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) |
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 | Don (2022), Etharkum Thunindhavan (2022), Captain Miller | ||
Abarnathi | Thaen | Jail (2021), Udanpaal (2022), Irugapatru (2023) | |
Aditi Shankar | Viruman | Maaveeran (2023) | |
Meena Durairaj, known professionally as Meena, is an Indian actress who predominantly works in South Indian films as well as Hindi cinema. She is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. Meena has acted in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi films She is one of the most sought after actresses in the South Indian film industry. In addition to acting, Meena is also a playback singer, TV judge, and occasional dubbing artist. She has received numerous accolades, including two Filmfare Awards South, three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, two Nandi Award for Best Actress and Cinema Express Awards. In 1998, she was honoured with the Kalaimamani Award by Government of Tamil Nadu.
Trisha Krishnan known mononymously as Trisha is an Indian actress who works predominantly 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.
Gopishantha, better known by her stage name Manorama, also called Aachi, was an Indian actress, comedian and playback singer who had appeared in more than 1000 films and 5000 stage performances predomninantely in the Tamil and also in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Sinhala. She was honoured with Kalaimamani award in 1995. In 2002, Government of India awarded Manorama the Padma Shri for her contribution to the arts. She is a recipient of one National Film Award, one Filmfare Award South and seven Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.
Suhasini Rajaram Naidu, known professionally as Sneha, is an Indian actress who works primarily in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films in lead roles to supporting roles. she is a recipient of one Filmfare Award South and two Tamil Nadu State Film 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, four Filmfare Awards South, four Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and the 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.
Bangalore Saroja Devi is an Indian actress who has acted in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films. She acted in around 200 films over seven decades. She is known by the epithets "Abhinaya Saraswathi" in Kannada and "Kannadathu Paingili" in Tamil. She is one of the most successful actresses in the history of Indian cinema.
Nayanthara is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films. 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 80 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. She is popularly addressed as "The Lady Superstar of South Indian cinema".
Radhika Sarathkumar is an Indian actress, film producer, film director and politician who works predominantly in Tamil and Telugu cinema, TV serials and web series as well as Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada films. she is a recipient of a National Film Award, two Nandi Awards, three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and six Filmfare Award South.
Vyjayanthimala Bali known mononymously as Vyjayanthimala an Indian parliamentarian, dancer and former actress. Regarded as one of Indian cinema's finest actresses and dancers, she is the recipient of several accolades, including five Filmfare Awards and two BFJA Awards. She made her screen debut at the age of 16 with the Tamil film Vaazhkai (1949), and followed this with a role in the Telugu film Jeevitham (1950). Her first work in Hindi cinema was the social guidance film Bahar (1951), which she headlined, and achieved her breakthrough with the romance Nagin (1954).
Mamta Mohandas is an Indian actress, film producer and a playback singer who predominantly works in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films. She has won several accolades including two Filmfare Awards South for Best Female Playback Singer in Telugu in 2006 and for Best Actress in Malayalam in 2010 and also won Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress in 2010. She has launched her own film production company under the banner Mamta Mohandas Productions.
Yaragudipadi Venkata Mahalakshmi, known professionally as Lakshmi, is an Indian actress known for her works primarily in the South Indian film industry. She has also acted in some Hindi films. Her debut as a full fledged actress happened with the Tamil film Jeevanaamsam in 1968. In the same year, she acted in the Kannada film Goa Dalli CID 999 and Telugu film Bandhavyalu.
Srividya, was an Indian actress best known for her work predominantly in Malayalam and Tamil films, along with few Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films. In a career spanning for 40 years, she had acted in more than 800 films. In the latter part of her career, she concentrated on Malayalam films. In addition to acting, Srividya occasionally worked as a playback singer as well as carnatic singer. She was also a well trained Bharathanatyam dancer. She was best known for restraint and subtlety in portrayal of varied emotions. She used her own voice for dubbing almost in all movies in all languages. She died in 2006 after battling metastatic breast cancer.
Sumathi Josephine, better known by her stage name Rekha Harris, is an Indian actress who predominantly works in Tamil and Malayalam films. She also starred in a few Telugu and Kannada films.She was one of the contestants of Bigg Boss Tamil Season 4.
Kajal A Kitchlu, known professionally as Kajal Aggarwal, is an Indian actress who predominantly works in Telugu and Tamil language films, as well as in Hindi language films. Aggarwal is a recipient of three South Indian International Movie Awards along with four Filmfare Awards South nominations.
Saranya Ponvannan is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam and a few Kannada language films. She also acted in one Hindi movie Chup: Revenge of the Artist in 2022. Saranya made her acting debut in a lead role in Mani Ratnam's Nayakan (1987) and went on to play lead roles from 1987 to 1996. Following an eight-year sabbatical, she returned to films in 2003 as a character actor roles. In her career spanning around over 25 years she had won a number of accolades including one National Film Award, two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and five Filmfare Award South.
Vaazhkai (transl. Life) is a 1949 Indian Tamil-language social guidance film produced and directed by A. V. Meiyappan through AVM Productions. It stars Vyjayanthimala in her screen debut with M. S. Draupadi, T. R. Ramachandran and S. V. Sahasranamam forms an ensemble cast along with many actors appearing in other significant roles.
Lakshmi Menon is an Indian actress who mainly appears in Tamil films. After making her acting debut in a supporting role in the Malayalam film Raghuvinte Swantham Raziya (2011). She made her first main female lead with her Tamil debut film Sundara Pandian in 2012.
Niranjani Shanmugaraja also known as Niranjani Shanmugarajah is a Sri Lankan award-winning actress in Sri Lankan Sinhalese and Tamil Cinema. She also works as a television host in Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation.
Vani Bhojan is an Indian actress, who predominantly appears in Tamil films and television. She made her Tamil film debut with Orr Eravuu in 2010 and Telugu film debut with Meeku Maathrame Cheptha in 2019.
Dharsha Gupta is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in the Tamil film and television industry. She is best known for her roles in TV shows telecasted on Star Vijay channel the comedy reality TV show Cooku with Comali where she rose to fame.