9th class changed her life: Mamitha Baiju gave up her dream of becoming a doctor. Malayalam actress now scores Rs 200-crore hat-trick instead

Mamitha Baiju is enjoying one of the biggest phases of her career. The Malayalam actress has reportedly become the only Indian actress to feature in three films that crossed the Rs 200 crore worldwide mark in 2026. Her films Jana Nayagan, Vishwanath & Sons and Bethlehem Kudumba Unit have all achieved the milestone.

Her latest release, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, reached the mark within 11 days. According to industry estimates reported by Gulf News, the Girish AD-directed romantic comedy had earned around Rs 205.20 crore worldwide by Day 11. The makers had not officially confirmed the figure at the time.

The achievement is particularly huge because Mamitha is still a young actor who is relatively early in her career. Her journey to this point, however, did not begin with a plan to become an actress.

Acting was not Mamitha’s first dream

Before films became a major part of her life, Mamitha wanted to become a doctor. Her father, Dr Baiju Krishnan, is a doctor, and she grew up watching him work at his clinic.

In a conversation with Tupaki.com, Mamitha recalled how patients at her father’s clinic would affectionately call her “Baby Doctor”. She said she felt proud of the nickname and genuinely wanted to follow her father’s path.



She also remembered believing as a child that she was already a doctor and would eventually be able to examine patients and prescribe medicines. In a later interview with Vanitha, Mamitha recalled how she saw patients return to her father and thank him after recovering, which further strengthened her admiration for the profession.

One audition in Class 9 changed everything

Mamitha’s entry into cinema happened almost by accident. While she was studying in Class 9, her father’s friend, who was associated with the production of Sarvopari Palakkaran, encouraged her to audition.

She did not approach the opportunity with dreams of becoming an actress. As Mamitha explained to Tupaki.com, she went for the audition mainly out of curiosity and for fun. Before she knew it, she had become part of the film.

Mamitha has also previously spoken about how unexpected her entry into movies was. In an interview with Onmanorama, she recalled that she was interested in seeing how a film was made and decided to give acting a try even though she had never seriously considered it as a career.

That decision eventually changed the direction of her life.

From Sarvopari Palakkaran to Premalu, Mamitha made her Malayalam film debut with Sarvopari Palakkaran in 2017. She subsequently appeared in supporting roles in films such as Honey Bee 2: Celebrations, Dakini, Varathan and Vikruthi.

Her career began gaining momentum with films such as Operation Java, Kho Kho and Super Sharanya. Her performance in Kho Kho also earned her the Best Supporting Actress award at the Kerala Film Critics Awards.

However, it was Premalu in 2024 that changed her standing in Malayalam cinema. Playing Reenu, Mamitha became one of the most recognisable young faces in the industry. The film emerged as a major commercial success and gave her career a significant boost.

Alongside, she began expanding into Tamil cinema as well, appearing in Rebel and later Dude. The latter reportedly crossed Rs 100 crore worldwide.

Three Rs 200-crore films in one year

Mamitha’s current run has taken her from promising young actress to a name associated with major commercial successes.

In Jana Nayagan, Vijay’s final film, she played Vijayalakshmi, the foster daughter of Vijay’s character. The film reportedly crossed Rs 300 crore worldwide during its theatrical run.

She then appeared opposite Suriya in Vishwanath & Sons, the Tamil-Telugu bilingual directed by Venky Atluri. The film also crossed the Rs 200-crore worldwide mark.

Now, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit has completed the hat-trick. The Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju-starrer, directed by Girish AD and produced by Bhavana Studios, was released in Malayalam on August 21. Its strong theatrical performance has taken it beyond the Rs 200-crore mark, according to industry estimates.

Bethlehem Kudumba Unit expands beyond Kerala

The success of Bethlehem Kudumba Unit is also taking the film to a wider South Indian audience. After its Malayalam release, the movie is arriving in dubbed Tamil and Telugu versions in theatres from September 4.

The film has benefited from positive audience response and strong word-of-mouth, with reports noting good occupancy even on weekdays.

For Mamitha, the achievement makes her 2026 run even more remarkable. What started with a Class 9 audition she attended without any serious acting ambitions has now turned into a three-film Rs 200-crore box-office streak.