Priya Vasudev Mani Iyer (born 4 June 1984), known professionally as Priyamani, is an Indian film actress and former model, who works predominantly in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, and Malayalam-language films. She is a recipient of National Film Award for Best Actress and three Filmfare Awards.
Priyamani made her acting debut through the 2003, Telugu film Evare Atagaadu. She gained widespread recognition for her role as village girl Muththazhagi in the Tamil romantic drama Paruthiveeran in 2007, receiving a National Film Award for Best Actress and a Filmfare Award for Best Actress in Tamil for her performance. Her notable works include Raam (2009), Raavan (2010), Raavanan (2010), Chaarulatha (2012) and Idolle Ramayana (2016).
Early life
Priyamani was born in Bangalore, Karnataka. to a Tamil Iyer family.She modelled for Kancheepuram silks, Erode silks and Lakshmi silks during her school years. When she was in the 12th Standard, Tamil Director, Bharathiraja, introduced her to the film industry. Her father, Vasudev Mani, who hails from Palakkad , Kerala from a Tamil family, owns a plantation business and her mother, former national level badminton player, Lathamani, who hails from Thiruvananthapuram, was a bank manager at Union Bank of India. She has an elder brother, Vishakh, who is in the plantation business with her father. 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.
After completing her schooling, Priyamani modeled for print advertisements. Priyamani pursued a degree in Bachelor of Arts in psychology through correspondence.
Career
Priyamani made her debut with Telugu film, Evare Atagaadu. She then made her debut in the Malayalam Film Industry with Sathyam, but this film performed poorly at the box office. 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. However, she won acclaim for her performance in the film. In 2006, Priyamani starred in the Telugu film Pellaina Kothalo. The film was a super hit and got her three Telugu films.
Priyamani along with Suriya & Vivek Oberoi during the press meet of Rakta Charitra 2
Priyamani managed to prove her acting credentials and commercial appeal with 2007’s Paruthiveeran, directed by Ameer Sultan, in which she was co-starred with debutant Karthi Sivakumar. 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 roped in by Bollywood director-producer Ram Gopal Varma for his trilingual 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. 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, Chandee, 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.
Personal life
Priyamani married Mustafa Raj, an event organiser, in a private ceremony on 23 August 2017.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award Category | Work / film | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | National Film Award for Best Actress Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress |
Paruthiveeran | Won | |
| 2007 | Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil Vijay Award for Best Actress |
Won | ||
| 2008 | Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam | Thirakkatha | Won | |
| 2012 | Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Kannada Suvarna Film Award for Best Actress |
Chaarulatha | Won | |
| 2016 | Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Telugu | Mana Oori Ramayanam | Nominated | |
| 2020 | Filmfare OTT Awards for Best Actor Series (Female) : Drama | The Family Man | Nominated | |
| Filmfare OTT Awards Best Actor, Drama Series (Female) – Critics Choice | The Family Man | Won |
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Evare Atagaadu | Priyamani | Telugu | |
| 2004 | Kangalal Kaidhu Sei | Vidya Sadagoppan | Tamil | |
| Satyam | Sona | Malayalam | ||
| 2005 | Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam | Thulasi | Tamil | |
| Otta Nanayam | Reshma | Malayalam | ||
| 2006 | Pellaina Kothalo | Lakshmi | Telugu | |
| Madhu | Mercy | Tamil | ||
| 2007 | Paruthiveeran | Muthazhagu | Tamil | National Film Award for Best Actress (2006) |
| Toss | Naina | Telugu | ||
| Yamadonga | Maheswari | Telugu | ||
| Nava Vasantham | Anjali | Telugu | ||
| Malaikottai | Malar | Tamil | ||
| 2008 | Thotta | Nalina | Tamil | |
| Thirakkatha | Malavika | Malayalam | ||
| Hare Ram | Anjali | Telugu | ||
| King | Herself | Telugu | Special appearance in song “Nuvvu Ready Nenu Ready” | |
| 2009 | Drona | Indhu | Telugu | |
| Mitrudu | Indu | Telugu | ||
| Puthiya Mukham | Anjana | Malayalam | ||
| Arumugam | Yamini | Tamil | ||
| Ninaithale Inikkum | Meera | Tamil | ||
| Pravarakhyudu | Sailaja | Telugu | ||
| Raam | Pooja | Kannada | ||
