When they fell in love, drama followed.
Now that they have fallen out of love, drama in epic proportions is expected to play out.
After 16 years of marriage, Kerala’s top actor-couple Dileep and Manju Warrier have split, with Dileep filing for divorce last Thursday at a family court in Kochi, on grounds of cruelty. He has filed a petition that the details of the case be kept confidential — for good reason.
It can be safely said that no couple has divided a movie-mad state such as Kerala like this pair. Their every move is scrutinised, with fans feeling compelled to take a side; their break-up has been a ratings boon for the media.
Dileep and Warrier reportedly fell in love while filming their 1998 love tragedy Ee Puzhayum Kadannu, eloping and getting married in secret. While their sly union came as a surprise, it was the news that emerged right after — that Warrier would quit acting — that sent her fans into a disillusioned frenzy. Thousands felt cheated because they stood to lose one of their most beloved heroines, and many of her fans even swore to boycott her husband’s films as a gesture of protest.
Top of her game
At that time, Warrier — a trained classical dancer from a non-acting family from Thrissur in central Kerala — was at the top of her acting game. She enjoyed the kind of goodwill that a few actors such as Aamir Khan in Bollywood enjoy today: Her presence in a film is enough reason to watch it.
Warrier, born to an accountant father and housewife mother, topped the Malayalam movie industry tag with just five years of acting. She could do no wrong when it came to making career choices: She made her film debut in 1995 with Sakshayam, but it was her role as a naive maid Radha in Sallapam (1996) that made her an overnight sensation. Her now-estranged husband Dileep played her hapless lover: a poor carpenter who spurns her love due to abject poverty.
Until then, both Dileep and Warrier (18 at that time) were relative unknowns trying to make it big in an industry dominated by long-enduring matinee idols such as Mammootty and Mohanlal. In terms of popularity, it was Warrier who stole the proverbial thunder in Sallapam, with Dileep providing good support. She went on to star in over 20 Malayalam films in a career that flourished from 1996 to 1999. Playing troubled 20-somethings was her forte.
In 1999 alone, she delivered four back-to-back blockbusters with Kanmadam (she played a foul-mouthed village belle in this Mohanlal-starrer), Summer In Bethlehem (a 20-something at suicide risk and hopelessly in love with a jailed rebel), Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu (a vengeful temptress who tries to seduce both father and son) and Pathram (a fierce journalist). Roles were written for her and at the time of her marriage, she was on a roll, with Kerala State Awards and popular film awards filling her ever-growing trophy cabinet.
Back then, she outshone Dileep wherever she went. But the dynamics between the couple slowly changed.
Low profile
After her marriage to Dileep, Warrier gave the term keeping a low profile a new meaning. From one of the most sought-after actresses, she was relegated to playing the role of a dutiful trophy wife. She scaled down her public appearances drastically and stepped out only to attend weddings or an occasional joint appearance with her husband.
In a move that will make any empowered woman grimace, it was believed her husband disapproved of her acting in films after marriage. In Kerala, acting is regarded as a questionable career choice for women. Recently, Dileep made his controversial stand known, saying of his wife: “I had even asked directors not to cast her in their projects and they obliged.” Several reports claim that director Priyadarshan refrained from casting Warrier based on that plea.
In the last decade, Dileep — who began his career playing miniscule comic roles — has become one of Kerala’s top producers, making movies that resonate with the common man, such as the crowd-pleaser Meesa Madhavan and Twenty20. What he asked, he often got.
This April, Dileep appeared on the cover of leading Kerala women’s magazine Vanita with his teenage daughter Meenakshi, claiming that he was shattered by the break-up. The interview, which seemed to be artfully orchestrated to gain sympathy votes, saw him bare his soul.
“My heart breaks when I see my daughter get up at 5.30am, braiding her hair alone and getting ready for school,” said Dileep, admitting that he and his wife have been living separately for over a year. Currently, his daughter lives with him. In what could be deemed as a clever PR move, Warrier was pictured as an irresponsible woman who abandoned her child to pursue her ambitions.
Reason for break-up
“After 14 years of blissful marriage, I am now shattered and coming to terms with this reality,” said Dileep. Asked if his colleague and good friend Kavya Madhavan was responsible for their break-up (the actress’ name often cropped up as the third wheel in their marriage), he maintained that they were just good friends.
“Had Kavya been the problem, Manju could have easily spoken to me about it. When Kavya had a personal problem, I supported her as a friend. When friends have problems, their gender doesn’t matter to me,” said Dileep, alluding to his co-star Madhavan’s divorce.
Between Warrier and Dileep, it’s the estranged husband who seems to be determined to clear the air. In a recent press meet, he clarified: “Everything was perfect for 14 years of our marriage life. When many families faced problems and were at the verge of divorce, I never thought that I would have to face such a situation in my life too,” he said.
Warrier continues to maintain a dignified silence. But don’t mistake her reticence for taking things lying down. After 15 years of artistic exile, Warrier returned to the silver screen with How Old Are You, a tale about Nirupama, a 36-year-old wife and mother, who dares to dream and take charge of her life.
The film, which releases in the UAE this week, will serve as an inspiration to women whose frenetic pace of life has overtaken their ambitions, claimed the actress.
Striking a chord
“If you are a woman, you will identify with Nirupama. It will strike a chord among all those women who have forgotten their ambitions as they got busy with life and family. Ninety nine per cent of women will be reminded of their time in college and the dreams that they had then,” said Warrier in interview with a Malayalam TV channel.
Despite being in the thick of movie promotions for How Old Are You, Warrier has not entertained questions about her personal life. The film has done robust business in Kerala with her fans and critics embracing her comeback wholeheartedly. Asked if she regretted not making a comeback earlier, she said: “I have no regrets.”
While she may not harbour ill will, several conspiracy theories continue to float around. Her husband’s decision to file divorce papers — bang in the thick of her movie release — is being looked upon suspiciously by her fans. In India, stars have a reputation and a wholesome family person image to maintain. Tweaking it might prove detrimental to an artist’s career. But clearly Warrier is striking out on her own.
“It’s good to be back and I am considering other movie offers,” she added.
