Devayani (actress)

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Devayani
Renowned Tamil Film Director, Shri Bharathiraja lighting the lamp to inaugurate the 13th Mumbai International Film Festival, in Chennai. Actress, Smt. Devayani Rajakumaran, the Vice Consul of Consulate General of Russia (cropped).jpg
Born
Devayani Jayadev

(1974-06-22) 22 June 1974 (age 50)
OccupationActress
Years active1993–present
Spouse
(m. 2001)
Children2
Relatives Nakul (brother)
Awards Kalaimamani

Devayani (born 22 June 1974) is an Indian actress known for her works primarily in Tamil films. She also appears in few Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali.

Contents

She has received for the Best Actress for her performances in Kadhal Kottai (1996), Suryavamsam (1997) and Bharathi (2000). She was honoured with a Kalaimamani Award in 2000. She won the Best Supporting Actress for the movie Azhagi (2002). She also won the Best Television Actress for her role in the serial Kolangal (2003–2009).

Personal life

Devayani was born on 22 June 1974 [1] in Mumbai, Maharashtra to a Konkani father from Mangalore and a Malayali mother. She has two younger brothers Nakkhul and Mayur. The former is working as an actor and singer in the Tamil film industry, [2] while the latter would also make his acting debut in an upcoming film. [3]

She dated director Rajakumaran, with whom she had worked on a few films for several years. Both their parents did not approve of their relationship, which led the couple to elope, [4] and marry privately on 9 April 2001. [5] [6] They have two daughters, Iniya and Priyanka. [7] [8] [9]

Career

Devayani began her career in the Hindi film Koyal, which was later cancelled during its production stage. [10] She later appeared in Bengali film Shaat Ponchomi (1993). [11] She also acted in a Marathi film before debuting in the South with lead roles in Malayalam films as Kinnaripuzhayoram (1994).

Devayani made her debut with the film Thotta Chinungi (1995). Flaunting her glamorous avatar, the actress gained popularity in 1996 with the film Kadhal Kottai . She starred opposite Ajith in the film which was directed by Agathiyan. The film received positive acclaim among the audience. [12] The movie was successful in establishing Devayani as the most successful actress in South Indian Cinema. [13] Devayani, later, appeared in many films opposite several renowned names in the film industry. [14] She starred opposite several top stars. [15]

She was a part of several successful films, including Surya Vamsam (1997), Marumalarchi (1998), Ninaithen Vandhai (1998), Nee Varuvai Ena (1999), Bharathi (2000), Thenali (2000), Friends (2001), Aanandham (2001) and Azhagi (2002).

The late 90s and early 2000s were the golden years for Devayani as she delivered over 50 films, and most of them were blockbusters. [16]

Devayani over the years played powerful female characters until 2001 when she fell in love with Rajakumaran who directed her Vinnukum Mannukum . [17] She has also played small cameos in hit movies like Panchathantiram (2002) alongside Kamal Haasan.

She has become a virtual cult figure in Tamil Nadu after the success of the Mega Serial Sun TV's serial Kolangal (2003–2009).

She has produced a few films that her husband directs, a notable one being Thirumathi Thamizh (2013) where she played an important role. [18]

In the late 2010s she was a judge on a reality show on Mazhavil Manorama titled Ugram Ujwalam. In 2021, she acted in Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal , a Tamil serial of Zee Tamil. [19] Later, she slowly took up the role of mother. [20]

