Vinodhini Vaidyanathan is an Indian actress and writer who has mainly worked in Tamil cinema and theatre. She made her debut in A. R. Murugadoss's Engaeyum Eppothum portraying Ananya's sister. She is best known for her performances in OK Kanmani (2015), Appa (2016), Aandavan Kattalai (2016), Ratsasan (2018), Comali (2019), Game Over (2019), Ponmagal Vandhal (2020) and Soorarai Pottru (2020), Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022) and Ponniyin Selvan: II (2023).
Career Vinodhini made her first film appearance in Priyadarshan's Kanchivaram (2009), after being selected by the director to be a part of the film after he watched her during a performance with the Tamil theatre troupe, Koothu-P-Pattarai. The film won critical acclaim and recognition at the National Film Awards. In early 2010, director Saravanan had watched Vinodhini's solo performance titled Saami Aattam, in which Vinodhini played multiple characters in a 45-minute monologue, and was impressed enough to cast her in his first Tamil film, Engeyum Eppodhum (2011), produced by AR Murugadoss. Her performance in the film as the character of Ananya's sister, was well received.
Since 2011, Vinodhini has appeared in several other films including the comedy Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam (2013), the horror film Pisaasu (2014) and two collaborations with Mani Ratnam in Kadal (2013) and O Kadhal Kanmani (2015). She also played a significant supporting role as the wife of a gangster in Karthik Subbaraj's Jigarthanda (2014) and in a leading role in Balu Mahendra's Thalaimuraigal (2013), where she played his daughter.
By 2016, Vinodhini started to be recognized for her performances, going on to win Best Performance in a Comedy Role (Female) 2016 at the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards for her role in Aandavan Kattalai, as a junior lawyer.
She has also appeared in a few Telugu-language films. Regarding her performance in Crazy Fellow (2022), a critic called her "a revelation".
Vinodhini is also a playwright and theatre director. Her theatre group, Theatre Zero has been actively staging plays since 2012, some of which are Petti Kathaigal, the musical extravaganza "Aayirathoru Iravugal", which she wrote and directed for the prestigious Hindu Theatre Fest in 2016, and Nagercoil Expressum Nadaga Companyum, which toured extensively in 2016–17. Her play, titled Grand Rehearsal, was the first ever Tamil play to be staged at The Hindu Theatre Fest, which is primarily a festival for English plays from India and abroad. It was declared a laugh riot amid standing ovation from the audience. Similarly, her play Aayirathoru Iravugal, "had the audience roaring with laughter", when it opened in 2016. As of January 2020, Theatre Zero has partnered with stand-up comic Alexander Babu to bring back Vinodhini's play Nagercoil Expressum Nadaga Companyum in its new version and tour with it worldwide.
Vinodhini also writes professionally. Her short stories and articles have been published in Silverscreen.in, The Madras Mag, The News Minute, The Hindu (Tamil) among others.
Personal life Vinodhini completed her B.Sc. from Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai and went on to do her master's degree in Human Resources Management from XIME, Bangalore. She also holds a second master's degree in Psychology from University of Madras.
Filmography Tamil films + List of Vinodhini Vaidyanathan Tamil film credits Year Title Role Notes2009 Kanchivaram Subhatra 2011 Engaeyum Eppothum Selvi2013 Yamuna Chandrika Kadal Fisher woman Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam Police Inspector Thalaimuraigal Sivaraman's sister 2014 Jigarthanda Soundar's wife Vanmam Palraj's wife Pisaasu Mahesh's mother 2015 Nannbenda Ramya's colleague O Kadhal Kanmani Saroja Vasudevan Sivappu Malar Om Shanti Om Kumar's mother Pasanga 2 Sailaja 2016 Azhagu Kutti Chellam Anandhi Aranmanai 2 Sandhya Appa Singaperumal's wife Aandavan Kattalai Junior Lawyer Won, Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for Best Comedian – Female2017 Aramm Government Health Officer Sathya Hema Velaikkaran Sivaranjani 2018 Thaanaa Serndha Koottam Mangaiyarkarasi Kaathadi Anitha's mother Echcharikkai Doctor Ratsasan Kokila 2019 LKG School Principal Boomerang Doctor Devarattam Pechi Game Over Kalamma Kalavani 2 Manimekalai Rajendran Comali Bhanu 2020 Ponmagal Vandhal Venba's neighbour Soorarai Pottru Chitra Ramaswamy Naanga Romba Busy Dr. Shantha Paava KadhaigalSathaar's and Sahira's motherNetflix anthology series; segment Thangam2021 Eeswaran Papathi CallsDeputy Director Shailaja MGR Magan Judge Operation Jujupi 2022 Naai Sekar Company Director Kaatteri Chithra Trigger Prabhakaran's sister-in-law Ponniyin Selvan: I Vasuki Super Senior Heroes Reporter Also writer Parole Gifty Maria Yugi Dr. Chandrika Laththi Ranganathan's wife 2023 Vizhithelu Ponniyin Selvan: II Vasuki Kulasami Vasuki Baba Black Sheep Councillor Let's Get Married Deepa Akka Are You Ok Baby? Suguna Sooragan Chithirai Selvi Kuiko Pushpa Sarakku Tik Tok Susan 2024 Local Sarakku Vinodha Saamaniyan Gayathri PT Sir Nandhini's mother Weapon Mother 2025 Kadhalikka Neramillai Jalaja Dragon Chitra Dhanapal Dubbed for Indumathy Manikandan 2K Love Story Dinasari Gayathri Badava Collector Konjam Kadhal Konjam Modhal Karthik's sister Jinn - The Pet Thalaivan Thalaivii Judge House Mates Vijayalakshmi "Viji" Madharaasi Raghu's aunt Right Kutram Thavir Kasturi Regai 2025 dr. Pushpavalli Dude Dr. Nandini Yellow 2026 L.S.S: Love Subscribe Share Breakfast Judge Double Occupancy Rajini's mother Nooru Saami Vandhana's mother Arulvaan
Telugu films + List of Vinodhini Vaidyanathan Telugu film credits Year Film Role 2019 Game Over Kalamma Rakshasudu Padma 2022 Khiladi Mahalakshmi Crazy Fellow Abhiram's sister-in-law 2023 My Name Is Shruthi Shruthi's mother
Malayalam films + List of Vinodhini Vaidyanathan Malayalam film credits Year Film Role2022 Adrishyam Dr. Chandrika 2023 Thaaram Theertha Koodaram Selvi
Television All television shows are in Tamil, unless otherwise noted. + List of Vinodhini Vaidyanathan television credits Year Title Role Channel Notes 2003 Appa Sun TV 2005-2006 Selvi Malar 2020 Chithi 2 Herself Guest appearance 2022; 2023 Anandha Ragam Meenakshi Extended Guest appearance 2022 Amudhavum Annalakshmiyum Herself Zee Tamil Guest appearance 2023 Nala Damayanthi AnnapuraniPhotographic Appearance 2024 Thangamagal Vaishali Star Vijay Naanga Ready Neenga Ready Ah Judge Sun TV Reality Game show 2025 Chinnanchiru Kiliye Judge Zee Tamil Guest appearance
Streaming television series + Year Title Role Network 2022 Tamil Rockerz Baanu SonyLIV 2023 Accidental Farmer and Co Nallamakka SonyLIV
Short Film Year Film Role Notes2012 1 mark Devika
References
External links