This is a list of notable actresses who have played key roles in the Tamil cinema, primarily based in Tamil Nadu. [1] [2] [3] [4]
Year | Name | Debut film | Other notable films |
---|---|---|---|
1931 | T. P. Rajalakshmi | Kovalan | Kalidas (1944), Miss Kamala (1948) |
1934 | S. D. Subbulakshmi | Pavalakkodi | Naveena Sarangadhara (1936), Sampoorna Ramayanam (1958) |
Year | Name | Debut film | Other notable films |
---|---|---|---|
1941 | T. R. Rajakumari | Kacha Devayani | Haridas (1944), Chandralekha (1948) |
1944 | Pandari Bai | Haridas | Vedhala Ulagam (1948), Marmayogi (1951), Parasakthi (1952), Andha Naal (1954) |
1944 | Pushpavalli | Dasi Aparanji | Miss Malini (1947), Chakra Dhari (1948), Samsaram (1951) |
1947 | Anjali Devi | Mahathma Udangar | Marmayogi (1951), Doctor Savithri (1955), Chakravarthi Thirumagal (1957) |
1947 | S. Varalakshmi | 1000 Thalai Vaangi Apoorva Chinthamani | Chakravarthi Thirumagal (1957), Veerapandiya Kattabomman (1959), Poova Thalaiya (1969) |
1948 | Padmini | Vedhala Ulagam | Veerapandiya Kattabomman (1959), Thillana Mohanambal (1968) |
1949 | Bhanumathi Ramakrishna | Ratnakumar | Malaikkallan (1954), Madurai Veeran (1956), Nadodi Mannan (1958), Annai (1962) |
1949 | Vyjayanthimala | Vaazhkai | Vanji Kottai Valipan (1958), Baghdad Thirudan (1960), Then Nilavu (1961) |
Year | Name | Debut film | Other notable films |
---|---|---|---|
1952 | Sowcar Janaki | Valayapathi | Bama Vijayam (1967), Iru Kodugal (1969) |
1952 | Savitri | Kalyanam Panni Paar | Missiamma (1955), Mayabazar (1957), Pasamalar (1961), Thiruvilaiyadal (1965) |
1953 | C.R. Vijayakumari | Naalvar | Kalyana Parisu (1959), Naanum Oru Penn (1963), Poompuhar (1964), Rajaraja Cholan (1973) |
1953 | Raja Sulochana | Gunasagari | Rangoon Radha (1956), Gulebakavali (1956), Allavudeenum Arputha Vilakkum (1957) |
1954 | Jamuna | Panam Paduthum Padu | Missiamma (1955), Tenali Raman (1956), Thangamalai Ragasiyam (1957), Nalla Theerpu (1959) |
1957 | B. Saroja Devi | Thangamalai Ragasiyam | Nadodi Mannan (1958), Puthiya Paravai (1964), Anbe Vaa (1966) |
1957 | Devika | Manamagan Thevai | Kalathur Kannamma (1960), Paava Mannippu (1957), Bale Pandiya (1962) |
1958 | Manorama | Kalathur Kannamma | Server Sundaram (1964), Thiruvilayadal (1965), Anbe Vaa (1966) |
Year | Name | Debut film | Notable films |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | Rashmika Mandanna | Sulthan | Varisu (2023), Kubera (2025) |
Don (2022), Etharkkum Thunindhavan (2022), Captain Miller (2024) | |||
Abarnathi | Thaen | Jail (2021), Udanpaal (2022), Irugapatru (2023) | |
Aditi Shankar | Viruman | Maaveeran (2023) | |
2022 | Elli AvrRam | Naane Varuvean | Conjuring Kannappan (2023) |
Saravanan Sivakumar, known by his stage name Suriya, is an Indian actor and film producer. He primarily works in Tamil cinema, where he is one of the highest-paid actors. Considered one of the finest actors of Indian cinema, Suriya has received numerous accolades including two National Film Awards, six Filmfare Awards South and five Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. He has featured six times in the Celebrity 100 list of Forbes India, which takes into account the earnings of Indian celebrities.
Trisha Krishnan is an Indian actress who predominantly works in Tamil and Telugu films. She gained prominence after winning the 1999 Miss Chennai pageant, which marked her entry into Cinema. Often referred to as the "Queen of South India", Trisha has received numerous accolades, including five Filmfare Award South, one Tamil Nadu State Film Award, one Nandi Award and eight SIIMA Awards.
Jyothika Saravanan is an Indian actress and film producer who predominantly appears in Tamil films in addition to Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi films. Appeared in over 50 Films, Jyothika has received several accolades including a National Film Award, five Filmfare Awards South, a Record of four Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress, two Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film Category and Kalaimamani Award. Jyothika is regarded as one of the most prolific actresses in Tamil cinema, and has been ranked among the best actresses of South India by the media.
