Warrier's father, Madhavan Warrier, worked as a chartered accountant with Sundaram Finance's Nagercoil regional office. She did her primary schooling at CSI Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Nagercoil. After her father got promoted, they returned to Kerala and settled in Kannur. She studied at Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Kannur and later at Chovva Higher Secondary School. She was brilliant at studies securing 527 marks, in SSLC, that too maths with 98%. She later graduated with a degree from Sree Narayana College, Kannur through distant education. She has an elder brother, Madhu Warrier, who is also an actor and producer.

Early films (1995–99)

In the first half of her on-screen career, Manju featured in 20 films with prominent directors and superstars producing a number of performances that earned her equal billing with the male superstars in Malayalam. She played each of these roles with consummate ease, probably the only actress at the time who could carry a film on her shoulders. Even at school, Manju showed extra ordinary talent in dance, and won many awards. She was conferred with the Kalathilakam in Kerala Youth Festival for 2 years. She first appeared in a television serial Moharavam which was telecast on Doordarshan. At the age of 17, she debuted in the film Sakshyam (1995). Later at the age of 18, she acted in the movie Sallapam (1996), co-starring Dileep, whom she later married. Since then, she acted in around 20 Malayalam movies over a span of three years.

Her performance in the movie Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu won a special mention from the jury for National Film Awards. Her other films include Kanmadam and Aaraam Thampuran with Mohanlal, Ee Puzhayum Kadannu and Kudamattam with her husband Dileep, Summer In Bethlahem, Pranayavarnangal, Pathram and Kaliyattam with Suresh Gopi, and Irattakuttikalude Achan, Kaliveedu, Thooval Kottaram and Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu with Jayaram. She won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in the movie Ee Puzhayum Kadannu. The film won three Kerala State Film Awards. In Kanmadam, she portrayed the role of a high-tempered blacksmith named Bhanu, which also starred Mohanlal. In her film Daya, Manju disguises herself as a man and does this role with full perfection. Her role as the strong-willed Devika in Pathram became popular among the audience. The film was highest grosser of the year 1999 and ran over 250 days in theatres. Her last film before she took a sabbatical was Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu. Her portrayal as Bhadra, who takes revenge against Natesan who killed her parents, is considered her best acting performance to date. She was nominated at the National Film Awards but she lost to Shabana Azmi. She was awarded the Special Mention (acting) for her performance. In a span of four years, Manju Warrier has acted in almost 20 Malayalam films and majority of these films have been hits at the cinemas.

Return (2012 - present)

On October 24, 2012, she performed Kuchipudi in Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple. Later in July 2013, she acted in a commercial with Amitabh Bachchan. Her comeback announcement was greeted with much fanfare by fans and the media. She later appeared in many advertisements for Kalyan Jewellers alongside Amitabh Bacchan, Aishwarya Rai, Akkineni Nagarjuna and Prabhu Ganesan. She recently published a book titled Sallapam.

She made her much awaited return to cinema with Rosshan Andrrews's How Old Are You in 2014. Manju played the character of Nirupama Rajeev, a UD clerk in Revenue Department. The film earned positive reviews from critics and was received well by the audiences. She received numerous accolades and became the goodwill ambassador of many ventures related to organic farming, inspired by her film .Her Next film was Sathyan Anthikad's Ennum Eppozhum which reunites her with Mohanlal after a gap of 17 years which was a moderate hit. Her next project was Rani Padmini by Aashiq Abu along with Rima Kallingal released in October 2015. The film received a negative response from the box office as it faced tight competition from other movies like Ennu Ninte Moideen and Amar Akbar Anthony.She acted in Jo and the Boy, her last release in 2015, as an animator.Her first full-length role in 2016 was Rajesh Pillai's Vettah, a mind-game thriller, in which she appeared in the role of a police officer for the first time in her career. She acted in a Sanskrit stage drama based on Abhijñānaśākuntalam.The play was presented by Sopanam Institute of Performing Arts & Research, founded by the late Kavalam Narayana Panicker, and was hosted by Swaralaya. Manju debuted as a producer as well and the play was produced under her banner, Manju Warrier Productions. Her next film was Karinkunnam 6S, in which she played the character of Vandana, a Volleyball coach.She also sang a song for cancer patients for the show she hosted Kerala Can(Manorama News), tuned by Ratheesh Vega, which brought in a lot of praises.

Her first release in 2017 was C/O Saira Banu, in which she appeared as a post woman. The film also marked the comeback of Amala Akkineni in Malayalam after more than two decades .Her Performance won critical acclaim and the movie was an average grosser. On September 28, her next film Udaharanam Sujatha released in Kerala. The film released to positive reviews from critics and warm response from the audience. She received huge praise for her portrayal of Sujatha, mother of a tenth class student and a person who does multiple jobs to ensure a good life for her daughter. Her next release in 2017 was Villain, an emotional thriller where she appeared as Dr. Neelima, an independent, idealistic woman and wife of Mathew Manjooran played by Mohanlal. The film went on to bag the record for the highest first day collections for a Malayalam film. The film received mixed response from critics and a positive feedback from the audience. Directors N. Lingusamy, Mysskin, Pandiraj, Thiru, and Suseenthiran were all positive about the film, particularly praising the actors' performances and the making.

