Manoj Bharathiraja's demise: His marriage to Malayali actor Nandana brought him closer to Kerala

The unexpected demise of noted Tamil actor – director Manoj Bharathiraja, who is the son of veteran director Bharathiraja, has devastated his family, friends and colleagues. Manoj who had undergone a bypass surgery last week suffered a heart attack. The cinema fraternity is also shocked by the demise of Manoj, who was 48 years old. 

Meanwhile, the Malayali audience might remember Manoj’s wife actress Nandana (Aswathi) who had acted in many Malayalam movies. Nandana, a native of Kozhikode, fell in love with Manoj while acting in a Tamil movie. The couple tied the knot in December 2006 with the blessings of both families. Manoj and Nandana have two daughters, Arshitha and Mathivathani. Manoj, reportedly, would visit his wife's parental home often and shared a good rapport with the family and residents there.

Yesteryear actress Nandana is noted for her roles in Malayalam movies like 'Snehithan,' 'Swapnam Kondu Thulabharam,' 'Sethuramayyar CBI' and 'Chathikatha Chandu.' She has also acted in four Tamil films. Nandana quit acting after she got married. 

Meanwhile, Manoj entered the movie industry through the romantic drama Taj Mahal directed by his father Bharathiraja. He had also worked as an assistant of prominent filmmakers like Mani Ratnam and Shankar. In 2023, Manoj directed his first Tamil movie Margazhi Thingal.