Rare video of Nimmi remembering Kalabhavan Mani sparks emotional reactions online

An old video of Nimmi reminiscing about her late husband, Kalabhavan Mani, has resurfaced online, touching the hearts of fans once again.
Originally recorded six years ago, the video features Nimmi in conversation with folk singer and writer Priya Shine. Recently, Priya Shine re-uploaded the interview on YouTube, bringing Nimmi’s emotional recollections back into the spotlight.

In the video, Nimmi shares how deeply one particular song affected both her and Mani. She recalls that while Mani had sung many songs, 'Minnaminunge' held a special place in her heart. It was the one song that moved her the most, as it resonated with their shared struggles and hardships. Every time they heard it, she couldn't hold back her tears.

Among her most painful memories was the day their daughter was born. Nimmi recounts how Mani wasn’t by her side when she was taken to the hospital for delivery. Like any woman in that moment, she longed for her husband’s presence. That day, Mani had to attend an important award function. Before leaving in the morning, he had asked if she was feeling unwell and even assured her that he would stay back if needed. Since she felt fine at the time, she told him to go ahead.

However, by evening, Nimmi went into labour. She tried calling Mani, but she couldn’t reach him. When she was taken in for delivery, and even after their daughter was born, she kept asking about him. Even as she drifted in and out of consciousness, her first thoughts were of Mani. He didn’t know about the birth immediately, it was Lohithadas Sir who finally informed him, and Mani became emotional upon hearing the news.

It was around 2 am when Mani finally returned home. He rushed to see Nimmi and their newborn daughter. For days before her due date, he had stayed by her side, skipping shoots and other events. But the one day he was away, she went into labour. That realisation broke him. He only found peace when he finally held their baby in his arms.
Kalabhavan Mani and Nimmi got married on September 22, 1992. Their daughter, Sreelakshmi, was born in 2000.