Sushma Jaidev (born 22 June 1974), professionally known as Devayani Rajakumaran, is an Indian actress known for her works primarily in Tamil and Malayalam films. She has also appeared in a few Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and Bengali films.
She has received several awards 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 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. She married director Rajakumaran on 9 April 2001. They have two daughters.
Career Devayani began her career in the Hindi film Koyal, which was later cancelled during its production stage. She later appeared in Bengali film Shaat Ponchomi (1993). 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. The movie was successful in establishing Devayani as the most successful actress in South Indian Cinema. Devayani, later, appeared in many films opposite several renowned names in the film industry.
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.
Devayani over the years played powerful female characters until 2001 when she fell in love with Rajakumaran who directed her Vinnukum Mannukum. 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.
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. Later, she slowly took up the role of mother.
Devayani has directed a short film named Kaikuttai Rani (2024). The film won Best Children's Short Film at the 7th Jaipur International Film Festival, marking a significant milestone in Devayani's transition from acting to filmmaking.
Filmography + List of Devayani film credits Year Title Role Language Notes1993 Shaat Ponchomi Bengali Credited as Sushma Dhusar Godhuli Moulika Credited as Koel 1994 Kinnaripuzhayoram Indhu Malayalam Malayalam Debut1995 Achan Rajavu Appan Jethavu Alice Three Men Army Shubha Kakkakum Poochakkum Kalyanam Latha.S.Pillai Dil Ka Doctor Dolly Hindi Credited as Koyal and Hindi cinema debut Thotta Chinungi Ramya Tamil Tamil Debut1996 Kalloori Vaasal Nivetha Chhota Sa Ghar Vidya Hindi Credited as Koyal Kadhal Kottai Kamali Tamil Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special PrizeNominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil Poomani Vijaya Sivasakthi Guest Appearance Mahathma Saraswathi Malayalam Kinnam Katta Kallan Anju Mr. Clean Nirmala Kaathil Oru Kinnaram Megha Ajay Anjali Hindi 1997 Vivasaayi Magan Jyothi Tamil Kaadhali Soubhagyavathi Periya Idathu Mappillai Lakshmi Surya Vamsam Nandhini Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best ActressNominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil1998 Suswagatham Sandhya Telugu Telugu Debut Kizhakkum Merkkum Malli Tamil Marumalarchi Jayanthi Udhavikku Varalaamaa Mythili Swarnamukhi Swarnamukhi Ninaithen Vandhai Savithri Moovendhar Vaidegi Poonthottam Sundari Senthooram Otta Rosa (Megala) Srimathi Vellostha Archana Telugu En Uyir Nee Thaane Janaki Tamil Pudhumai Pithan Aarthi 1999 Thodarum Seetha Anand Kummi Paattu Amaravathi Nee Varuvai Ena Nandhini Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil Oruvan Nandhini Premotsava Chandana Kannada Kannada Debut Nilave Mugam Kaattu Kasthuri Tamil Paattali Sakunthala Manikyam Meenakshi Telugu 2000 Vallarasu Anjali Vallarasu Tamil 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 Bharathi Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil Ninaikkaadha Naalillai Kavitha Sundara PurushanJyothika Menon Malayalam Kottai Mariamman Rajeswari Tamil 2002 Vivaramana Aalu Pappu Azhagi Valarmathi Shanmugham ITFA Best Supporting Actress AwardNominated, 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 sister Telugu 2003 Kadhaludan Kavitha Tamil Also producer Bheeshmar Gowri Bheeshmar Balettan Radhika Malayalam 2004 Naani Indira Devi Telugu Simultaneously shot in Telugu and Tamil New Indira Tamil Sivaram Nandhini Telugu Giri Suryaprakash's wife Tamil Sema Ragalai Devi Senthalam Poovae Soumyam Malayalam 2005 Naran Janaki 2009 Aiyantham Padai Kalpana Gunasekaran Tamil 2010 Oru Naal Varum Rajalekshmi Malayalam 2011 Sarkar Colony Padmini Shivaramakrishnan 2013 Thirumathi Thamizh Jothi Tamil Also producer2015 Sagaptham Lakshmi Strawberry Shanthi Aadhiraj 2016 Janatha Garage Prabha Sathyam Telugu 2017 My School Mahalakshmi Malayalam 2018 Aravinda Sametha Veera RaghavaSuguna Telugu Ezhumin Bharathi Tamil Kalavani Mappillai Rajeswari 2019 NTR: Kathanayakudu Akkineni Annapurna Telugu 2021 Love Story Mounica's mother Telugu Madhagaja Rathnamma Kannada 2023 Anuragam Mercy Malayalam 2024Devaki Nandana VasudevaDevakiTelugu2025NizharkudaiJothiTamil 3BHK Shanthi Vasudevan winner Behindwoods gold icon Best lead role Female Provoke Award Best Character artist FemaleKiss Daisy Marcus
Television Serials Year Serial Role Language Channel 2003–2009 Kolangal Abinaya(Abi) Tamil Sun TV 2007–2008 Manjal Magimai Soundarya/Neeraja Kalaignar TV 2010–2011 Kodi Mullai Anna Kodi/Malar Kodi Raj TV 2011–2013 Muthaaram Ranjini Devi / SivaranjaniSun TV 2019–2020 RasaathiIllavarasi Soundaravalli 2021–2022 Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal Lakshmi Zee Tamil 2021 Sembaruthi Amman (Cameo) 2023 Maari Muthupechi (Cameo)
Shows Year Serial Role Language Notes 2015–2016 Ugram Ujjwalam season 2 Judge Malayalam Mazhavil Manorama 2016–2017 Jodi Number One Tamil Vijay TV 2017 Junior Super Stars Season 2Zee Tamil 2022 Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal Niraivu Vizha Lakshmi
As director Short film Year Film Notes 2024 Kaikuttai Rani
Awards and honours Year Award category Work Result 1996 Tamil Nadu State Film Special Award for Best Actress Kaadhal Kottai 1997 Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress Surya Vamsam 2000 Bharathi Kalaimamani Award by Tamil Nadu Government Contribution to Tamil Cinema 2002 ITFA Best Supporting Actress Award Azhagi 2004 Pace Awards Best Television Actress Kolangal Vivel Chinna Thirai Awards Best Actress 2007 Tamil Nadu State Television Award for Best Actress 2025 Best Short Film for Children Kaikuttai Rani
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