Premi Viswanath Biography: Karthika Deepam Deepa, Age, Serials and Movies

Premi Viswanath is an Indian television actress from Kerala who works in Malayalam and Telugu television. She made her debut as Karthika in Asianet’s Karuthamuthu (2014), winning the Best Debutante award at the Asianet Television Awards, and became a household name in the Telugu states as Deepa, the kind-hearted ‘Vantalakka’, in Star Maa’s record-running serial Karthika Deepam (2017–2023). Since March 2024 she has led its follow-up, Karthika Deepam 2 – Idi Nava Vasantham, and she has also appeared in films such as Custody (2023).

Premi Viswanath Latest News (October 2026)

• Karthika Deepam 2 continues: Premi plays Deepa again in Karthika Deepam 2 – Idi Nava Vasantham on Star Maa, which premiered on 25 March 2024 and is a remake of the Tamil serial Chellamma.
• Vantalakka still a fan favourite: Nearly a decade after she first played Deepa, the character’s nickname ‘Vantalakka’ remains one of the best-known names in Telugu television, and clips from both seasons continue to trend on social media.
• Selective film work: Her last film appearances were in 2023, in the Naga Chaitanya-starrer Custody and the Tamil film Salmon 3D. She has not announced a new film as of October 2026.

Premi Viswanath Profile, Age and Wiki

Premi Viswanath Early Life

Premi Viswanath was born in Edappally, in Kerala’s Ernakulam district, and grew up in Kerala. Before acting, she worked as a model and anchor. She has kept most details of her family and education private, but in early interviews she spoke about how she had not planned an acting career and was surprised to be offered the lead role in a prime-time serial.

Premi Viswanath Malayalam Television Career

Premi began acting in 2014 with Asianet’s soap opera Karuthamuthu, in which she played the lead role of Karthika Balachandran, a dark-skinned young woman who faces discrimination because of her complexion. The show was a big hit, and her performance won her the Best Debutante Female award at the 2014 Asianet Television Awards. In interviews at the time, she said she was happy to play Karthika because the role carried a strong social message about colour prejudice.

After leaving Karuthamuthu, Premi hosted the children’s show Kuttikalavara on Flowers TV in 2015 and played Mayilamma in the Flowers serial Moonumani (2015–2016). She then played Thamara in Surya TV’s Kayamkulam Kochunniyude Makan (2016–2017). In 2021 she returned to Malayalam television as Devika in Surya TV’s Ente Maathavu.

Karthika Deepam: Becoming Telugu TV’s Deepa

Premi’s biggest break came in 2017, when Star Maa cast her as Deepa in Karthika Deepam, the Telugu remake of Karuthamuthu. The serial premiered on 16 October 2017, with Nirupam Paritala as Dr. Karthik, known to viewers as “Doctor Babu”. Premi played Deepa, a kind and selfless cook whose dark complexion makes her the target of prejudice, especially from her mother-in-law’s side.

The show became one of the most-watched serials in Telugu television history. Deepa’s nickname, “Vantalakka” (cook sister), entered everyday conversation, and families across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana followed every twist, from Karthik’s doubts about Deepa to the story of their twin daughters. The serial ran for more than 1,500 episodes until 23 January 2023.

The show’s reach went beyond ordinary viewers. In one widely shared moment, actress Manchu Lakshmi posted on social media that her mother, a regular viewer, was finally happy because Karthik had cried on screen for the first time, and Star Maa replied to the post.

Premi’s performance won her the Best Actress award at the 2018 Star Maa Parivaar Awards, where she and Nirupam Paritala were also nominated for Best Jodi. She also made special appearances in the Star Maa serials Gorintaku (2019) and Chelleli Kapuram (2020).

One Story, Two Languages

Premi’s career is unusual because the same story shaped both halves of it. Karuthamuthu on Asianet introduced Karthika, a young woman who is mocked and rejected because of her dark skin but wins hearts through her goodness. When Star Maa remade the story in Telugu as Karthika Deepam, the makers chose Premi to play the heroine again, this time as Deepa. She had to perform familiar emotional scenes in a new language and for a new audience, and she made the role her own. The Telugu version ran far longer than the original and became a bigger phenomenon, turning a Malayali actress into one of the most recognised faces on Telugu television. Viewers often credit the show with starting conversations at home about colour prejudice, a theme Premi has said was the main reason she valued the role.

