Mokksha
{{Short description|Indian actress and dancer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Mokksha
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Pritha Sengupta
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|classical dancer|teacher}}
| years_active = 2019–present
| alma_mater =
}}
Pritha Sengupta professionally credited as Mokksha, is an Indian film actress, teacher and classical dancer, who started career in film industry from Bengali films and she also appeared in Tamil cinema, Telugu cinema and Malayalam cinema. Her debut lead Bengali film is Karma (2020), debut Tamil film is Yevaal (2022), debut Telugu film is Lucky Lakshman (2022) and debut Malayalam film Kallanum Bhagavathiyum (2023).
Early life
Mokksha was born as Pritha Sengupta and hails from Barrackpore, in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. She studied at St. Claret School, Barrackpore,{{cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/mokksha_official/p/C9U_sSgzGSU/?img_index=1 |website=www.instagram.com}} and at Douglas Memorial Higher Secondary School, Barrackpore.{{cite web |title=Mokksha |url=https://www.instagram.com/mokksha_official/reel/C_QmEVJIioQ/?hl=en |publisher=Instagram |access-date=30 September 2024}} She worked as a teacher at St. Augustine's Day School, Barrackpore, where she also taught dance.{{cite news |last1=Antony |first1=Seena |title=വിഷ്ണു ഉണ്ണികൃഷ്ണനു മുന്നില് പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ട 'ഭഗവതി'; മോക്ഷ അഭിമുഖം |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2023/03/28/chat-with-heroine-mokksha.html |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=Manorama Online|date=28 March 2023 |language=ml}} She worked and studied in parallel. She completed a B.Sc(Hons.) degree in Psychology from the University of Calcutta.{{cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/mokksha_official/?hl=en |website=www.instagram.com}} She is a classical dancer who is trained in Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and Odissi.{{cite news|last=I. S.|first=Gopika|date=28 March 2024|title=Malayalam feels like my native language now, says Mokksha |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/malayalam-feels-like-my-native-language-now-says-mokksha/articleshow/108850687.cms|access-date=19 August 2024|work=The Times of India}}
Career
She started her acting career in the Bengali film industry. In her early career, she appeared in films such as Filter Coffee Liquor Cha and Switzerland.{{cite news|author=Local News Desk|title=Actress Mokksha Liked Unni Mukundan's Film Malikappuram So Much That She Saw It Twice|url=https://www.news18.com/entertainment/actress-mokksha-liked-unni-mukundans-film-malikappuram-so-much-that-she-saw-it-twice-7483369.html|access-date=1 October 2024|work=CNN-News18|date=6 April 2023}} She continued to play supporting roles until she grabbed the lead role in the Bengali film Karma (2020). It was followed by another leading role in the Bengali film Shorshephool. In 2022, she played the female lead role in the psychological thriller Yevaal, a Tamil film based on witchcraft.{{cite news|last=Balachandran|first=Logesh|title=Mahesh's comeback film is based on witchcraft|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/maheshs-comeback-film-is-based-on-witchcraft/articleshow/89140944.cms|access-date=1 October 2024|work=The Times of India|date=27 January 2022}} In the same year, she starred in the Telugu drama Lucky Lakshman. Critic from The Times of India wrote that "Mokksha, as Shreya, did well portraying the quintessential lover".{{Cite news |title=Lucky Lakshman Movie Review : Sohel takes centre stage in a tale oscillating between love and ambition |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-reviews/lucky-lakshman/movie-review/96619379.cms |access-date=2024-08-19 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}
In the 2023 Telugu romantic drama Neethone Nenu, she played Seetha, one of the two female leads. A critic from The Hans India noted that "Mokksha leaves a positive impression with her performance".{{cite news |title='Neethone Nenu' movie review: Says the importance of education |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/movie-reviews/neethone-nenu-movie-review-says-the-importance-of-education-79882 |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=The Hans India |date=13 October 2023}} Mokksha auditioned and was selected for her debut Malayalam film, Kallanum Bhagavathiyum (2023), directed by East Coast Vijayan, in which she played the title role of Bhagavathy.{{cite news |last1=Shekhar |first1=Nandu |title=ഷൂട്ടിങ്ങിനിടെ വിചിത്രാനുഭവങ്ങളുണ്ടായി,അന്വേഷിച്ചപ്പോൾ മറ്റുചിലർക്കും അങ്ങനെ തോന്നിയെന്നറിഞ്ഞു-മോക്ഷ |url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/interview/chinthini-and-kallanum-bhagavathiyum-actress-moksha-interview-1.9933630 |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=Mathrubhumi |date=26 September 2024}}{{cite news |author1=Onmanorama staff |title=Many popular actors refused to play role of goddess in 'Kallanum Bhagavathiyum': Director |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2023/04/07/kallanum-bhagavathiyum-fantasy-movie-east-coast-vijayan-actress-moksha.html |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=Onmanorama |date=7 April 2023}} In their review, OnManorama praised her for "a spectacular performance as the titular character".{{cite news |last1=Sreelekha |first1=R. B. |title=Movie review: 'Kallanum Bhagavathiyum' merges fantasy and humour in right doses |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2023/04/02/kallanum-bhagavathiyum-fantasy-movie-review-vishnu-unnikrishnan.html |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=Onmanorama |date=2 April 2023}}
