Over the years, the entertainment industry has earned the notorious tag of being male-dominated. However, in 2003, an anchor from Kerala made her way to the big screens and, fighting against all odds, became one of the biggest stars in the Indian film industry today, even earning the title of Lady Superstar.
Yes, we are talking about Diana Mariam Kurian, better known as Nayanthara. The actress, who made her debut more than two decades ago with the Malayalam film Manasinakkare alongside Jayaram, has since carved a niche for herself in the Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi industries.
Over the years, the actress has been through highs and lows in both her personal and professional life, most of which were highly publicized as well. Needless to say, Diana Kurian’s journey into becoming the Lady Superstar Nayanthara is nothing short of inspiring.
Early days in cinema
As a child, Nayanthara had to move around the country quite a bit, as her father was an Indian Air Force official. She did her higher studies at Marthoma College in Thiruvalla, where she also took up modeling. She was soon noticed for her modeling and even worked as an anchor in the fashion and lifestyle show Chamayam.
It was during her modeling days that she caught the eye of filmmaker Sathyan Anthikad, who offered her a role in his 2003 family drama film Manasinakkare, which featured Jayaram in the lead. The film was a critical and commercial blockbuster, and Nayanthara immediately caught the attention of cinephiles. Soon enough, the actress also worked with other industry stalwarts like Fazil and Shaji Kailas.
It didn’t take long for other industries to notice Nayanthara’s talents, as she made her Tamil debut in 2005, within just 2 years of her acting debut. She featured in the action drama film Ayya, helmed by Hari. The same year, she also appeared alongside Thalaivar Rajinikanth in the comedy horror film Chandramukhi, which ran for over 800 days in theaters.
Nayanthara also made her Telugu debut the following year, starring alongside Venkatesh Daggubati in the action drama flick Lakshmi. The film was a critical and commercial hit as well. Within just 3 years of her arrival, Nayanthara had made her presence felt. It was clear that the newcomer was here to stay.
Nayanthara’s journey to stardom
Arguably, Nayanthara’s rise to fame was due to the 2007 film Billa, which featured Ajith Kumar as the lead. The film was a remake of Rajinikanth’s 1980 film of the same name and was a huge commercial hit. Her performance in the film garnered critical praise and several awards as well.
In a very short span of time, Nayanthara worked with some of the biggest names in the Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu industries, including Mohanlal, Mammootty, Jayaram, Rajinikanth, Vijay, Ajith Kumar, Venkatesh, Jr. NTR, Silambarasan TR, and many, many more. In the same period, the actress also earned a reputation for her versatility.
However, things seemed to take a turn, as in what appeared to be the peak of her career, Nayanthara announced she would be quitting acting.
The 11-month sabbatical and rise to superstardom
In 2011, much to everyone’s surprise, Nayanthara, who was at the peak of her career, announced that she would be quitting acting after the release of the Telugu film Sri Rama Rajyam, in which she played the role of Goddess Sita. Around the same time, Nayanthara officially adopted what had started off as her stage name and even converted from Christianity to Hinduism.
Nonetheless, Nayanthara’s retirement from cinema was short-lived. The actress came back after 11 months with the Telugu film Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum. Her return to cinema in 2011 can only be considered a second chapter, with the actress making a comeback in one of the strongest ways possible.
Since then, the actress has diversified her performances, exploring various characters and performances. She has also been in the debut films of several prominent filmmakers, including Atlee and Nelson Dilipkumar, two of the most prominent filmmakers today.
In the 2010s, Nayanthara also starred in several female-centric films with stronger characters, where the actress truly showcased what she is capable of. Her performances in films like Thani Oruvan, Puthiya Niyamam, Raja Rani, Aramm, and Imaikkaa Nodigal are testaments to this.
The actress also struck a balance between commercial entertainers and films with a message and has even appeared in black-comedy roles, as in Nelson Dilipkumar’s debut film Kolamavu Kokila. It was during this period that the actress was also titled the Lady Superstar.
The Hindi venture
2023 is undeniably one of the biggest milestones in Nayanthara’s career, not just because she completed 20 years in the film industry but also because she starred in her first Hindi film in that span of time.
The Lady Superstar made her debut with Atlee’s action entertainer Jawan. The film featured an ensemble cast including Shah Rukh Khan, Priyamani, Sanya Malhotra, Sunil Grover, and more in crucial roles. It is safe to say that the actress could not have asked for a better Bollywood debut. The film was a blockbuster hit, grossing more than 1000 crores worldwide.
Nayanthara’s personal life
Clearly, right from her foray into cinema, Nayanthara has been at the center of the limelight. This had its negative effects as well, with the media scrutinizing every aspect of the actress’ personal life. Over the years, the actress has had a number of relationships, all of which have been a topic of discussion by the media and fans.
Nayanthara and Simbu
While working on the 2006 film Vallavan, it was rumored that the actress was in a relationship with the film’s director and costar, Silambarasan TR. However, the relationship lasted only a few months, and it is speculated that one of the biggest reasons for the break-up was that intimate pictures of the two stars were leaked online.
Post-breakup, the actress released a statement saying that she would never collaborate with Simbu again. Nonetheless, the duo were reunited in the 2016 film Idhu Namma Aalu, helmed by Pandiraj.
Nayanthara and Prabhu Deva
Perhaps the most famous of her relationships is the one she had with Prabhu Deva. The duo are said to have got into a relationship while working on the 2009 film Villu, and it was even speculated that they would tie the knot later that year. In fact, the Jawan actress had even tattooed Prabhu Deva’s name on her wrist, which she got erased after their break-up.
What was a bigger issue was that at that point in time, Prabhu Deva was married to his then-wife, Latha. The controversy blew up when Latha refused a divorce and even filed a suit in the Family Court, claiming that the ABCD actor was in a relationship with another actress and ignored his family.
After a long series of controversies, Prabhu Deva and Latha finally settled for divorce. However, Nayanthara and Prabhu Deva broke up in 2011, and it is understood that one of the major reasons is that the actor backed out every time the Lady Superstar proposed for marriage.
Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan
The actress finally found the man of her dreams while working on the 2015 film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. While working on the film, she began dating Vignesh Shivan, the film’s director. After being in a relationship for seven long years, the duo finally tied the knot in June 2022. Later that year, the lovely couple also welcomed their twin sons, Uyir and Ulag, via surrogacy.
Nayanthara, who made her social media debut quite recently, often shares pictures of her twin bundles of joy, as well as of her better half. The actress and Vignesh Shivan are undeniably one of the cutest couples online.
However, the cuteness does not stop there. Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan also run a production house named Rowdy Pictures, named after the 2015 film during which they met. Further, in 2023, the actress launched her own line of beauty products.
Nayanthara on the work front
Nayanthara has a myriad of films lined up ahead of her, starting with the sports drama film Test. The film, helmed by S Sashikanth, also features R Madhavan and Siddharth in crucial roles.
In addition, the actress is set to reunite with Yogi Babu for the upcoming comedy flick Mannangatti Since 1960, helmed by debutant director Dude Vicky.
It is reported that the actress is also gearing up to feature in the highly awaited sequel to the 2015 film Thani Oruvan, Thani Oruvan 2. Further, she has also signed a Malayalam film, Dear Students, bankrolled by Nivin Pauly.
