kadai', which marks the actor's fourth directorial. She revealed the news during a media interaction after receiving the award.

Directed by Mithran R Jawahar, 'Thiruchitrambalam' also featured Bharathiraja, Prakash Raj, Raashii Khanna, and Priya Bhavani Shankar in pivotal roles. The titular character is a delivery man navigating complex family dynamics. Living with his father and grandfather, he grapples with his grandfather's resentment, who blames him for the loss of his mother and sister. Their strained relationship adds to Thiruchitrambalam's (Dhanush) challenges, especially as he struggles to find success in his love life. Nithya Menen plays his best friend, and the duo eventually discovers their love for each other.