Nayanthara: The Queen Of Southern Cinema Who Is More Than Just A Superstar

Nayanthara, one of South Indian film industry’s most notable female actresses, celebrates her 36th birthday today, November 18. While the industry in question is known to be dominated by male superstars, Nayanthara’s acting prowess has helped her carve her own path. From being a quintessential commercial heroine to a powerhouse performer, Nayanthara is loved by masses and critics alike.

Transitioning From Academia To Acting

Nayanthara, whose real name is Diana Mariam Kurian, was born in a not-too-orthodox Christian family. The retired head of the English department, Mar Thoma College, where Kurian pursued English literature, recalls that the Tamil actress “was one of the best students: in the class, “She used to sit only in the first or second bench in the class. She was very diligent and responsible. If we wanted to organise something, teachers always depended on her. In the first year of graduation, she was hosting a television show and got into modelling. She managed her studies well despite her other activities.”

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However, as some things in life are meant to be, Kurien, too, was destined to become Nayanthara. In 2003, Malayalam filmmaker Sathyan Anthikad spotted the 19-year-old, college-going Kurian in a jewellery advertisement and decided that she was the perfect choice for his directorial Manassinakkare. Even as Kurian was cast and began shooting, Anthikad rendered his heroine’s name inappropriate after spotting it as the title of an ‘adult’ film on a movie poster back in the day. Thus rechristened by him as Nayanthara, by the approval of clapboard boy no less, she forayed into a field that would catapult her into superstardom.

Reigning Over Tamil Cinema

Nayanthara’s initial stint in the Malayalam film industry was marked by her essaying fresh-faced, long-haired, girl-next-door characters in movies like Manassinakkare, Vismayathumbathu, and Naatturajavu. While these helped her cement her image as a bankable female star, her acting prowess remained a topic less talked about. Gradually, however, Nayanthara entered a film industry that she would go on to rule for the next two decades – Kollywood or the Tamil film industry. In this new phase, Nayanthara reconfigured herself first as an action heroine and later, as an artist who can shoulder strong author-backed. Delivering stellar performances in Tamil movies like Maya, Dora, Aramm, Kolaiyuthir Kaalam, and Kolamavu Kokila, as well as Telugu films like Sri Rama Rajyam, Nayanthara posited herself as a master of her craft.

Sowmya Rajendran, a film critic with The News Minute, ascribed Nayanthara’s ascend to the top to a fruitful balance,“She (Nayanthara) does not want to do just women-centric films, but mainstream films where the gender of the lead protagonist doesn’t really matter. She is very much interested in being part of big mainstream films and being seen with big heroes. She is also trying to create a genre for herself.”

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A Woman Of Her Own Mind

While Nayanthara thrived professionally, her personal life remained riddled with controversies. Her public relationship and subsequent break up with actor Silambarasan concluded in intimate pictures of the couple being “leaked”. Furthermore, her relationship with Prabhu Deva – a married father of two – almost wrecked her career. She had reportedly tattooed Prabhu Deva’s name on her wrist and converted to Hinduism to marry him, even announcing her decision to quit cinema in 2011.

Nayanthara faced not only emotional turmoil but also unfair vilification by society that labelled her a ‘home-wrecker’. The actress, however, persevered with dignified silence, and, by 2013, she was back to delivering blockbusters. She met her current partner director Vignesh Sivan while working together in Naanum Rowdy Dhaan.

Subverting industry norms, Nayanthara has decisively stayed away from doing what is popularly known as item numbers, even going on to refuse a chance to star alongside Shah Rukh Khan in a song in Chennai Express. The actress is known to have voiced her opinions on pertinent social and political issues. In 2017, she participated in pro-Jallikattu protests at Chennai, and, in 2019, she publicly lauded the Telangana police for the ‘encounter’ killings of four rape suspects in Hyderabad.

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Today, Nayanthara is believed to be the highest paid actress in Tamil film industry. She was also the only South Indian actress to make it to the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list in 2018. Living life on her own terms, Nayanthara’s professional success and personal journey clearly reflect that she much more than a ‘Lady Superstar.’

Picture Credits: Deccan Chronicle

Tarini Gandhiok is an intern with SheThePeople.TV. The views expressed are the author's own.