| Bhama | |
| Birth Name: | Rekhitha R. Kurup |
| Birth Place: | Kottayam, Kerala, India |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Other Names: | Bhama Kurup |
| Years Active: | 2007–2019 |
| Children: | 1 |
| Parents: | Rajendran Kurup Shylaja |
Rekhitha R. Kurup, better known by her stage name Bhamaa, is an Indian former actress who predominantly appeared in Malayalam and Kannada-language films. She made her cinematic debut in 2007 with the Malayalam film Nivedyam, directed by A. K. Lohithadas and had acted in over 41 films.
Bhama is the youngest daughter of Rajendra Kurup & Shylaja. She has two elder sisters, Reshmitha R. Kurup and Renjitha R. Kurup.
Bhama did her schooling at St. Mary's Higher Secondary School, Manarcad and Infant Jesus Bethany Covent Girl's Higher Secondary School, Manarcad. She pursued a bachelor's in Sociology by correspondence course.[1]
In January 2020 Bhama married Arun and in May 2024 announced she is a single-parent mother living with her daughter.[2]
Before she entered into the film industry, she was the host of a show on Surya TV titled Thaali. She has also acted in a Christian devotional album. Director Lohithadas selected her as her first movie's lead heroine in Nivedyam. Her second film was Hareendran Oru Nishkalankan, directed by Vinayan, in which she was cast opposite Manikuttan. She paired with Vineeth Sreenivasan in Cycle directed by Johny Antony.
Bhama said that until 2011, she was getting the same kind of roles in Malayalam. She started taking up Kannada film offers, after which she started getting fresh and interesting characters in Malayalam.[3] She acted in Sohanlal's Kadhaveedu in which she played the heroine in M. T. Vasudevan Nair's segment, and her character was that of a modern girl, a media person, who is smart and energetic. She had a small but significant role in Vinod Vijayan's segment of D Company, Day of Judgement, featuring Fahadh Faasil where she played a psycho and wore no make-up.[4]
In 2014, she had five Malayalam releases. She played a Christian housewife in Rakesh Gopan's 100 Degree Celsius and was seen as a 15-year-old mother in Vinod Mankara's Ottamandaram.[5] In her only non-Malayalam release of the year, the Tamil-English biographical film Ramanujan based on the mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, she played the role of Janakiammal, Ramanujan's wife.[6] [7]
Bhama has occasionally worked as a playback singer as well. She had reportedly sung the song "Kannil Kannil", composed by Rahul Raj for a film titled Bike;[8] however, the film was canceled and the song remains unreleased. She lent her voice for the devotional album Maaya Madhavam (2009),[9] and has sung the title song for the upcoming children's film Meow Meow Karimppoocha.[10] She did voice over for the short film named Pacha directed by Sarayu.She has sung a song in the movie 100 Degree Celsius along with other heroines Ananya, Meghana Raj, and Shwetha Menon.[11] [12]
| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Nivedyam | Sathya Bhama | Malayalam | Malayalam Debut | Malayalam debut |
| Hareendran Oru Nishkalankan | Indhu | ||||
| 2008 | Cycle | Annie | |||
| One Way Ticket | Sunanda | ||||
| Ellam Avan Seyal | Chinthamani | Tamil debut | |||
| 2009 | Swapnangalil Haisal Mary | Haisal Mary | Malayalam | ||
| Kannerinu Madhuram | Subhadra | ||||
| Colours | Pooja | ||||
| Ivar Vivahitharayal | Kavya | ||||
| Oru Black and White Kudumbam | Minnu | ||||
| 2010 | Sakudumbam Shyamala | Nandana | |||
| Neelambari | Parvathy | ||||
| Koottukar | Aswathy | ||||
| College Days | Athira | ||||
| Modalasala | Deepu | Kannada debut | |||
| 2011 | Janapriyan | Meera | Malayalam | ||
| Sevenes | Gowri | ||||
| Swapna Sanchari | Aswathi (Achu) | ||||
| Manchivadu | Indu | Telugu debut | |||
| Shyloo | Shaileshwari (Shyloo) | Kannada | |||
| 2012 | Sevarkkodi | Valli | Tamil | ||
| Husbands in Goa | Abhirami | Malayalam | |||
| Ondu Kshanadalli | Divya | Kannada | |||
| 101 Weddings | Rukhiya | Malayalam | |||
| 2013 | Auto Raja | Radha/Rani | Kannada | ||
| Barfi | Kushi | ||||
| Appayya | Gowri | ||||
| D Company | Jeena | Malayalam | |||
| Ambara | Arundhathi | Kannada | |||
| Kadhaveedu | Jeena | Malayalam | [19] | ||
| 2014 | Konthayum Poonoolum | Amritha | |||
| Naku Penta Naku Taka | Shubha | ||||
| Ramanujan | Janakiammal Ramanujan | English/Tamil | |||
| 100 Degree Celsius | Nancy | Malayalam | |||
| Ottamandaram | Kala | ||||
| Mathai Kuzhappakkaranalla | Annamma | ||||
| 2015 | Arjuna | Piya Arjuna | Kannada | ||
| 2016 | Maalgudi Days | Janet | Malayalam | ||
| Marupadi | Sarah | ||||
| 2017 | Raaga | Anu | Kannada | ||
| 2018 | Khilafath | Amina | Malayalam |