Filmography

List of Devayani film credits
YearTitleRoleLanguageNotes
1993Shaat Ponchomi Bengali Credited as Sushma
Dhusar GodhuliMoulikaCredited as Koel
1994 Kinnaripuzhayoram Indhu Malayalam Malayalam Debut
1995 Achan Rajavu Appan Jethavu Alice
Three Men Army Shubha
Kakkakum Poochakkum KalyanamLatha.S.Pillai
Dil Ka DoctorDolly Hindi Credited as Koyal and Hindi cinema debut
Thotta Chinungi Ramya Tamil Tamil Debut
1996 Kalloori Vaasal Nivetha
Chhota Sa GharVidyaHindiCredited as Koyal
Kadhal Kottai KamaliTamil Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
Poomani Vijaya
Sivasakthi Guest Appearance
Mahathma SaraswathiMalayalam
Kinnam Katta KallanAnju
Mr. CleanNirmala
Kaathil Oru Kinnaram Megha
Ajay AnjaliHindi
1997 Vivasaayi Magan JyothiTamil
Kaadhali Soubhagyavathi
Periya Idathu Mappillai Lakshmi
Surya Vamsam Nandhini Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
1998 Suswagatham Sandhya Telugu Telugu Debut
Kizhakkum Merkkum MalliTamil
Marumalarchi Jayanthi
Udhavikku Varalaamaa Mythili
Swarnamukhi Swarnamukhi
Ninaithen Vandhai Savithri
Moovendhar Vaidegi
Poonthottam Sundari
Senthooram Otta Rosa (Megala)
Srimathi Vellostha ArchanaTelugu
En Uyir Nee Thaane JanakiTamil
Pudhumai Pithan Aarthi
1999 Thodarum Seetha Anand
Kummi Paattu Amaravathi
Nee Varuvai Ena NandhiniNominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
Oruvan Nandhini
Premotsava Chandana Kannada Kannada Debut
Nilave Mugam Kaattu KasthuriTamil
Paattali Sakunthala
ManikyamMeenakshiTelugu
Suyamvaram ParvathiTamil
2000 Vallarasu Anjali Vallarasu
Appu Seetha
Ennamma Kannu Gayathri
Bharathi Chellamal Bharathi Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
Thenali Jalaja Kailash
Kannukku Kannaga Devi
2001 Friends Padmini
En Purushan Kuzhandhai Maadhiri Maheswari
Vinnukum Mannukum Devayani
Aanandham BharathiNominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
Ninaikkaadha Naalillai Kavitha
Sundara Purushan Jyothika MenonMalayalam
Kottai Mariamman RajeswariTamil
2002 Vivaramana Aalu Pappu
Azhagi Valarmathi Shanmugham ITFA Best Supporting Actress Award
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Tamil
Panchathantiram Nirmala
Thenkasi Pattanam Sangeetha
Guruvamma Guruvamma
Samasthanam Divya
Padai Veetu Amman Samundi
Chennakesava Reddy Chennakesava Reddy's sisterTelugu
2003 Kadhaludan KavithaTamilAlso producer
Bheeshmar Gowri Bheeshmar
Balettan RadhikaMalayalam
2004 Naani Indira DeviTelugu
New IndiraTamilSimultaneously shot with Naani
SivaramNandhiniTelugu
Giri Suryaprakash's wifeTamil
Sema Ragalai Devi
Senthalam Poovae
Soumyam Malayalam
2005 Naran Janaki
2009 Aiyantham Padai KalpanaTamil
2010 Oru Naal Varum RajalekshmiMalayalam
2011 Sarkar Colony Padmini
2013 Thirumathi Thamizh JothiTamilAlso producer
2015 Sagaptham Lakshmi
Strawberry Shanthi
2016 Janatha Garage Prabha SathyamTelugu
2017My SchoolMahalakshmiMalayalam
2018 Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava SugunaTelugu
Ezhumin BharathiTamil
Kalavani Mappillai Rajeswari
2019 NTR: Kathanayakudu Akkineni AnnapurnaTelugu
2021 Love Story Mounica's motherTelugu
Madhagaja RathnammaKannada
2023 Anuragam MercyMalayalam [21]
2024 Genie TBATamilFilming [22]
Key
Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television

Serials

YearSerialRoleLanguageChannel
2003–2009 Kolangal Abinaya(Abi) Tamil Sun TV
2007–2008Manjal MagimaiSoundarya/Neeraja Kalaignar TV
2010–2011Kodi MullaiAnna Kodi/Malar Kodi Raj TV
2011–2013 Muthaaram Ranjini Devi / Sivaranjani Sun TV
2019–2020 Rasaathi Illavarasi Soundaravalli
2021–2022 Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal Lakshmi Zee Tamil
2021 Sembaruthi Amman (Cameo)
2023MaariMuthupechi (Cameo)

Shows

YearSerialRoleLanguageNotes
2015–2016Ugram Ujjwalam season 2Judge Malayalam Mazhavil Manorama
2016–2017 Jodi Number One Tamil Vijay TV
2017Junior Super Stars Season 2 Zee Tamil
2022Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal Niraivu VizhaLakshmi

Awards and honours

YearAward CategoryWorkResult
1996 Tamil Nadu State Film Special Award for Best Actress Kaadhal Kottai Won [23]
1997 Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress Surya Vamsam Won [24]
2000 Bharathi Won [25]
Kalaimamani Award by Tamil Nadu Government Contribution to Tamil CinemaWon [26]
2002 ITFA Best Supporting Actress Award Azhagi Won [27] [28]
2004 Pace Awards Best Television Actress Kolangal Won [29]
Vivel Chinna Thirai Awards Best Actress Nominated [30]
2007 Tamil Nadu State Television Award for Best Actress Won [31]

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References

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