Niuma Mohamed

Niuma Mohamed (pronounced ; 20 October 1977) is a Maldivian film actress, director, and producer. The highest-paid actress in Maldives, Mohamed is the recipient of several awards, including two Gaumee Film Awards, and four Maldives Film Awards. She holds the record for collecting all three Maldives Film Awards for Best Actress in a feature film. In 2011, the Government of Maldives honoured her with the National Award of Recognition.

Mohamed was born in Vaadhoo and raised in Male'. After completing eight years of standard education, she dropped out of school and joined a taxi centre where a customer, a producer of Television Maldives, offered her to make her career debut with the drama series Hithi Thajuribaa (1994). Despite some criticism, she soon received several offers and starred in the horror film Fathis Handhuvaru (1997), which proved to be a breakthrough for her. She went on to act in several more horror films, including Zalzalaa (2000), Ginihila (2003), Dhonkamana (2003), Sandhuravirey 2 (2004), and Handhu Keytha (2005). Mohamed received her first Gaumee Film Award for Best Actress in 2007 with her portrayal of the tolerant second wife in Kalaayaanulaa (2003).

She was later noted for her portrayal of a devoted wife in Hiyani (2006), a schoolteacher in Fathimath Nahula's highest-grossing film, Yoosuf (2008), and in Hiyy Rohvaanulaa (2008), all of which resulted in Gaumee Film Award nominations. She established herself as the most prominent leading actress of Maldivian cinema in 2010 with the film Niuma, which also marked her directorial debut. She was bestowed with her second Gaumee Film Award for Best Actress along with a nomination as Best Director for this production; she won both the awards at 2nd Maldives Film Awards. Mohamed's success continued with the family dramas Maafeh Neiy (2010), Sazaa (2011), Mihashin Furaana Dhandhen (2012), Dhilakani (2013), and Aadheys (2014). Marking her twenty-year-long career, in 2017 she announced her retirement from acting and in 2019, she released the psychological thriller Nivairoalhi, her last onscreen film.

Early life Mohamed was born on 20 October 1977 in GDh. Vaadhoo, the youngest of six siblings. A die-hard fan of Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, Aamir Khan, and Kajol, she frequently listened to Voice of Maldives and watched Bollywood films, which inspired her to become an actress. In 1993, she worked in the Villingili government as her first job. At the 1996 Aafathis Awards ceremony, Mohamed received the Best actress, Best Dance, and Best Performer awards. The same year, she starred opposite Arifa Ibrahim, Abdul Raheem, and Ibrahim Wisan in Mohamed Rasheed's Hifehettumeh Neiy Karuna, where she played the role of Thasneem, an orphan who has been mistreated and abused by her adoptive mother.

Easa Shareef's horror film Fathis Handhuvaru (1997), where are starred opposite Reeko Moosa Manik, proved to be a breakthrough for Mohamed. The film tells the story of a married young woman who falls in love with a ghost. Mohamed then starred opposite Reeko Moosa Manik, Hassan Afeef, and Mariyam Nazima in Easa Shareef's Emme Fahu Dhuvas (2000), where she played a devious woman who spoils her best friend's upcoming marriage by creating false accusation and staging misleading impressions. Mohamed's collaboration with Faththaah was repeated the same year with another romantic drama series, Aisha, where she played the helpful friend of a young woman suffering from an abusive marriage. Mariyam Shauqee's widely acclaimed family drama television series Kahthiri was released in 1997; here Mohamed played the role of a doctor living in a congested housing complex while dealing with various social issues.

In 2000, Mohamed played Fazlee Shareef, an unattractive fun-loving tomboy who later transforms into a feminine and beautiful girl, and who is secretly in love with her best friend, in Hussain Adil's romance Hiyy Halaaku. The film was an unofficial remake of Karan Johar's romantic drama Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Rani Mukerji. The Amjad Ibrahim-directed Ainbehge Loabi Firiehge Vaajib, starring Mohamed, Yoosuf Shafeeu, Jamsheedha Ahmed, and Arifa Ibrahim was released the same year. The film revolves around a woman who has been mistreated by her stepmother and forced to marry against her will. Mohamed played the role of Dhiyana, the caring friend of Julia, played by Jamsheedha Ahmed.

