Nayanthara Biography: Age, Real Name, Husband Vignesh Shivan, Movies & Latest News

Nayanthara (born Diana Mariam Kurian; 18 November 1984) is an Indian actress, producer and entrepreneur who works mainly in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam cinema, and is widely called the “Lady Superstar” of South Indian film. Born in Bangalore to a Malayali family from Thiruvalla, Kerala, she debuted in the Malayalam film Manassinakkare (2003) and became a star with Tamil hits such as Chandramukhi and Ghajini. She has won five Filmfare Awards South, led women-centric hits such as Aramm and Kolamaavu Kokila, and made her Hindi debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Jawan (2023). She married filmmaker Vignesh Shivan in 2022, and the couple have twin sons.

Nayanthara Latest News (October 2026)

• Reunites with Rajinikanth in Dharman (25 October 2026): Nayanthara has joined Rajinikanth’s upcoming Tamil medical drama Dharman, earlier known as Thalaivar 173. Directed by Ashwath Marimuthu and produced by Kamal Haasan’s Raaj Kamal Films International, with music by Anirudh Ravichander, it marks her first film with Rajinikanth since Annaatthe (2021).
• Sankranti blockbuster (January 2026): She played Sasirekha, the estranged wife of Chiranjeevi’s character, in Anil Ravipudi’s Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, released on 12 January 2026. The film, which also features Venkatesh and Catherine Tresa, earned an estimated ₹300 crore worldwide and became the first blockbuster of 2026.
• Mixed run after that: Her later 2026 releases, Yash’s Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, the Malayalam multi-starrer Patriot and the Tamil film Hi, did not meet expectations at the box office, although Toxic crossed ₹300 crore worldwide.
• Coming up: Sundar C’s Mookuthi Amman 2, in which she plays the lead, along with Mannangatti: Since 1960, Dear Students and Rakkayie.

Nayanthara Profile, Age and Wiki

Early Life and Education

Nayanthara was born Diana Mariam Kurian on 18 November 1984 in Bangalore, into a Malayali Syrian Christian family from Thiruvalla in Kerala. Her father, Kurian Kodiyattu, served in the Indian Air Force, so the family moved around the country, and she studied in places including Jamnagar in Gujarat and Delhi before returning to Kerala. She finished school in Thiruvalla and earned a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Mar Thoma College, Tiruvalla. Her elder brother, Leno, lives in Dubai.

While in college she did some modelling, and director Sathyan Anthikkad noticed her photos and offered her a role in his next film.

Career

Malayalam Debut and Tamil Breakthrough (2003–2007)

She made her debut in Sathyan Anthikkad’s Malayalam family drama Manassinakkare (2003), taking the screen name Nayanthara. Her Tamil debut came in Ayya (2005) with Sarathkumar, followed the same year by two major hits: Rajinikanth’s Chandramukhi and A. R. Murugadoss’s Ghajini. She made her Telugu debut in Lakshmi (2006) with Venkatesh and starred opposite Prabhas in Yogi (2007). Ajith’s stylish gangster film Billa (2007) turned her into one of the most talked-about heroines in Tamil cinema.

Sri Rama Rajyam and a Comeback (2008–2014)

She starred in hits including Yaaradi Nee Mohini (2008) and the Malayalam film Body Guard (2010). In 2011 she played Sita in Bapu’s mythological film Sri Rama Rajyam, which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu and a Nandi Award. After a short break from films, she returned strongly with Atlee’s romantic drama Raja Rani (2013), winning the Filmfare Best Actress – Tamil award, and appeared opposite Nagarjuna in the Telugu film Greeku Veerudu (2013).

Lady Superstar (2015–2022)

From 2015 Nayanthara became the rare South Indian actress who could carry films on her own name. She had a hugely successful 2015 with the horror film Maya, the action thriller Thani Oruvan and the romantic comedy Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, directed by Vignesh Shivan, which won her another Filmfare award. She won the Filmfare Best Actress – Malayalam award for Puthiya Niyamam (2016) and a Tamil Filmfare for Aramm (2017), in which she played a district collector leading a rescue mission. Kolamaavu Kokila and Imaikkaa Nodigal (2018), and Ajith’s Viswasam and Vijay’s Bigil (2019), kept her at the top. During this period she also starred in Mookuthi Amman (2020), Netrikann (2021) and Annaatthe (2021).