In 2024, she played the female lead role in the Telugu romantic thriller I Hate You.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-01 |title=I Hate You Trailer Out: The Telugu Film Promises A Gripping Thriller With Riveting Twists |url=https://www.news18.com/movies/i-hate-you-trailer-out-the-telugu-film-promises-a-gripping-thriller-with-riveting-twists-8762337.html |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=News18}} She also played the female lead role in her second Telugu film, the romantic drama Alanaati Ramchandrudu (2024), directed by Chilukuri Akash Reddy.{{cite web |last1=Mohammad |first1=Avad |title=Mokksha on Alnaati Ramachandurudu: It was a daunting task to evoke the pain in my character |url=https://www.ottplay.com/interview/mokksha-on-alnaati-ramachandurudu-it-was-a-daunting-task-to-evoke-the-pain-in-my-character/405c588261855 |publisher=OTT Play |access-date=30 September 2024 |date=30 July 2024}} She collaborated with East Coast Vijayan again in the horror film Chithini (2024).{{cite news |author1=Local News Desk |title=Kallanum Bhagavathiyum Star Mokksha Returns To Malayalam Cinema With Chithini |url=https://www.news18.com/movies/kallanum-bhagavathiyum-star-mokksha-returns-to-malayalam-cinema-with-chithini-8718178.html |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=CNN-News18 |date=26 December 2023}} She played the title role of a malevolent spirit.{{cite news |author1=TOI Entertainment Desk |title='Chithini' teaser 2 unveiled: Mokksha starrer promises bone-chilling horror |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/chithini-teaser-2-unveiled-mokksha-starrer-promises-bone-chilling-horror/articleshow/111204685.cms |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=The Times of India |date=23 June 2024}}{{Cite web |title=East Coast Vijayan's 'Chithini' to hit theatres on September 27 |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2024/09/24/east-coast-vijayan-chithini-release-date-amit-chakkalackal-vinay-forrt.html |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Onmanorama}}
Personal life
Mokksha is a Hindu.{{cite web|author=Web Team|title=വലിയ പനയന്നാർകാവ് ദേവീ ക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ ദർശനം നടത്തി നടി മോക്ഷ; 'ചിത്തിനി' ഈ മാസം തിയറ്ററുകളില്|url=https://www.asianetnews.com/entertainment-news/actress-mokksha-visited-parumala-valiya-panayannarkavu-devi-temple-sjqosk|date=13 September 2024|access-date=20 September 2024|work=Asianet News|language=ml}} In August 2024, she performed street dance to a song by poet Kazi Nazrul Islam at Santoshpur, Kolkata to express solidarity for the protest against the 2024 Kolkata rape and murder. It went viral in social media platforms.{{cite news |last1=Saha |first1=Rajesh |title=Meet actor Mokksha whose street dance at Kolkata protest has gone viral |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/meet-actor-mokksha-whose-street-dance-at-kolkata-protest-has-gone-viral-2600864-2024-09-16 |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=India Today |date=16 September 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Varma |first1=Aishwarya |title=No, This Video Does Not Show a Doctor's Dance at a Protest Against RG Kar Case |url=https://www.thequint.com/news/webqoof/mokksha-sengupta-misindentified-as-doctor-dancing-during-rg-kar-case-protest-fact-check |access-date=30 September 2024 |work=The Quint |date=20 September 2024}}
Filmography
{{Pending films key}}
| class="wikitable sortable" | |||||
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Language ! class="unsortable" | Notes !Ref. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019
| Filter Coffee Liquor Cha | Rai | rowspan="4" | Bengali |Support role | | |||||
| rowspan=2 | 2020
| |Support role | | |||||
| Karma | Sanjana Bose | Lead debut film | |||
| 2021
| Shorshephool | Indrani | | | |||||
| rowspan="2" |2022
| Yevaal | |Tamil debut film | | |||||
| Lucky Lakshman
| Shreya | rowspan="2" | Telugu |Telugu debut film | | |||||
| rowspan=2 | 2023
| Seetha | | | |||||
| Kallanum Bhagavathiyum
| Bhagavathy |Malayalam debut film | | |||||
| rowspan="3" | 2024
| Indhu | rowspan="2" | Telugu | | | |||||
| Alanaati Ramchandrudu
| Dharani | | | |||||
| Chithini
| Seetha | Malayalam | | | |||||
| 2025 | Ramam Raghavam | Varsha | Telugu | {{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=Akshay |date=2025-01-29 |title=Samuthirakani's Ramam Raghavam gets a release date |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Jan/29/samuthirakanis-ramam-raghavam-gets-a-release-date |access-date=2025-02-23 |website=Cinema Express |language=en}} |
= Television =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Title !Note |
| 2022
|Rawkto Bilaap |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|11315295}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mokksha}}
Category:Actresses in Telugu cinema
Category:Actresses in Malayalam cinema
Category:21st-century Indian actresses
Category:Actresses from Kolkata