Priyamani Raj Photos and Biography

 Priya Vasudev Mani Iyer, known professionally as Priyamani Raj, is a highly acclaimed Indian actress who has built a formidable career across multiple languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. She is one of the few actresses in India to have successfully balanced mainstream commercial cinema with gritty, critically acclaimed roles.

Early Life and Background

Born on June 4, 1984, in Bangalore, Karnataka, Priyamani comes from a diverse South Indian background.

• Family: She was born into a Tamil-speaking Palakkad Iyer family. Her father, Vasudeva Mani Iyer, is a plantation owner, and her mother, Lathamani, was a former national-level badminton player and bank manager.

• Notable Relatives: She is the second cousin of Bollywood star Vidya Balan and the granddaughter of the late Carnatic vocalist Kamala Kailas.

• Education: She attended Sri Aurobindo Memorial School and later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Bishop Cotton Women's Christian College in Bangalore.

Career Journey

Priyamani’s entry into films was almost accidental; she began modeling for print advertisements (like Kanchipuram Silks) during her school days and was discovered by Tamil director Bharathiraja.

The Breakthrough: Paruthiveeran

While she debuted in 2003 with the Telugu film Evare Atagaadu, her career-defining moment came in 2007 with the Tamil film Paruthiveeran.    Her raw and intense performance as "Muththazhagu" earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress, catapulting her to national fame.

Multilingual Success

• Telugu: She became a household name with hits like Pellaina Kothalo and the S.S. Rajamouli blockbuster Yamadonga.

• Malayalam: She won critical acclaim for Thirakkatha (2008), a film loosely based on the life of actress Srividya.

• Kannada: She delivered a stellar performance in the horror-thriller Chaarulatha (2012), where she played conjoined twins.

• Hindi & OTT: She gained massive popularity in North India through her role as Suchitra Iyer in the hit Amazon Prime series The Family Man. She also appeared in major films like Chennai Express, Jawan (2023), and Article 370 (2024).

Key Achievements & Awards

Award	Category	Film / Work
National Film Award	Best Actress	Paruthiveeran (2006)
Filmfare Awards South	Best Actress (Tamil)	Paruthiveeran
Filmfare Awards South	Best Actress (Malayalam)	Thirakkatha
Filmfare Awards South	Best Actress (Kannada)	Chaarulatha
Tamil Nadu State Film Award	Best Actress	Paruthiveeran

Personal Life

Priyamani married her long-time boyfriend Mustafa Raj, an event organizer, on August 23, 2017. The couple opted for a quiet civil ceremony. Despite being a public figure, she has often spoken about the importance of keeping her personal life grounded while navigating the challenges of an interfaith marriage with grace.