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Devayani (actress)

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Devayani
Devayani at Mumbai International Film Festival, 2014
Born
Sushma Jaidev

(1974-06-22) 22 June 1974 (age 52)
Bombay, Maharashtra, India (now Mumbai)
OccupationActress
Years active1993–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2001)​
ChildrenIniya Rajakumaran, Priyanka Rajakumaran
RelativesNakul (brother)
AwardsKalaimamani

Sushma Jaidev (born 22 June 1974), professionally known as Devayani Rajakumaran, is an Indian actress known for her works primarily in Tamil and Malayalam films. She has also appeared in a few Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and Bengali films.

She has received several awards for her performances in Kadhal Kottai (1996), Suryavamsam (1997) and Bharathi (2000).

She was honoured with a Kalaimamani Award in 2000. She won the Best Supporting Actress for the movie Azhagi (2002). She also won the Best Television Actress for her role in the serial Kolangal (2003–2009).

Personal life

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Devayani was born on 22 June 1974 in Mumbai, Maharashtra to a Konkani father from Mangalore and a Malayali mother.[1][2] She has two younger brothers Nakkhul and Mayur. The former is working as an actor and singer in the Tamil film industry.[3][4] She married director Rajakumaran on 9 April 2001.[5][6] They have two daughters.[7][8]

Career

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Devayani began her career in the Hindi film Koyal, which was later cancelled during its production stage.[9] She later appeared in Bengali film Shaat Ponchomi (1993).[10] She also acted in a Marathi film before debuting in the South with lead roles in Malayalam films as Kinnaripuzhayoram (1994).

Devayani made her debut with the film Thotta Chinungi (1995). Flaunting her glamorous avatar, the actress gained popularity in 1996 with the film Kadhal Kottai. She starred opposite Ajith in the film which was directed by Agathiyan. The film received positive acclaim among the audience.[11] The movie was successful in establishing Devayani as the most successful actress in South Indian Cinema.[11] Devayani, later, appeared in many films opposite several renowned names in the film industry.[11]

She was a part of several successful films, including Surya Vamsam (1997), Marumalarchi (1998), Ninaithen Vandhai (1998), Nee Varuvai Ena (1999), Bharathi (2000), Thenali (2000), Friends (2001), Aanandham (2001) and Azhagi (2002).

The late 90s and early 2000s were the golden years for Devayani as she delivered over 50 films, and most of them were blockbusters.[12]

Devayani over the years played powerful female characters until 2001 when she fell in love with Rajakumaran who directed her Vinnukum Mannukum. She has also played small cameos in hit movies like Panchathantiram (2002) alongside Kamal Haasan.

She has become a virtual cult figure in Tamil Nadu after the success of the Mega Serial Sun TV's serial Kolangal (2003–2009).

She has produced a few films that her husband directs, a notable one being Thirumathi Thamizh (2013) where she played an important role.[13]

In the late 2010s she was a judge on a reality show on Mazhavil Manorama titled Ugram Ujwalam. In 2021, she acted in Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal, a Tamil serial of Zee Tamil.[14] Later, she slowly took up the role of mother.[15]

Devayani has directed a short film named Kaikuttai Rani (2024).[16] The film won Best Children's Short Film at the 7th Jaipur International Film Festival, marking a significant milestone in Devayani's transition from acting to filmmaking.[17]