In 2001, Mohamed starred as an aspiring model and an obsessive lover in Aslam Rasheed's romantic thriller film Dheevaanaa, which was an unofficial remake of Ram Gopal Varma's romantic thriller Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (2001), starring Urmila Matondkar, Fardeen Khan, and Sonali Kulkarni. The same year, she acted in Aishath Ali Manik's Hiiy Edhenee, which was an unofficial remake of Dharmesh Darshan's romantic film Dhadkan (2000), starring Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Shilpa Shetty in the lead roles. Cast opposite Ali Seezan, Sheela Najeeb, and Asad Shareef, Mohamed played the role of Leena, the partner of a wealthy businessman who secretly loves him for a long time.

2003–05: Horror films Niuma collaborated with Easa Shareef once again for another horror film, titled Ginihila (2003), alongside Ali Seezan, Mariyam Nisha, and Reeko Moosa Manik, playing the role of Suhana, a mentally unstable young girl who commits suicide when her boyfriend rejects her demand to leave his wife for her. The film is an unofficial remake of Vikram Bhatt's Indian horror film Raaz (2002), featuring Bipasha Basu, Dino Morea, Malini Sharma, and Ashutosh Rana, which itself is an unofficial adaptation of What Lies Beneath. Mohamed next worked with Amjad Ibrahim on his horror film Dhonkamana (2003), which depicts the romantic relationship between a young man (played by Yoosuf Shafeeu) and an old woman (played by Fauziyya Hassan). Featuring Hassan, Yoosuf Shafeeu, Sheela Najeeb, Sheereen Abdul Wahid, Amira Ismail, and Aminath Rasheedha, the film received mainly negative reviews from critics, though its inclusion of the theme portraying the relationship between a couple with a large age gap was praised.

Mohamed's most successful release of the year 2003 was Fathimath Nahula's romantic film Kalaayaanulaa, which tells the story of a man (Yoosuf Shafeeu) who decides to marry his childhood best friend (played by Mohamed) when his wife (Aishath Shiranee) fails to please him sexually. The film received widespread critical acclaim for its performances and was declared the year's highest-grossing Maldivian film. Mohamed's portrayal of the tolerant second wife garnered her a Miadhu Crystal Award for Best Actress and a Gaumee Film Award for Best Actress. This was followed by Abdul Faththaah's Aan... Aharenves Loabivin (2002), starring Mohamed, alongside Ali Seezan, Sheela Najeeb, Aminath Rasheedha, and Neena Saleem. Mohamed played the role of Suzy, an ill-fated girl who is forced to conceal her marriage in order to help her friend recovering from amnesia. The film opened to positive responses from critics and was commercially successful as well.

Mohamed next starred as a fangirl of an established actor in Amjad Ibrahim's next directorial venture, Sandhuravirey 2 (2004), a sequel to his 2002 horror film Sandhuravirey, which presented Yoosuf Shafeeu and Mariyam Nisha in the lead roles.

In 2005, Mohamed starred alongside Ali Seezan and Sheereen Abdul Wahid in Ahmed Nimal's horror film Handhu Keytha (2005), which tells the story of a man who is enchanted by a spirit while witnessing a lunar eclipse. Mohamed then stepped into Fathimath Nahula's critically and commercially successful romantic drama television series Kalaage Haqqugaa, to play the role of Aishath Imna, a sacrificing mother and an orphan who is later abandoned by her guardian. Mohamed rose to widespread prominence in the television industry with her performance as an indolent daughter who marries her best friend in the Arifa Ibrahim-directed critically acclaimed television series Vairoalhi Ahves Sirrun in 2005. The story revolves around two best friends involved in extramarital affairs who fail to perform their duties as husband and wife. The show, which also included Lufshan Shakeeb, Ahmed Asim, Aminath Rasheedha, and Mariyam Shakeela, was listed as one of the most successful television series. The film received mostly positive reviews from critics. Mohamed's performance fetched her another Gaumee Film Award nomination for Best Actress. This was followed by Amjad Ibrahim's romantic drama film Hithuge Edhun (2006), which tells the story of a disabled man, The film featured an ensemble cast including Yoosuf Shafeeu, Sheela Najeeb, Mohamed Manik, Ahmed Nimal, Fauziyya Hassan, Ravee Farooq, Zeenath Abbas, and Ahmed Lais Asim, who were at the time the biggest names in Maldivian cinema. It was also the Maldivian official entry at the 2009 SAARC Film Festival and had the privilege of being the festival's opening feature. The film follows a blind man who regains his eyesight but decides to conceal this and continue presenting as blind in order to discover his wife's affair with another man. At the 1st Maldives Film Awards, Mohamed received her third nomination as Best Actress for her performance in the film. She next appeared in Ali Shifau's suspense thriller Happy Birthday, which narrates the story of a simple man who receives a call on his birthday informing him that his wife and son have been kidnapped for ransom. Mohamed played the role of Suza, the man's wife. In her last release of the year, Mohamed starred opposite Ali Seezan and Nadhiya Hassan in Seezan's melodrama Karuna Vee Beyvafa.

