Overview
Rukmini Mallick (born 28 April 1982), known professionally as Koel Mallick, or mononymously as Koel, is an Indian actress who works primarily in Bengali cinema. Often referred to as the "Tolly-Queen", she is the daughter of veteran actor Ranjit Mallick.
Koel made her acting debut with Nater Guru (2003), which proved to be a box-office success. She subsequently rose to prominence with a series of commercially successful films, including Shubhodrishti (2005), Mon Mane Na (2008), Premer Kahini (2008), 100% Love (2012) and Rangbaaz (2013). Lead roles in the top-grossing romances Paglu (2011) and Besh Korechi Prem Korechi (2015) further established her as a leading star in Bengali cinema.
Her performances in the family drama Bandhan (2004), the political thriller MLA Fatakeshto (2006), the drama Dui Prithibi (2010), the black comedy Hemlock Society (2012) and the thriller Mitin Mashi (2019) received critical acclaim. Over the course of her career, she has received several honours, including a Filmfare Awards Bangla, two BFJA Awards and an Anandalok Puraskar. In 2023, she was conferred the Mahanayak Samman by the Government of West Bengal.
Beyond her work in films, Koel is also engaged in social activism and is noted for her work with widows and children. She has been married to producer Nispal Singh since 2013, and the couple have two children.
References
- "Koel Mallick", English Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koel_Mallick