Kavya Madhavan was born in the village of Nileshwaram in Kasaragod district, Kerala, India to P. Madhavan and Shyamala. She started to learn dance while studying in Nileswaram Rajas High School. She was the kalathilakam, a title bestowed to the artist who proves her skills in most artistic fields during a Sub District youth festival, in Kasargod. She is getting married to Nischal_(actor) sometime before March 2009.
Kavya entered the industry as a child artist in the film Pookkalam Varavayi (1991) in the role of a school girl. She came to public attention when she played the childhood part of the heroine character in Kamal's Azhakiya Ravanan (1996). She has since acted in over 25 films in Malayalam and a few in Tamil. She is noted for having retained her rural Nileshwaram accent. She was not allowed to dub for her movies because her voice does not fit the usual "sweet and soft" voice of typical dubbers. However, she recently has begun to dub for some of her roles, such as Perumazhakkalam.
Awards and achievements
* State Awards - 2004 Best Actress - Perumazhakkalam[2]
* Film Critics Award 2000 - 2nd Best Actress (Chandranudhikkunna Dikkil)
* Bharathan Award 2000 - Navagatha Prathibha (Chandranudhikkunna Dikkil)
* Lux Asianet Film Award 2000 - Special Jury Award - Kochu Kochu Santhoshanghal, Madhuranombara Kattu
* Kerala Film Audience Award - Monisha Puraskaram
* Atlas Film Award 2001 - 2nd Best Actress Kochu Kochu Santhoshanghal
* 4th Raju Pilakkad Chalachithra Award - Oomapenninu Uriyadapayan
* Vanitha Surya TV film award 2006- Best Actress(anadhabhathram)
* Kerala Film Critics Association 2005- Best Actress(anadhabhathram)
* Sathyan Memorial Award 2007- Best Actress