Preeti Nigam is an Indian television actress, known for her performances in Telugu-language serials. She has had a career spanning over two decades, with notable roles in both positive and negative characters. Her acting career began in the 1990s, and she is recognized for her roles in several successful serials such as Ruthuragalu, Kasturi, and Chandramukhi.
Early life and background Preeti Nigam was born and raised in Hyderabad in a Kayastha family with roots in Uttar Pradesh. Her ancestors migrated from Uttar Pradesh to the Nizam's dominions and settled in Hyderabad several years ago. She spent her early years in the Sultan Bazar area and initially did not know Telugu. Coming from a family with a strong background in the arts, Preeti received training in classical dance forms such as Kathak and Kuchipudi. During her school years, she gave her first stage performance at the Birla Mandir.
Career Despite her interest in acting, Preeti's entry into the industry was met with resistance from her father, who questioned the necessity of acting for girls. However, her mother encouraged her passion. Preeti initially faced challenges due to her lack of proficiency in Telugu. Her acting debut came in 1989 in a dance-based documentary film, where she delivered a small dialogue. Her first notable role was in the Doordarshan serial Aaradhana, where she was initially hired as a choreographer but was later asked to act. Unable to speak Telugu at the time, she played a mute character, relying solely on her expressive eyes.
Preeti initially struggled with Telugu but learned the language to advance her career. She gained recognition for her performance in Ruthuragalu (1996–1999), a popular serial where she portrayed the character of Haritha. The serial’s title song became immensely popular, and Preeti's portrayal earned her widespread acclaim. She continued to rise to fame with other notable roles in serials like Kasturi, Adadhi, Endamavulu, Kavyanjali, and Santhi Nivasam. Her career further soared when she portrayed negative roles, particularly in Chandramukhi. She has also appeared in serials like Swati Chinukulu, America Ammayi, and Sravana Sameeralu, balancing both positive and negative shades of characters.
In addition to her extensive television career, Preeti has acted in several Telugu and Hindi films. She featured in films such as Student No: 1, Sai, Chakali Ailamma, Jai Telangana, and Tripura. She played supporting roles in several films including the Hindi films Welcome to Sajjanpur (2008) and Well Done Abba (2009) before portraying the lead role of the revolutionary Chakali Ilamma in the film of the same name in 2013.
Personal life Preeti is married to Nagesh Karra, whom she met during the shooting of Ruthuragalu. They have two children, Adithi Sri and Aryan. Their son Aryan was selected to represent India in the World Roller Games in Barcelona (Spain) in 2019.
Filmography Films Year Film Role Language Notes 2001 Student No: 1 Telugu 2002 Santosham Rani Telugu Avunu Valliddaru Ista Paddaru! Nookaraju's wife 2003 Ee Abbai Chala Manchodu Vivekananda's step-mother Kabaddi Kabaddi Nagendra's wife Back Pocket 2004 Sye Prudhvi's mother Kaani Lakshmini 2005 Meenakshi 2006 Asadhyudu Ram's wife 2008 Welcome to Sajjanpur Jamuna Bai Hindi Ready Pooja's mother Telugu 2009 Well Done Abba Sakina's mother Hindi 2010 Shoebite Unreleased 2013 Chakali Ailamma Chakali Ailamma Telugu 2015 Tripura Tripura's servant 2014 Stepney Sameena Deccani 2016 Best of Luck Deccani 2019 Hulchul Rudra's mother Telugu 2021 Bolo Hau Rukhsar's mother Deccani
Television All television shows are in Telugu, unless otherwise noted. Year Title RoleChannel Notes1996 -1999RuthuragaluHarithaDD-8 Kasturi Sunila Anubhandhalu Devadasu 2003 - 2008ChakravakamGemini TV2007 - 2013 Chandramukhi Yashodhara ETV Telugu2011Sundarakanda Bhanumathi DeviGemini TV2012 - 2014Kanchana GangaStar Maa2013 - 2016Sravana SameeraluGemini TV2013 - 2020 Swathi Chinukulu Sunanda ETV Telugu2015 - 2018 America Ammayi Jayanthi Vajrapati Zee Telugu2017 - 2018Ruthu GeethamETV Telugu2017 - 2018Uyyala JampalaNeerajaStar Maa2018 - 2019Kante Kurtune KanaliBhramarambika DeviStar Maa2020 - 2021DeeparadhanaMuneeswariGemini TV2020-2021 Intinti Gruhalakshmi Anjali Star MaaExtended Cameo2021-presentPaape Maa Jeevanajyothi Hymavathi Star Maa2021Swarna PalaceRangammaZee Telugu2021Ishmart Jodi 2ContestantStar MaaParticipated with her husband Nagesh2023-presentKalisundam RaaShaktiETV Telugu2024HarikathaDisney+ Hotstar
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