2010–13: Niuma and further success Mohamed's first release of 2010 was Ali Seezan's family drama Maafeh Neiy, where she appeared alongside Seezan and Koyya Hassan Manik. The film highlights many social issues including human rights abuses, forced marriage, and domestic violence. In her next release of the year, a family drama by Ali Shifau, Dhin Veynuge Hithaamaigaa, Mohamed featured in dual roles—as Nisha, an aspiring model who has been tormented by tempestuous in-laws, and as Aminath, a woman who dies during childbirth. The film and her performance received positive responses from critics. It was a spin-off of Aslam Rasheed's horror classic Zalzalaa (2000). She played the role of Reena, a woman who dies during childbirth. Mohamed next reunited with Ahmed Nimal in his horror film The Three, which received negative reviews from critics and was declared to be a box office disaster. She also appeared in Amjad Ibrahim's romantic horror film Vakinuvinama, which was another critical and commercial failure.

The actress followed this with her directorial debut, the drama Niuma, which featured her in the titular role, alongside an ensemble cast including Yoosuf Shafeeu, Sheela Najeeb, Mohamed Manik, Ahmed Nimal, Aminath Rasheedha, and Abdulla Muaz. In an interview, she stated, "I sacrificed my hair to make a scene audiences will be thrilled to watch. I assure everyone that, if this film is not appreciated, I will leave the industry once and for all". The film was met with critical acclaim, specifically complimenting the performance and dialogue. Ahmed Naif from Sun wrote: "Niuma's acting is the best I have seen from a Maldivian film. In the scene where Nimal cuts her hair, she brought the perfect expression and emotions to it, nobody else could have justified the role as she did". The film went on to become the highest-grossing Maldivian release of the year and fetched Mohamed several accolades, including Best Director and Best Actress awards at the 2nd Maldives Film Awards. She also won the Best Actress award at the 6th Gaumee Film Awards ceremony, while being nominated for Best Director.

Mohamed began 2011 with Hussain Munawwar's directorial debut, Sazaa, opposite Ismail Rasheed and Lufshan Shakeeb. Mohamed's performance fetched her a Best Actress nomination at the 7th Gaumee Film Awards. She followed this success by appearing in Ali Shifau's psychological romantic thriller Zaharu, alongside Ali Seezan and Sheela Najeeb. The film centers around a married man who has a brief affair with a woman who becomes obsessed with him. The film received negative reviews from critics, pointing out similarities between the Bollywood comedy-drama film Ishq (1997) and Kundan Shah's family drama Dil Hai Tumhaara (2002).

In 2012, the actress played a physiotherapist in Ravee Farooq romantic drama film Mihashin Furaana Dhandhen, opposite Mohamed Manik and Ali Seezan. The film received mixed responses from critics, while Mohamed's performance was reviewed positively. Ahmed Nadheem of Haveeru noted the film as "the best Maldivian melodramatic film" he had seen in the past two years, though he was displeased with its similarities to two Bollywood films. Mohamed's portrayal of Saara in the film resulted in another Gaumee Film Award nomination for Best Actress. The film deals with a man's tumultuous journey to seek vengeance and the demolition of a family bond over a girl. Mohamed played the love interest of three siblings. The film attracted negative reviews from critics: Nadheem wrote, "Embraced with futile characters, impractical scenes and outdated music, the film has problems in each department. Munawwar failed to extract the talent of actors like [Niuma Mohamed], who is the most accomplished actress in the industry". Mohamed was bestowed with the Best Actress award at the 3rd Maldives Film Awards.