Upcoming projects

Her upcoming films include Kamal's biopic Aami in which she does the lead role, Sajid Yahiya's Mohanlal along with Indrajith Sukumaran, V. A. Shrikumar Menon's Odiyan, Venu's Gabriyelum Malaghamarum with Prithviraj Sukumaran, among others.

On 20 October 1998, Manju married actor Dileep at Aluva Sri Krishna Temple. The couple have a daughter. Dileep and Manju filed for divorce in 2014 and it was granted in January 2015.

Serials

• Moharavam (Doordarshan)

Talk Show

• Kerala Can (Manorama News) Cancer Awareness Program - Host

The song sung by Manju Warrier in the program, which was tuned by Ratheesh Vega, brought in a lot of praises.

• Sallapam[Memories]

• Kalyan Jewellers
• Sony India^[23][24]
• Meriiboy Ice Cream
• Dhathri
• Kitchen Treasures
• ALIFF Brand Ambassador - Cinema for Women
• Samsung
• Ujala

Goodwill ambassador

• She - Taxi
• Kudumbasree's Organic Farming
• Naipunnya development program
• KSEB
• Pink Patrolling
• Horticorp (Kerala State Horticultural Products and Development Corporation)
• Malayala Manorama-Kerala Can-Cancer awareness mission

Manju Warrier was considered as one of the best and most successful leading actresses in South India. The late thespian Thilakan considered her a brilliant co-star from the experience of having acted with her in Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu, which incidentally was one of her last films before she took a break.

She was featured in a list of women superstars in South Indian cinema by The News Minute^[25] and top South Indian actresses by InUth.^[26] Her return to stage at Guruvayoor as part of Navaratri dance festival was received with much fanfare. Directors Ranjith and Sathyan Anthikkad graced the occasion. “I was expecting a few people, if at all; only those who would be at Guruvayoor that day. God made me very happy that day. I am grateful to him," she said to The Hindu.^[27]

She is considered one of the best spoken actresses in South India. Her opinions at the India Today South Conclave was well noticed. Speaking at the event, she described what her opinion was about beauty and about the North-South divide. She described universal beauty as "beauty that comes from character and self-respect, self-belief or beauty that comes from having ideals and principles."^[28]

Won

National Film Awards

• Special Jury Mention-1998- Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu

Kerala State Film Awards

• Best Actress - 1996 - Ee Puzhayum Kadannu

Filmfare Awards South

• Best Actress - Malayalam - 1996 - Ee Puzhayum Kadannu
• Best Actress - Malayalam - 1997 - Aaram Thamburan, Kaliyattam
• Best Actress - Malayalam - 1998 - Kanmadam
• Best Actress - Malayalam - 1999 - Pathram
• Best Actress - Malayalam - 2014 - How Old Are You?

Vanitha Film Awards

• Best Actress - 2015 - How Old Are You?
• Best Actress - 2017 - Vettah, Karinkunnam 6S

Asiavision Awards

• Best Actress - 2014 - How Old Are You?
• Best Actress - 2016 - Vettah, Karinkunnam 6S
• Best Actress - 2017- C/O Saira Banu, Udaharanam Sujatha

Asianet Film Awards

• Best Actress - 1998 - Kanmadam
• Best Actress - 1999 - Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu, Pathram
• Best Actress - 2014 - How Old Are You?
• Best actress - 2016 - Vettah, Karinkunnam 6S.

Janmabhumi Awards

• Best Actress - 2016 - Vettah^[29][30]

Mangalam Film Awards

• Best Actress - 2014 - How Old Are You?^[31]

Film Fans Awards

• Best Actress - Thooval Kottaram

South Indian International Movie Awards

• Best Actress - Malayalam - 2014 - How Old Are You ?^{[32][better source needed]}

Prem Nazir Award

• Prem Nazir Award - 2016

Screen - Videocon Awards

• Best Actress - 1996 -Ee Puzhayum Kadannu
• Best Actress - 1997 - Aaram Thampuran, Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu

Anand TV Awards

• Best Actress - 2017 - Vettah, Karinkunnam 6s

NAFA 2017

• Best Actress - 2017 - Vettah, Karinkunnam 6'S.^[33]

Manorama Newsmaker

• Newsmaker of the Year - 2014, Won
• Newsmaker of the Year - 2013, Top 10, Nominated

Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi

• Kalashree Award

Kalabharathi Foundation

• Nrutha Sree Award

Kattal Puraskaram

• Kattal Puraskaram - 2017^[34]

Kerala Kalamandalam

• M K K Nair Award - 2017

Yuva Awards

• 2017 - Yuva Outstanding Personality

Nominations

Filmfare Awards South

• Best Actress - Malayalam - 2015-Rani Padmini
• Best Actress - Malayalam - 2016-Karinkunnam 6's

IIFA Utsavam

• Nominated - Performance in a Leading Role - Female - Malayalam - 2015 - Ennum Eppozhum
• Nominated - Performance in a Leading Role - Female - Malayalam - 2016 - Vettah

Siima

• Nominated - Best Actress - Malayalam - 2016 - Vettah

Asianet Film Awards

• Nominated - Best Actress - 2015 - Ennum Eppozhum, Rani Padmini

Asianet Comedy Awards

• Nominated - Best Actress - 2017 - C/O Saira Banu, Udaharanam Sujatha