Nayanthara

Nayanthara (born Diana Mariam Kurian; 18 November 1984) is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films. One of the highest-paid actresses in India, she was the only South Indian actress to be featured in the Forbes India "Celebrity 100" list of 2018. She has acted in more than 75 films in a career spanning over two decades and has won numerous awards, including five Filmfare Awards South, one Tamil Nadu State Film Award and a Nandi Award. For her iconic filmography and the impact she created through it, she is popularly referred to as the 'Lady Superstar' of Indian cinema.

Nayanthara made her acting debut with the Malayalam film Manassinakkare (2003). She made her debut in Tamil cinema with Ayya (2005) and in Telugu cinema with Lakshmi (2006). Her portrayal of Goddess Sita in the mythological film Sri Rama Rajyam (2011) earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu and the Nandi Award for Best Actress. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil and Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress, for her performances in the romantic comedy Raja Rani (2013), the action comedy Naanum Rowdy Dhaan (2015) and the political drama Aramm (2017). She was awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam for her performance in the crime drama Puthiya Niyamam (2016).

Nayanthara went on to establish herself as one of the leading actresses of South Indian cinema with such female-led films as Anaamika (2014), Maya (2015), Kolamavu Kokila (2018), Airaa (2019) and Netrikann (2022). Her other notable films include Chandramukhi, Ghajini (both 2005), Billa (2007), Yaaradi Nee Mohini (2008), Bodyguard (2010), Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum (2012), Thani Oruvan (2015), Kaashmora (2016), Viswasam, Bigil, Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (all 2019), Darbar (2020), Annaatthe (2021) and Godfather (2022). She expanded into Hindi cinema with Jawan (2023).

In addition to her acting career, Nayanthara is a philanthropist and owns a production house called "Rowdy Pictures". Nayanthara is married to filmmaker Vignesh Shivan, with whom she has two children.