Priyamani Raj (née Iyer; born 4 June 1984), known mononymously as Priyamani, is an Indian actress who works in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, and Hindi films. She is the recipient of a National Film Award, three Filmfare Awards South and a Tamil Nadu State Film Award.
Priyamani began her career with the 2003 Telugu film Evare Atagaadu. She went on to star in Raam (2009), Puthiya Mukham (2009), Raavanan (2010), and Pranchiyettan & the Saint (2010). She gained praise for playing a strong female lead in Madurai pastures in the Tamil romantic drama Paruthiveeran (2007), which won her the National Film Award for Best Actress and the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil. She also won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam for Thirakkatha (2008) and the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada for Chaarulatha (2012). She has since starred in Idolle Ramayana (2016), Jawan (2023), Article 370 (2024), and Officer on Duty (2025).
Early life
Priyamani was born and raised in Bangalore, Karnataka, to a Tamil Palakkad Iyer family. Her father, Vasudeva Iyer, owns a plantation business, and her mother, former national-level badminton player Lathamani Iyer, was a bank manager at Union Bank of India.
Priyamani modelled for Kanchipuram Silk, Erode Bharani Silks, and Lakshmi Silks during her school years. When she was in the 12th standard, Tamil film director Bharathiraja introduced her to the film industry. While at school, she actively participated in extracurricular activities and in sports. She is the granddaughter of Carnatic vocalist Kamala Kailas. She is the cousin of film actress Vidya Balan and the niece of playback singer Malgudi Shubha.
Priyamani studied at Sri Aurobindo Memorial School, Bengaluru. After completing her schooling, she modelled for print advertisements. She then completed her pre-university course and the degree from Bishop Cotton Women’s Christian College, Bengaluru. She can speak in English, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, and Hindi fluently. Film director Fazil had approached her for acting in a movie, and she rejected the offer prior to her board examinations and eventually made her film debut in a Tamil film.
Career Priyamani made her debut with Telugu film, Evare Atagaadu. Although she began her acting career with Bharathiraja's Tamil film, Kangalal Kaidhu Sei, it was Evare Atagaadu which was released first.
Priyamani then made her debut in Malayalam cinema with Sathyam. Then she was signed by Tamil film director and cinematographer Balu Mahendra to act in the 2005 drama Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam. Before release, Babith said "Priyamani has come up with an excellent performance in the movie. Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam was critically acclaimed but failed at the box office. In 2006, Priyamani starred in the Telugu film Pellaina Kothalo. The film was a hit and got her three Telugu films.
Priyamani managed to prove her acting credentials and commercial appeal with 2007's Paruthiveeran, directed by Ameer, in which she was co-starred with debutant Karthi. A rural subject which told the story of a notorious young villager in Madurai, the film won critical acclaim and became a surprise box-office blockbuster. She went on to win the National Film Award, followed by South Filmfare Award, Tamil Nadu State Film Award and an award at the Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema.
She had another commercially successful film in Telugu, in the 2007 film Yamadonga and in the Tamil film Malaikottai. She again received critical acclaim in 2008 for her role in the Malayalam film Thirakkatha, in which she played a role based on the turbulent real-life story of late film actress Srividya. She won another Filmfare Award for her performance. In Tamil, she had a single release in 2008: Thotta.
In 2009 she had two Tamil releases, the masala film Arumugam and the remake of the Malayalam blockbuster Classmates, titled Ninaithale Inikkum. The former was a commercial failure: Her Kannada debut film Raam was also a commercial success. All three of her Telugu releases that year, however, (Drona, Mitrudu, Pravarakhyudu) did not do well at the box office. In 2010 she acted in the satirical film Pranchiyettan & the Saint which became the longest-running Malayalam film since 2005. She won a Filmfare nomination for her role as a Mumbai-based interior decorator in the film.