Prabhu Deva is an Indian dance choreographer, film director, producer and actor who has worked predominantly in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu language films. In a career spanning 32 years, he has performed and designed dancing styles and has garnered two National Film Awards for Best Choreography. In 2019, he was awarded the Padma Shri for his contributions to dance.
Nayanthara is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam cinema. One of the highest-paid actresses in India, Nayanthara 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, such as five Filmfare Awards South, one Tamil Nadu State Film Award, a Nandi Award and seven SIIMA Awards.
G. V. Prakash Kumar is an Indian music composer, playback singer, actor, and film producer known for his work in Tamil cinema. His first film was S Pictures' Veyil (2006) and he gained fame in Tamil films by the early 2010s. He made his debut in acting on 2015 through Darling. He has won one National Award, three Filmfare Awards and three SIIMA Awards in his film career.
The Filmfare Best Actress Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Tamil (Kollywood) films. The awards were extended to "Best Actress" in 1972. The year indicates the year of release of the film.
Savitha Radhakrishnan is a voice actor in the South Indian Cinema Industry.
Deepa Venkat is an Indian actress and dubbing artist. She works as a radio disc jockey at Hello FM Chennai in addition. She has starred in several Tamil films as well as television series.
Anandhi is an Indian actress who primarily appears in Tamil and Telugu films. After her debut in the Telugu film Bus Stop (2012), she appeared in Vetrimaaran's Tamil production Poriyaalan (2014). The same year she got her major breakthrough with Prabhu Solomon's Kayal (2014) by which she is recognized as Kayal Anandhi. She also won Special Prize for Kayal at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.
Arun Kumar, known professionally as Atlee, is an Indian film director, screenwriter and film producer best known for his work in Tamil cinema and Hindi Cinema. He initially worked as an assistant director under S. Shankar in the films Enthiran (2010) and Nanban (2012). He made his directorial debut with the film Raja Rani (2013), produced by Fox Star Studios, for which he was awarded Best Debut Director by the Vijay Award and the Tamil Nadu State award for best dialogue writer.
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2D Entertainment is an Indian film production and distribution company established by Suriya. Other key people involved are Rajsekar Pandian, Suriya's wife Jyothika and Suriya's brother Karthi. The company was named by the starting letter of Suriya's children Diya and Dev. The company was established in 2013.
Indian actress and film producer Nayanthara works in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi films. She is also referred as Lady Superstar of South Indian Cinema. She made her acting debut with Sathyan Anthikad's Malayalam film Manassinakkare in 2003, post the success she became a popular star in the Malayalam industry. She did two more Malayalam films the following year: Shaji Kailas' Natturajavu, and Fazil's psychological thriller Vismayathumbathu. Nayanthara's first appearance in a non-Malayalam film was Hari's Tamil film Ayya which released in 2005. While shooting for the film, she was cast in another Tamil film Chandramukhi, after its director P. Vasu's wife had seen Manassinakkare and recommended her. The film ran for over 100 days in theatres, eventually turning Nayanthara into one of the most-sought after actresses in Tamil cinema.
Kolamaavu Kokila abbreviated as CoCo, is a 2018 Indian Tamil-language black comedy crime film written and directed by Nelson Dilipkumar in his directorial debut, and produced by Subaskaran Allirajah of Lyca Productions. The film stars Nayanthara, alongside Yogi Babu, Saranya Ponvannan, VJ Jacqueline, R. S. Shivaji, Charles Vinoth and Hareesh Peradi. It revolves around a woman who takes to drug smuggling to pay for her mother's cancer treatment, but soon her entire family is dragged into the conflict.
The loosu ponnu is a stock character in Tamil cinema, a girl who is portrayed as attractive but naïve and unintelligent. It is regarded as the equivalent of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl and dumb blonde stereotypes in the United States. The loosu ponnu trope became increasingly popular in 1990s Tamil cinema when the masculinity of the hero became severely overblown. It has since received criticism for being misogynistic and regressive.
Jyothika is an Indian actress who appears predominantly in Tamil films. She also acted in some Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, and Kannada films. She debuted in Bollywood in the Hindi film Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (1997), directed by Priyadarshan. She starred in her first Tamil film Vaali (1999) and her first Telugu film Tagore (2003), opposite Chiranjeevi.She won one National Award, four Filmfare Awards, six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, two Cinema Express Awards, one South Indian International Movie Award, International Tamil Film Award and four Dinakaran Awards. She is also a recipient of the Kalaimamani Award. She is regarded as one of the most prolific actresses in Tamil cinema. She has been ranked among the best actresses of South India by The Times of India and The Hindu.