Tejaswini Prakash Nadimpally (born 17 December 1987) is an Indian actress and former model who predominantly appears in Kannada films and television. She has also appeared in Telugu and Tamil films.
After beginning her career as a model, Tejaswini made her acting debut in 2005 with the Tamil film, Ambuttu Imbuttu Embuttu. Her Kannada debut came two years later with Masanada Makkalu (2007) and gained recognition for her performances in films such as Maathaad Maathaadu Mallige (2007) and Gaja (2007). For her performance in Goolihatti (2015), she was awarded the SIIMA Award for Best Supporting Actress — Kannada.
Tejaswini made her television debut in 2016 with the titular character in Niharika. In 2017, she participated in the fifth season of the reality television show Bigg Boss Kannada. She later received recognition for portraying Lavanya in the television series Nannarasi Radhe (2020–2022).
Early life Tejaswini was born on 17 December 1987 in Bangalore as the only child of Prakash (died 2020), a stuntman and stunt coordinator in Kannada films, and Vinaya, a television actress. Her father hailed from Mandya and her mother from Mangalore. While Kannada was spoken in her paternal family, her maternal family spoke Konkani. Tejaswini is fluent in both languages.
Tejaswini initially had no ambitions of becoming an actress and aspired to be an air hostess. Recalling her early years, she said, "Initially, I was unsure about acting, and I never dreamt of becoming an actress but when I finally started, acting was all I was doing!" Her entry into films was influenced by cinematographer Ashok Kashyap, who encouraged her to pursue acting as a career, after he filmed her for a pilot episode of a television series that was never aired.
Career Tejaswini began her career as a model. In 2005, she made acting debut came with the Tamil film, Ambuttu Imbuttu Embuttu. In 2007, she appeared in her first Kannada film, Masanada Makkalu; the performance earned her the SICA Best Actress Award. In the drama Maathaad Maathaadu Mallige (2007), she played Jaji, the youngest daughter of a flower farmer (played by Vishnuvardhan). She then appeared in Gaja (2007) and Aramane (2008). Tejaswini would go on to appear in a few Telugu films such as Cut Chesthe (2014), Cine Mahal - Rojuki 4 Aatalu (2017), Prathikshnam (2017) and Kannulo Nee Rupamey (2018).
In the crime drama Goolihatti (2015), Tejaswini played a strong-willed Poorni from a traditional middle-class family, who finds her life entangled with a village youth drawn into Bengaluru's criminal underworld, forcing her to confront violence and threats to her family's future. The reviewer for Deccan Herald wote, "Doff your hats and raise a toast to Tejaswani. This diminutive damsel is the real hero of Gooli Hatti." The performance won her the award for Best Supporting Actress — Kannada at the 5th South Indian International Movie Awards.
Tejaswini's debut in Tamil films came with Shankar's Manal Naharam (2015). She made her television debut with the 2016 series Niharika. In 2017, she appeared as a contestant in the fifth Season of the reality television show Bigg Boss Kannada. She withdrew from the show mid-way after her father was critically ill. Tejaswini returned to films with a role in Roberrt (2021), headlined by Darshan, who she had previously worked with in Gaja. She then appeared in Garadi (2023).
Personal life Tejaswini married Phani Varma Nadimpally, a businessman, on 20 March 2022 in a traditional Hindu ceremony in Bengaluru. In December 2023, she gave birth to their daughter, Anvika Varma.
Filmography Films All films are in Kannada, unless otherwise noted. Year Title Role(s) Notes 2005 Ambuttu Imbuttu Embuttu Abhirami Tamil film 2006 Aishwarya Shwetha 2007 Masanada Makkalu SICA Best Actress Award Gaja Varalakshmi Ee Preethi Yeke Bhoomi Melide Vaishali Maathaad Maathaadu Mallige Jaji Savi Savi Nenapu 2008 Bandhu Balaga Annapoorna Aramane Neetha 2010 Jotheyagi Hithavagi Navya Tarangini Radhika Preethi Nee Heegeke Sapna Kiladi Krishna Anjana 2013 Nanda Gokula Sathyabhama 2014 Kalyanamasthu Radha Cut Chesthe Telugu film; credited as Tanishka 2015 Mr. Premi Goolihatti Poorni Credited as Tejaswini GowdaSIIMA Award for Best Supporting Actress – Kannada Manal Naharam Thanishka Tamil film 2016 Nithya Jothe Sathya Nithya Dieyana House Diana 2017 Cine Mahal – Rojuki 4 Aatalu Telugu film Prathi Kshanam Telugu film 2018 Kannullo Nee Roopame Telugu film 2021 Roberrt Bride 2023 Garadi
Television + Year Title Role Notes 2016–2017 Niharika Niharika 2017 Bigg Boss Kannada Contestant Season 5; withdrew on day 28 2020–2022 Nannarasi Radhe Lavanya 2022 Yediyur Shree Siddhalingeshwara Kali
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