Diana Mariam Kurian, known professionally as Nayanthara, is an Indian actress and film producer who predominantly works in Tamil films, alongside Telugu and Malayalam films. One of the highest paid actresses in India; she was the only South Indian actress to be featured in the Forbes India "Celebrity 100" 2018 list, with her total annual earning credited at ₹15.17 crore. Nayanthara starred in more than 80 films spanning two decades winning numerous awards and is popularly addressed as the Lady Superstar of South Indian cinema.
She made her acting debut in the 2003 Malayalam film Manassinakkare. She made her debut in Tamil cinema with Ayya (2005) and Telugu with Lakshmi (2006). She also made her Kannada film debut through the film Super (2010). Her portrayal of Goddess Sita in the mythological film Sri Rama Rajyam (2011) earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu and the Nandi Award for Best Actress. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil for her performance in the romantic comedy-drama Raja Rani (2013), the action comedy Naanum Rowdy Dhaan (2015) and the political drama Aramm (2017). She was awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam for her performance in the crime drama Puthiya Niyamam (2016).