| 2010 | Shambo Shiva Shambo | Munimma | Telugu | |
| Sadhyam | Suhani | Telugu | ||
| Golimaar | Pavithra | Telugu | ||
| Raavanan | Vennila | Tamil | ||
| Raavan | Jamuni | Hindi | ||
| Pranchiyettan and the Saint | Padmashree | Malayalam | ||
| Eno Onthara | Madhumathi | Kannada | ||
| Rakta Charitra II | Bhawani | Hindi | ||
| Rakta Charitram II | Bhavani | Telugu | ||
| Ragada | Priya/ Ashtalakshmi |
Telugu | ||
| 2011 | Raaj | Mythili | Telugu | |
| Kshetram | Naga Penchalamma/ Sohini Aggarwal |
Telugu | ||
| Vishnuvardhana | Meera | Kannada | ||
| 2012 | Ko Ko | Cauvery | Kannada | |
| Ullam | Kavitha | Tamil | First film; Direct-to-television | |
| Anna Bond | Meera | Kannada | ||
| Grandmaster | Deepthi | Malayalam | ||
| Chaarulatha | Chaaru/Latha | Tamil | ||
| Kannada | Bilingual | |||
| 2013 | Lakshmi | Priya | Kannada | |
| Chennai Express | Dancer | Hindi | Special appearance in the song “1 2 3 4 Get on the Dance Floor” | |
| Chandee | Ganga/Chandee | Telugu | ||
| 2014 | Alice: A True Story | Alice/Uma | Malayalam | |
| Njangalude Veettile Athidhikal | Bhavana | Malayalam | ||
| Ambareesha | Smitha | Kannada | ||
| 2015 | Ranna | Herself | Kannada | Special Appearance in the song “What to do” |
| 2016 | Kathe Chitrakathe Nirdeshana Puttanna | Geethanjali | Kannada | |
| Kalpana 2 | Kalpana | Kannada | ||
| Dana Kayonu | Jhummi | Kannada | ||
| Idolle Ramayana | Susheela | Kannada | ||
| Mana Oori Ramayanam | Telugu | |||
| 2017 | Chowka | Mariea D Souza | Kannada | |
| 2018 | Dhwaja | Ramya | Kannada | |
| Ashiq Vanna Divasam | Shyni | Malayalam | ||
| 2019 | Pathinettam Padi | Gowri Vasudev | Malayalam | Cameo appearance |
| Nanna Prakara | Dr. Amrutha | Kannada | ||
| 2020 | Ateet | Janvi | Hindi | Zee5 Original Film |
| 2021 | Virata Parvam  |
Comrade Bharatakka | Telugu | Filming |
| Naarappa |
Sundaramma | Telugu | Filming | |
| Sirivenella |
TBA | Telugu | Post production | |
| Maidaan |
TBA | Hindi | Filming | |
| Cyanide |
TBA | Telugu | Filming | |
| Cyanide |
TBA | Kannada | Filming | |
| Dr.56 |
TBA | Kannada | Post production | |
| Quotation Gang |
TBA | Tamil | Filming | |
| Khaimara |
TBA | Kannada | Filming |
Television
As reality show judge
| Year | Program | Language | Channel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | D 4 Dance | Malayalam | Mazhavil Manorama | |
| 2015 | D2 – D 4 Dance | |||
| Dancing Star 2 | Kannada | ETV Kannada | ||
| 2016 | Dancing Star Juniors | |||
| Kings of Dance | Tamil | Star Vijay | ||
| D3 – D 4 Dance | Malayalam | Mazhavil Manorama | Asiavision Television Award for Best Celebrity Judge | |
| Dancing Star 3 | Kannada | Colors Kannada | ||
| 2017 | D4 junior v/s seniors | Malayalam | Mazhavil Manorama | |
| Dance Jodi Dance 2 | Tamil | Zee Tamil | ||
| Dhee 10 | Telugu | ETV Telugu | ||
| 2018-2019 | Dhee 11 | ETV Telugu | ||
| 2018-2019 | Dance Kerala Dance | Malayalam | Zee Keralam | |
| 2019 | Teas Best Partner | Mazhavil Manorama | ||
| Kerala Dance League | Amrita TV | Celebrity judge | ||
| D5 junior | Mazhavil manorama | Grand finale jury | ||
| 2019 ,2020 |
Comedy Stars | Asianet | Recurring Judge | |
| 2019-2020 | Comedy Stars Weekend Challenge | Asianet | ||
| Dance Jodi Dance 3.0 | Tamil | Zee Tamizh |
Other shows
| Year | Program | Role | Language | Channel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Onasallapam | Herself | Malayalam | ACV | Guest |
| 2013 | Prematho Mee Lakshmi | Telugu | ETV | ||
| EN | Malayalam | Asianet News | |||
| 2014 | Big Screen | Kairali TV | Guest | ||
| 2015 | Bigg Boss 3 | Kannada | Colors Kannada | ||
| Dancing Talkies | |||||
| 2016 | I personally | Malayalam | Kappa TV | Guest appearance | |
| Majaa Talkies | Kannada | Colors Kannada | |||
| Badai Bungalow | Malayalam | Asianet | |||
| JB Junction | Kairali TV | ||||
| Get Set Chat | Kaumudy TV | ||||
| Laughing Villa | Surya TV | ||||
| Comedy Super Night 2 | Flowers TV | ||||
| Onnum Onnum Moonu | Mazhavil Manorama | ||||
| Alitho Saradaga | Telugu | ETV | |||
| 2017 | Weekend With Ramesh | Kannada | Zee Kannada | Guest appearance | |
| Hand of God | Eleena | Malayalam | Mazhavil Manorama | Short film | |
| 2018 | Majaa Talkies | Guest appearance | Kannada | Colors Super | |
| Sadhanimmondigge | Udaya TV | ||||
| 2019 | Famously Filmfare | Anchor | Malayalam | MX Player | |
| Kannada | |||||
| White | Blind lady | English | Short film |
Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Language | Channel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | The Family Man | Suchitra | Hindi | Prime Video | |
| 2021 | The Family Man 2 | Suchitra | Hindi | Prime Video | |
| 2021 | Hum Se Humsafar | TBA | Hindi | Alt Balaji |