Nayantara

Nayantara is an Indian film actress, who is best known in South Indian films. She made her acting debut with 2003 Malayalam film Manassinakkare and later featured in Telugu and Tamil films. Her first Telugu film is Lakshmi. She then acted in several films like Tulasi, Dubai Seenu, Greeku Veerudu, Anaamika and more. Her portrayal of Lord Sita in Sri Rama Rajyam (2011) earned her Filmfare Award for Best Telugu Actress and Nandi Award for Best Actress. She was recently seen in Telugu movie Babu Bangaram.

Biography

Actress Nayantara was born as Diana Mariam Kurian on 18 November 1985, in Bangalore, Karnataka. Due to her father's job, she has done schooling in different places including Chennai, Jamnagar, Gujarat and Delhi. She did college studies at the Kendriya Vidyalaya schools in Kerala. Later she continued her education in Tiruvalla, at Balikamadom Girls Higher Secondary School and then attended Marthoma College for her bachelors degree in English Literature. If she wouldn't be an actress she would have become a Chartered Accountant (CA). 

Personal Profile

Birth Name : Diana Mariam Kurian
Name : Nayantara
Other Names : Nayan & Mani
Birthplace : Bangalore, Karnataka
Date of birth : 18 November 1984
Age : 31 years
Religion : Syrian Christian converted to Hindu
Height : 5'5"
Weight : 55 kgs
Zodiac Sign : Scorpio
Hobbies : Listening music, traveling & Reading
Education : Graduation in English Literature
Occupation : Model and Actress
First/Debut movie : Manassinakkare (Malayalam), Lakshmi (Telugu)

Family

Nayantara was born to Malayali Syrian Christian parents Kurian Kodiyattu and Omana Kurian. Her father was an Indian Air Force officer. She has one brother Leno, who is nine years elder to her and lives in Dubai. 

Marriage

As per the reports, after her break up with Prabhu Deva, Nayantara is in relationship with a Kannada filmmaker Vignesh Shivan. Gossip is that, Vignesh and Nayantara are couple now. During the SIIMA 2016, they didn't leave each other's side all through the evening. Rumours of their relationship had been doing the rounds since last year. There were reports of them taking a trip together as well. 

Career

During her college days, Nayantara has started her career as a Model and got noticed by director Sathyan Anthikkad. Then she bagged a lead role in the Malayalam film Manassinakkare. While shooting for her first Tamil film Ayya, she was selected for Rajinikanth's comedy horror film Chandramukhi. Later she made her debut in Telugu, with the film Lakshmi and later in Boss: I Love You. 

Nayantara after her film Sri Rama Rajyam as Sita, she was seen in Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum and Greeku Veerudu. Later she was seen in thriller film Anaamika.

Personal Life

On 7 August 2011, Nayantara has converted to Hinduism at the Arya Samaj Temple in Chennai. She went through Shuddhi Karma, a procedure involving a Vedic purification and a Homam where Nayan chanted the hymns from Veda and Gayatri Mantra under the guidance of the priest. After this, a Certificate of Conversion to Hinduism was issued to her. From that time her stage name Nayantara has became her official name, which means beautiful eyes.

Awards and Nominations

2003 Asianet Award for Best Female New Face of the Year
2007 Filmfare Award for Best Telugu Actress
2008 Vijay Award for Favourite Heroine
2009 Vijay Award for Favourite Heroine
2010 Asianet Award for Best Actress
2011 SIIMA Award for Best Actress
2011 Nandi Award for Best Actress
2011 Bharatamuni Film Award for Best Actress
2011 Ugadi Puraskar Award for Best Actress
2012 SIIMA Award for Best Actress (Critics)