Melanie Kannokada

Melanie Chandra (née Kannokada; born February 28, 1986) is an American actress, model, and co-founder of Hospital for Hope. She is best known for her roles as Malaya Pineda on the CBS medical drama Code Black and Mel in the Comedy Central television movie Hot Mess Holiday.

Early life and education Melanie Chandra was born Melanie Kannokada to Malayali Indian parents Suresh Kannokada and Sujatha in Park Ridge, Illinois.

After high school, Chandra earned a Mechanical Engineering degree from Stanford University. Upon graduation, Chandra initially began working at consulting firm McKinsey & Company, which she left to concentrate on her interest in modeling and acting. She stated that she found the management job "intellectually fascinating" but not something she wanted to do "getting up every morning". In fall 2011, she was selected as one of the five faces of Bare Escentuals international "Be A Force of Beauty" campaign. In fall 2012, she was selected to model in a five-page editorial spread for Vogue India Magazine.

Within a week of moving to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career, Chandra successfully auditioned for guest star role in the CBS hit sitcom Rules of Engagement opposite comedian David Spade. In 2019, Chandra stars in Surina & Mel, a show about two American-born South Asian women living in New York City figuring out adulthood. Chandra starred in the October 2021 comedy Distancing Socially. The film was shot at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, using remote technologies and the iPhone 11.

In 2022, Chandra starred in the movie Lie Hard, a comedy about a pathological liar who borrows $4 million from a crime syndicate to purchase a mansion in order to impress his girlfriend's wealthy parents.

Personal Chandra is also a co-founder of Hospital for Hope, a non-profit providing healthcare services in rural India. Chandra is a 2nd degree black belt in Shotokan Karate

2020 Draupadi Unleashed Sita Limited release

Distancing Socially Ella Clifford the Big Red Dog Susan Hot Mess Holiday Mel TV movie 2022 Lie Hard Katie Reynolds 2023 Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls Jesminder