Karthika Deepam 2 – Idi Nava Vasantham

On 25 March 2024, Star Maa launched Karthika Deepam 2 – Idi Nava Vasantham, bringing Premi back as Deepa. The new season is not a direct continuation of the first; it is a remake of the Tamil serial Chellamma, with Deepa now introduced as the daughter of Dasarath (played by Suresh Rai). The return of the familiar “Vantalakka” was one of the biggest launches in Telugu television that year, and the show continues to draw a strong family audience.

Premi Viswanath Movies

Premi has also worked in a few films. In 2021, she produced the Malayalam short film Akame. In 2023, she played Mangalam in Venkat Prabhu’s Tamil-Telugu bilingual action thriller Custody, starring Naga Chaitanya, and Mariya in the Tamil film Salmon 3D.

Premi Viswanath Serials and Movies List

Awards

• Asianet Television Awards 2014: Best Debutante Female – Karuthamuthu (won)
• J. C. Foundation Award: Best Actress – Karuthamuthu (reported)
• Star Maa Parivaar Awards 2018: Best Actress – Karthika Deepam (won)
• Star Maa Parivaar Awards 2018: Best Jodi with Nirupam Paritala – Karthika Deepam (nominated)

Premi Viswanath Personal Life

Premi keeps her personal life away from the spotlight and rarely discusses family matters in interviews. Although she is a Malayali, she learned to work comfortably in Telugu and is now as closely identified with Telugu television as with Malayalam. She is active on Instagram, where she shares behind-the-scenes moments from her shoots, festival celebrations and fan meet-ups. For more Telugu television stars, see our TV actress biographies.

Why Premi Viswanath Stands Out

Premi has the rare distinction of playing the same story’s heroine in two languages: first as Karthika in the Malayalam original Karuthamuthu, then as Deepa in its Telugu remake Karthika Deepam. Both roles centred on a woman judged for her skin colour, and her calm, dignified performance helped turn a family drama into a conversation about prejudice. Few television actors outside the Telugu states have become as loved there as she has, and the decision to bring her back for Karthika Deepam 2 shows how closely audiences link her with the character.

Lesser-Known Facts

• She played the same heroine in two languages: Karthika in Malayalam and Deepa in the Telugu remake.
• Karthika Deepam ran for more than 1,500 episodes on Star Maa.
• Her character’s nickname, ‘Vantalakka’, means ‘cook sister’.
• She produced the Malayalam short film Akame (2021).
• She acted in Naga Chaitanya’s bilingual film Custody (2023).

Related Biographies

• Naga Chaitanya – co-star in Custody
• Sreemukhi – Telugu TV host
• Vishnu Priya – Telugu TV anchor
• Rashmi Gautam

Premi Viswanath FAQs

Who played Deepa in Karthika Deepam?

Premi Viswanath played Deepa, also known as ‘Vantalakka’, in Star Maa’s Karthika Deepam (2017–2023) and in Karthika Deepam 2 (2024 onwards).

Where is Premi Viswanath from?

She is from Edappally in Ernakulam district, Kerala.

What was Premi Viswanath’s first serial?

Her first serial was Asianet’s Malayalam soap opera Karuthamuthu (2014), in which she played Karthika.

When did Karthika Deepam 2 start?

Karthika Deepam 2 – Idi Nava Vasantham premiered on Star Maa on 25 March 2024. It is a remake of the Tamil serial Chellamma.

Who played Doctor Babu opposite Premi Viswanath?

Nirupam Paritala played Dr. Karthik, known as ‘Doctor Babu’, opposite Premi in Karthika Deepam.

Has Premi Viswanath acted in movies?

Yes. She played Mangalam in Custody (2023) and Mariya in the Tamil film Salmon 3D (2023).

What awards has Premi Viswanath won?

She won Best Debutante at the 2014 Asianet Television Awards and Best Actress at the 2018 Star Maa Parivaar Awards.

How long did Karthika Deepam run?

The first season aired from 16 October 2017 to 23 January 2023.

Sources

• Premi Viswanath – Wikipedia
• Karthika Deepam (Telugu TV series) – Wikipedia
• Gem of a role – The Hindu
• Manchu Lakshmi’s Karthika Deepam tweet – Gulte