# Lena (ലേന) (actress)
**Lena** (ലേന), also credited as Lenaa, is an Indian film actress who works predominantly in [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema), with additional films in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and English. She made her screen debut in Jayaraj's *Sneham* (1998) and has more than 100 Malayalam films to her credit, along with award-winning work in Malayalam television.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2445419/) She is also a clinical psychologist, screenwriter, and author.[2](https://theliteraturetoday.com/an-exclusive-interview-with-lenaa-a-profound-discourse-on-cinema-mental-health-advocacy-and-self-realization)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1981[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2445419/) |
| Debut | *Sneham* (1998), directed by Jayaraj, in the role of Ammu[3](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movieslist.php?a=5783) • [4](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/malayalam/tv-actress/lena) |
| Film count | Over 100 Malayalam films, plus films in English, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2445419/) |
| Major film awards | Kerala State Film Award – Second Best Actress (2013) for *Left Right Left* and *Kanyaka Talkies*; Filmfare Award South – Best Supporting Actress (Malayalam) (2011) for *Traffic*[5](https://starsunfolded.com/lena/) |
| Television | Lead roles in serials including *Omanathinkal Pakshi* (Asianet, 2005–2006, as Jancy); Kerala State TV Award for Best Actress (2008) for *Aranazhika Neram*[5](https://starsunfolded.com/lena/) |
| Other work | Screenplay debut *Olam* (2023); book *The Autobiography of God*; dubbing artist for Raveena Tandon in the Malayalam version of *K.G.F: Chapter 2* (2022)[6](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/01/22/lena-25-years-malayalam-cinema-vanitha-interview.html) • [7](https://www.madhyamam.com/entertainment/movie-news/lena-reveals-her-book-the-autobiography-of-gods-malayalam-transilation-1247170) |
## Early life and education
Lena was born in 1981.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2445419/) She studied psychology at the postgraduate level and worked as a psychologist in Mumbai before her film career became full-time.[8](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/lena.html) In a 2023 interview she recalled being called from the middle of her Plus Two class to act in her debut film.[6](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/01/22/lena-25-years-malayalam-cinema-vanitha-interview.html)
She married the Malayalam screenwriter Abhilash Kumar on 16 January 2004; the marriage later ended in divorce.[8](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/lena.html)
## Film career
**Debut and early films.** Lena entered cinema with Jayaraj's *Sneham* (1998), playing Ammu.[3](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movieslist.php?a=5783) • [4](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/malayalam/tv-actress/lena) She followed it with films through 2000 and 2001, including Jayaraj's *Karunam* and [M. T. Vasudevan Nair](https://www.edgepedia.org/m-t-vasudevan-nair)'s *Oru Cheru Punchiri* (both 2000), and [Lal Jose](https://www.edgepedia.org/lal-jose)'s *Randaam Bhaavam* (2001).[3](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movieslist.php?a=5783) After *Randaam Bhaavam* she returned to her studies, and it took her about three years to come back to films, resuming with *Koottu* (2004).[6](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/01/22/lena-25-years-malayalam-cinema-vanitha-interview.html)
**Breakthrough and recognition.** Her career accelerated in the 2010s with strong supporting and character roles. She won the Filmfare Award South for Best Supporting Actress (Malayalam) and an Amrita Film Award for *[Traffic](https://www.edgepedia.org/traffic-2011-film)* (2011), and the Asianet Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for *Spirit* (2012).[5](https://starsunfolded.com/lena/) In 2013 she received the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress for *Left Right Left* and *Kanyaka Talkies*, along with a SIIMA Award for Best Supporting Actor (Female) for *Left Right Left*.[5](https://starsunfolded.com/lena/) In *Left Right Left* she played Anitha Roy, a socially and politically committed activist, a role she described as one of the strongest characters she had played; she took up guitar lessons for one scene in the film.[9](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/kerala-state-film-award-unexpected-honour-for-lena)
**Ennu Ninte Moideen and later work.** For R. S. Vimal's *Ennu Ninte Moideen* (2015) she collected a string of honors, including the Kerala Film Critics Association Award for Second Best Actor (Female), the Asianet Film Award for Best Character Actress, the Vanitha Film Award, a SIIMA Award, a Filmfare Award South, and an IIFA Utsavam Award, all for supporting or character roles in that film.