She was subsequently signed by director Mani Ratnam for his bilingual film, titled Raavanan and Raavan in Tamil and Hindi respectively. Soon after, she was hired by Bollywood director-producer Ram Gopal Varma for his bilingual film Rakht Charitra. Varma decided to cast her after seeing her National Award-winning performance in Paruthiveeran. Her Kannada film Vishnuvardhana became a blockbuster hit and later she starred in Anna Bond.. CNN-IBN (11 December 2011). Retrieved 11 July 2013. Although the film was poorly received by critics and featured on Rediff's "Most Disappointing Kannada Films of 2012" list, it went on to become a successful venture at the box office. She appeared in an item number in the Bollywood film Chennai Express. She has completed shooting for a Malayalam film, The True Story and the Telugu film, Chandi, in which she plays Ganga the granddaughter of a freedom fighter, who seeks revenge for the problems her family had to face. She was cast opposite Darshan in the Kannada film Ambareesha in (2014). In 2014, she posed for a PETA ad campaign, asking the public to boycott zoos that feature caged tigers."Priyamani Turns Tigeress for PETA," The Times of India, 17 September 2014. In 2024, she was cast in the Hindi film Article 370
Besides The Family Man, Priyamani was also in ZEE5's His Storyy, Narappa, and Virata Parvam.
Personal life Priyamani announced her engagement to Mustafa Raj, an event organiser, in 2016, and the couple married in Bengaluru in 2017. Priyamani is Hindu, while her husband is a Muslim; she has spoken about receiving negative text messages and online comments due to their interfaith marriage.
Filmography
Films Year Title Role Language Notes 2003 Evare Atagaadu Rekha Telugu credited as Priya2004Kangalal Kaidhu Sei Vidhya Tamil Sathyam Sona Malayalam2005 Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam Thulasi Tamil Otta Nanayam ReshmaMalayalam2006 Pellaina Kothalo Lakshmi Telugu Madhu Mercy Tamil2007 Paruthiveeran Muthazhagu Toss Naina Telugu Yamadonga Maheswari Nava Vasantham Anjali Malaikottai Malar Tamil2008 Thotta Nalina Thirakkatha Malavika Malayalam Hare Ram Anjali Telugu King Dancer Special appearance in the song "Nuvvu Ready Nenu Ready" 2009 Drona Indhu Mitrudu Indu Puthiya Mukham Anjana Malayalam Arumugam Yamini Tamil Ninaithale Inikkum Meera Pravarakhyudu Sailaja Telugu Raam Pooja Kannada 2010 Shambo Shiva Shambo Muniamma Telugu Sadhyam Suhani Golimaar Pavithra Raavan Jamuni Hindi Simultaneously shot in Hindi and Tamil Raavanan Vennila Tamil Pranchiyettan and the Saint Padmashree Malayalam Eno Onthara Madhumathi Kannada Rakht Charitra II Bhavani HindiTeluguBilingual film (also partially reshot in Tamil)Ragada Priya / Ashtalakshmi Telugu2011 Raaj Mythili Kshetram Naga Penchalamma /Sohini AggarwalVishnuvardhana Meera Kannada 2012 Ko Ko Cauvery Anna Bond Meera Grandmaster Deepthi MalayalamChaarulatha Chaaru and LathaKannadaTamilBilingual film2013 Lakshmi PriyaKannada Chennai Express DancerHindi Special appearance in the song "1-2-3-4 Get on the Dance Floor" Chandi Ganga / Chandi Telugu2014 Alice: A True Story Alice / Uma Malayalam Njangalude Veettile Athidhikal Bhavana Ambareesha Smitha Kannada 2015 Ranna Dancer Special appearance in the song "What to do"2016 Kathe Chitrakathe Nirdeshana Puttanna Geethanjali Kalpana 2 Kalpana Dana Kayonu Jagadhamba (Jhummi) Idolle Ramayana Susheela Kannada Bilingual filmMana Oori RamayanamTelugu 