2014–present: Professional expansion

Mohamed's first release of 2014 was Mohamed Nimal's family drama Aniyaa, alongside Ismail Rasheed and Mohamed Jumayyil. The story revolves around a boy who has been deprived of love by his parents. Due to several technical errors and struggles caused during the screening of the film, it failed to garner enough hype, ultimately performing poorly at the box office. It was followed by another family drama, Aadheys, directed by Abdul Faththaah and starring Hussain Sobah, Amira Ismail, Moosa Zakariyya, Fathimath Azifa, and Ali Azim in pivotal roles. The film tells the story of a sacrificing mother and her affection towards her child. Filming was completed in 2011, though it was released three years later due to the death of producer Hassain Ali. The film received mixed reviews from critics and failed to leave an impression commercially. In a review, Ismail Naail wrote: "As expected, Niuma leaves less room for criticism though her character and its portrayal can still be improved". At the 8th Gaumee Film Awards, Mohamed received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress for the two films, respectively.

In 2015, the actress made a special appearance in Ali Seezan's action film Ahsham, where she played the role of Ali Seezan's wife who dies in a car accident. The film, made on a budget of MVR 1,500,000, was considered as the most expensive film made in the Maldives. The following year, Mohamed featured alongside Yoosuf Shafeeu in Ibrahim Wisan's debut, Vee Beyvafa. The film received negative responses from critics, with Ahmed Adhushan of Mihaaru calling it "a step backward" in the progress of cinema.

In 2017, Mohamed made a special appearance in the romantic comedy film Naughty 40 and also produced the film alongside Ismail Shafeeq. The film met with both critical and commercial success, emerging as one of the highest-grossing Maldivian films of 2017. On 20 October 2017, a grand event was held to celebrate Mohamed's twenty-year-long career, at which she presented her upcoming psychological thriller Nivairoalhi and announced her retirement from acting. Starring opposite Yoosuf Shafeeu and Ahmed Asim, the actress gained weight in preparation for her role and faced major delays in post-production since she was suffering from laryngitis. The film received majorly positive reviews from critics: Aishath Maaha of Dho? favored the performance of the lead actors and mentioned the "neat arrangement" of its screenplay, though pointing out its "weak ending". Praising her performance as a patient suffering from depression, Maaha wrote: "On a positive note, this is the most natural acting Niuma has portrayed so far in her career. However, it surely breaks several hearts to realize that we will no longer see such a marvelous performance from her in any film to come". The project was shot in 2013 and digitally released six years later due to several delays in post-production.

Personal life Mohamed's first marriage was to Ibrahim Habeeb in 2002. The couple were divorced shortly after, and few years later, Habeeb was found dead, having committed suicide.

The actress was romantically linked with Hassan Ibrahim while filming a project together, and they were married in 2007. On 21 July 2008, Mohamed gave birth to a daughter, Mariyam Zoya Hassan. After a few years, the couple divorced and Mohamed decided to stay single to take care of her daughter.

In February 2018, she announced her interest to run as a parliament member. She has endorsed several brands and products throughout her career. In 2012, she was ranked second in the list of "Best Actresses in Maldives", compiled by Haveeru. In 2018, Mohamed was ranked first on Dho?'s list of Top Ten Actresses of Maldives, with writer Aishath Maaha opining that Mohamed has "achieved every possible success anyone can get from this small industry".

Filmography Film

Short film Year Title Role Notes 2005 Falhi Sikunthu 2 Nurse 2006Mission 24 2006 Handi Ganduvaru Dhonkamana Kamana 2007 Paneeno Malmal / Yazeelio 2009 Kafun Nizu 2012 Kidnap Nahu

Other work Year Title Director Producer Notes 2008 Umurah Salaam Short film; co-produced with Ali Sofeeh 2010 Niuma Feature film 2017 Hahdhu Feature film; co-produced with Abdul Faththaah 2019 Nivairoalhi Feature film

Accolades Year Award Category Nominated work Result 1997 Aafathis Awards – 1996 Best Actress Badhal Best Performer of the Year Badhal 2007 3rd Gaumee Film Awards Best Actress Fathis Handhuvaru Best Actress - Short film 13 Ah Visnaa Dhehaas