Jawan and Pan-India Work (2023–present)

In 2023 Nayanthara made her Hindi debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Atlee’s Jawan, one of the biggest Hindi hits ever. Her 75th film, Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food (2023), was pulled from Netflix after complaints from some groups, and she issued an apology for unintentionally hurting religious sentiments. In 2025 she starred in the Netflix film Test with R. Madhavan and Siddharth. In 2026 she had a blockbuster with Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu and appeared in Toxic, Patriot and Hi, before signing Rajinikanth’s Dharman.

Nayanthara Movies

Awards

• Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu: Sri Rama Rajyam
• Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil: Raja Rani, Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, Aramm
• Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam: Puthiya Niyamam
• Nandi Award, three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and seven SIIMA Awards
• Kalaimamani Award (2010)

Business Ventures

With Vignesh Shivan, Nayanthara runs Rowdy Pictures, which has produced films including Koozhangal, India’s entry to the Oscars, Netrikann and Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal. She co-founded The Lip Balm Company with dermatologist Dr Renita Rajan in 2021 and has launched the skincare brand 9Skin and the feminine hygiene brand Femi9.

Personal Life

Nayanthara met director Vignesh Shivan while filming Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in 2015. The couple married on 9 June 2022 in a private ceremony in Mahabalipuram, near Chennai, attended by stars including Shah Rukh Khan and Rajinikanth. In October 2022 they announced the birth of twin sons through surrogacy. Their love story and her career are the subject of the Netflix documentary Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale (2024).

The documentary led to a public dispute in November 2024, when Nayanthara wrote an open letter saying that actor-producer Dhanush, who produced Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, had sent a legal notice over a short clip from the film used in the documentary.

Why Nayanthara Stands Out

In an industry long built around male stars, Nayanthara proved that a heroine could open films on her own and command star-level fees. Her women-led hits such as Maya, Aramm and Kolamaavu Kokila changed what producers believed was possible, and she has kept working with the biggest male stars across four languages at the same time. Her move into production and business has made her one of the most powerful figures in South Indian cinema, and two decades after her debut she is still headlining major releases in 2026.

Lesser-Known Facts About Nayanthara

• Her birth name is Diana Mariam Kurian.
• Her father served in the Indian Air Force, so she grew up in several cities, including Jamnagar and Delhi.
• She was spotted for films through her modelling photos while in college.
• She has worked with Rajinikanth in Chandramukhi, Kuselan, Darbar and Annaatthe, and now Dharman.
• Her wedding and career are documented in a Netflix film.

Related Biographies

• Shah Rukh Khan – her co-star in Jawan
• Prabhas – her co-star in Yogi
• Nagarjuna – her co-star in Greeku Veerudu
• Catherine Tresa – her co-star in Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu
• Trisha – fellow top Tamil actress
• Anushka Shetty – fellow South Indian leading lady
• Samantha – her co-star in Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal

FAQs About Nayanthara

What is Nayanthara’s real name?

Nayanthara’s birth name is Diana Mariam Kurian.

When was Nayanthara born?

Nayanthara was born on 18 November 1984 in Bangalore, Karnataka. Her family is from Thiruvalla, Kerala.

Who is Nayanthara’s husband?

Nayanthara is married to filmmaker Vignesh Shivan. They married on 9 June 2022 in Mahabalipuram.

Does Nayanthara have children?

Yes. Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan have twin sons, born via surrogacy in 2022.

What was Nayanthara’s first film?

Her first film was the Malayalam film Manassinakkare (2003). Her first Tamil film was Ayya (2005) and her first Telugu film was Lakshmi (2006).

Why is Nayanthara called Lady Superstar?

Nayanthara is called Lady Superstar because she is one of the few South Indian actresses who can lead hit films on her own name, such as Maya, Aramm and Kolamaavu Kokila.

What are Nayanthara’s upcoming movies?

Her upcoming films include Rajinikanth’s Dharman, Mookuthi Amman 2, Mannangatti: Since 1960, Dear Students and Rakkayie.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Nayanthara
• India TV – Nayanthara joins Dharman (October 2026)
• Wikipedia – Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu
• M9 News – Nayanthara’s 2026 box office
• Pinkvilla – Nayanthara’s 2026 films