2017 Chowka Mariea D Souza Kannada2018 Dhwaja Ramya Ashiq Vanna Divasam Shyni Malayalam2019Pathinettam PadiGowri Vasudev Cameo appearance Nanna PrakaraDr. AmruthaKannada2020 Ateet Janvi HindiZEE5 film2021NaarappaSundarammaTeluguAmazon Prime film2022BhamakalapamAnupama MohanAha filmVirata ParvamComrade BharatakkaSalaam VenkyAdv. Nanda KumarHindiCameo appearance Dr. 56 Priya KrishnaKannada Bilingual filmPriya KrishnanTamil2023CustodyChief Minister DakshayaniTeluguTamil Jawan LakshmiHindiPartially reshot in Tamil Neru Poornima Rajasekhar Malayalam 2024 Bhamakalapam 2Anupama MohanTelugu Article 370Rajeshwari Swaminathan Hindi MaidaanSaira RahimQuotation GangShakuntalaTamil 2025Officer on DutyGeetha HariMalayalam 2026S SaraswathiLakshmiTeluguJana NayaganSheila RaniTamilG.D.NChellammal2027HindiFilming Malayalam Filming
Television Web series + List of web series performances Year Title Role Language Network Notes2019–presentThe Family ManSuchitra TiwariHindiAmazon Prime Video2021His StorySakshiAlt Balaji, ZEE52023Sarvam Shakthi MayamPriyaZEE52025Good WifeTarunika GunaseelanTamilJioHotstar
As a host or judge Year Program Language Channel Notes2014 D 4 Dance MalayalamMazhavil Manorama 2015D 2 – D 4 Dance Dancing Star 2KannadaETV Kannada 2016 Dancing Star Juniors Kings of Dance TamilStar Vijay D 3 – D 4 Dance MalayalamMazhavil Manorama Asiavision Television Award for Best Celebrity JudgeDancing Star 3KannadaColors Kannada2017D4 Junior Vs SeniorsMalayalamMazhavil Manorama Dance Jodi Dance 2TamilZee Tamil Dhee 10TeluguETV Telugu 2018–2019 Dhee 11ETV Telugu 2018–2019Dance Kerala DanceMalayalamZee Keralam2019Teas Best PartnerMazhavil ManoramaKerala Dance LeagueAmrita TV Celebrity judgeD5 JuniorMazhavil ManoramaGrand finale juryFamously FilmfareMalayalamKannadaMX Player Host2019–2020Comedy StarsMalayalamAsianet Recurring Judge2019–2020Comedy Stars Weekend ChallengeAsianetDance Jodi Dance 3.0TamilZee Tamizh2020 Dhee ChampionsTeluguETV Telugu2021 Dhee 132022 Dhee 14 Dancing Icon
Short films Year Title Role Language Channel Notes2017Hand of God Eleena MalayalamMazhavil Manorama 2019WhiteBlind ladyEnglishYouTube2025The PromiseChitraHindiYouTube
Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Language Work / film Result 2007 National Film Award for Best Actress Tamil Paruthiveeran Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil Vijay Award for Best Actress 2008 Filmfare Award for Best Actress – MalayalamMalayalam Thirakkatha2009Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada KannadaRaam 2011Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam Malayalam Pranchiyettan and the Saint 2012 Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada KannadaChaarulathaSuvarna Film Award for Best Actress SIIMA Award for Best Actress – Kannada 2016 Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Telugu Telugu Mana Oori Ramayanam 2017 Kalaimamani Awards Tamil Contribution to Tamil Cinema 2020 Filmfare OTT Awards for Best Actor Series (Female) : Drama Hindi The Family Man Filmfare OTT Awards Best Actor, Drama Series (Female) – Critics Choice 2022SIIMA Award for Best Actress - TeluguTeluguNarappa 2023SIIMA Award for Best Supporting Actress - Telugu Virata Parvam Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Telugu2025IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress HindiArticle 370Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
References
External links