[5](https://starsunfolded.com/lena/) • [10](https://wikibio.in/lena/) Later awards include the Toronto International South-Asian Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for *[Adam Joan](https://www.edgepedia.org/adam-joan)* and *Vimaanam* (2019) and a SIIMA Award for *Aadhi* (2019); in 2024 she received a Bharatiya Excellence Award for 25 years of contribution to Indian cinema.[10](https://wikibio.in/lena/) Her Malayalam filmography runs from *Sneham* (1998) through dozens of releases, including *Ustad Hotel* (2012), *Iyobinte Pusthakam* (2014), *Aadhi* (2018), and a cluster of 2023 releases such as *Aadujeevitham* and *The Voter*.[11](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/lena/filmography.html)
## Television and other screen work
Before her film career took hold, Lena was a familiar face on Malayalam television. In 2008 she won the Kerala State TV Award for Best Actress for *Aranazhika Neram* on Amrita TV.[5](https://starsunfolded.com/lena/)
## Writing and advocacy
**Screenwriting and directing plans.** Her first screenplay, *Olam*, directed by V. S. Abhilash, was slated for release in 2023.[6](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/01/22/lena-25-years-malayalam-cinema-vanitha-interview.html) • [11](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/lena/filmography.html) She has also confirmed completing the first draft of a planned directorial debut.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2445419/)
**Author and speaker.** Lena published the book *The Autobiography of God* on self-realization and personal growth, and announced at the Kerala Literature Festival in January 2024 that DC Books would publish its Malayalam translation.[2](https://theliteraturetoday.com/an-exclusive-interview-with-lenaa-a-profound-discourse-on-cinema-mental-health-advocacy-and-self-realization) • [7](https://www.madhyamam.com/entertainment/movie-news/lena-reveals-her-book-the-autobiography-of-gods-malayalam-transilation-1247170) She describes herself as an advocate for mental health, emotional well-being, and self-awareness, and her TED talk has been viewed more than 850,000 times.[2](https://theliteraturetoday.com/an-exclusive-interview-with-lenaa-a-profound-discourse-on-cinema-mental-health-advocacy-and-self-realization) She has said that English is her mother tongue and that she cannot read or write Malayalam, having grown up across various regions of India with an Anglo-Indian mother and begun speaking Malayalam only at age twelve.[12](https://timeskerala.com/entertainment/lena-on-malayalam-language/)
## References
1. [Lenaa – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2445419/)
2. [An Exclusive Interview with Lenaa: A Profound Discourse on Cinema, Mental Health Advocacy, and Self-Realization – The Literature Today](https://theliteraturetoday.com/an-exclusive-interview-with-lenaa-a-profound-discourse-on-cinema-mental-health-advocacy-and-self-realization)
3. [List of Malayalam Movies acted by Lena – Malayala Chalachithram](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movieslist.php?a=5783)
4. [Malayalam TV Actress Lena Biography – NETTV4U](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/malayalam/tv-actress/lena)
5. [Lena (Actress) Height, Age, Husband, Children, Family, Biography & More – StarsUnfolded](https://starsunfolded.com/lena/)
6. [Can't believe it's been 25 years in Malayalam cinema: Lena – Onmanorama](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2023/01/22/lena-25-years-malayalam-cinema-vanitha-interview.html)
7. [Lena Reveals Her Book 'The Autobiography of God's Malayalam Translation – Madhyamam](https://www.madhyamam.com/entertainment/movie-news/lena-reveals-her-book-the-autobiography-of-gods-malayalam-transilation-1247170)
8. [ലെന (Lena): മൂവീസ്, പ്രായം, ജീവചരിത്രം – Filmibeat Malayalam](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/lena.html)
9. [Kerala state film award: Unexpected honour for Lena – Khaleej Times](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/kerala-state-film-award-unexpected-honour-for-lena)
10. [Lena (Actress) Wiki, Height, Age, Husband, Children, Family, Biography & More – WikiBio](https://wikibio.in/lena/)
11. [ലെന അഭിനയിച്ച സിനിമകൾ | Lena Filmography in Malayalam – Filmibeat Malayalam](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/lena/filmography.html)
12. [Lena on Malayalam language – Times Kerala](https://timeskerala.com/entertainment/lena-on-malayalam-language/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Malayalam film actors › Surnames L to R*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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