Filmography

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List of Devayani film credits
Year Title Role Language Notes
1993Shaat PonchomiBengaliCredited as Sushma
Dhusar GodhuliMoulikaCredited as Koel
1994KinnaripuzhayoramIndhuMalayalamMalayalam Debut
1995Achan Rajavu Appan JethavuAlice
Three Men ArmyShubha
Kakkakum Poochakkum KalyanamLatha.S.Pillai
Dil Ka DoctorDollyHindiCredited as Koyal and Hindi cinema debut
Thotta ChinungiRamyaTamilTamil Debut
1996Kalloori VaasalNivetha
Chhota Sa GharVidyaHindiCredited as Koyal
Kadhal KottaiKamaliTamilTamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
PoomaniVijaya
SivasakthiGuest Appearance
MahathmaSaraswathiMalayalam
Kinnam Katta KallanAnju
Mr. CleanNirmala
Kaathil Oru KinnaramMegha
AjayAnjaliHindi
1997Vivasaayi MaganJyothiTamil
KaadhaliSoubhagyavathi
Periya Idathu MappillaiLakshmi
Surya VamsamNandhiniTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
1998SuswagathamSandhyaTeluguTelugu Debut
Kizhakkum MerkkumMalliTamil
MarumalarchiJayanthi
Udhavikku VaralaamaaMythili
SwarnamukhiSwarnamukhi
Ninaithen VandhaiSavithri
MoovendharVaidegi
PoonthottamSundari
SenthooramOtta Rosa (Megala)
Srimathi VellosthaArchanaTelugu
En Uyir Nee ThaaneJanakiTamil
Pudhumai PithanAarthi
1999ThodarumSeetha Anand
Kummi PaattuAmaravathi
Nee Varuvai EnaNandhiniNominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
OruvanNandhini
PremotsavaChandanaKannadaKannada Debut
Nilave Mugam KaattuKasthuriTamil
PaattaliSakunthala
ManikyamMeenakshiTelugu
2000VallarasuAnjali VallarasuTamil
AppuSeetha
Ennamma KannuGayathri
BharathiChellamal BharathiTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
ThenaliJalaja Kailash
Kannukku KannagaDevi
2001FriendsPadmini
En Purushan Kuzhandhai MaadhiriMaheswari
Vinnukum MannukumDevayani
AanandhamBharathiNominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
Ninaikkaadha NaalillaiKavitha
Sundara PurushanJyothika MenonMalayalam
Kottai MariammanRajeswariTamil
2002Vivaramana AaluPappu
AzhagiValarmathi ShanmughamITFA Best Supporting Actress Award
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Tamil
PanchathantiramNirmala
Thenkasi PattanamSangeetha
GuruvammaGuruvamma
SamasthanamDivya
Padai Veetu AmmanSamundi
Chennakesava ReddyChennakesava Reddy's sisterTelugu
2003KadhaludanKavithaTamilAlso producer
BheeshmarGowri Bheeshmar
BalettanRadhikaMalayalam
2004NaaniIndira DeviTeluguSimultaneously shot in Telugu and Tamil
NewIndiraTamil
SivaramNandhiniTelugu
GiriSuryaprakash's wifeTamil
Sema RagalaiDevi
Senthalam Poovae
SoumyamMalayalam
2005NaranJanaki
2009Aiyantham PadaiKalpana GunasekaranTamil
2010Oru Naal VarumRajalekshmiMalayalam
2011Sarkar ColonyPadmini Shivaramakrishnan
2013Thirumathi ThamizhJothiTamilAlso producer
2015SagapthamLakshmi
StrawberryShanthi Aadhiraj
2016Janatha GaragePrabha SathyamTelugu
2017My SchoolMahalakshmiMalayalam
2018Aravinda Sametha Veera RaghavaSugunaTelugu
EzhuminBharathiTamil
Kalavani MappillaiRajeswari
2019NTR: KathanayakuduAkkineni AnnapurnaTelugu
2021Love StoryMounica's motherTelugu
MadhagajaRathnammaKannada
2023AnuragamMercyMalayalam[18]
2024Devaki Nandana VasudevaDevakiTelugu
2025 Nizharkudai Jothi Tamil [19]
3BHKShanthi Vasudevanwinner Behindwoods gold icon Best lead role Female

Provoke Award Best Character artist Female

Kiss Daisy Marcus
Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television

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Serials

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YearSerialRoleLanguageChannel
2003–2009KolangalAbinaya(Abi)TamilSun TV
2007–2008Manjal MagimaiSoundarya/NeerajaKalaignar TV
2010–2011Kodi MullaiAnna Kodi/Malar KodiRaj TV
2011–2013MuthaaramRanjini Devi / SivaranjaniSun TV
2019–2020RasaathiIllavarasi Soundaravalli
2021–2022Pudhu Pudhu ArthangalLakshmiZee Tamil
2021SembaruthiAmman (Cameo)
2023MaariMuthupechi (Cameo)

Shows

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YearSerialRoleLanguageNotes
2015–2016Ugram Ujjwalam season 2JudgeMalayalamMazhavil Manorama
2016–2017Jodi Number OneTamilVijay TV
2017Junior Super Stars Season 2Zee Tamil
2022Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal Niraivu VizhaLakshmi

As director

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Short film

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YearFilmNotes Ref.
2024Kaikuttai Rani[20]

Awards and honours

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Year Award category Work Result
1996Tamil Nadu State Film Special Award for Best ActressKaadhal KottaiWon[21]
1997Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best ActressSurya VamsamWon[22]
2000BharathiWon
Kalaimamani Award by Tamil Nadu GovernmentContribution to Tamil CinemaWon[23]
2002ITFA Best Supporting Actress AwardAzhagiWon[24]
2004Pace Awards Best Television ActressKolangalWon[25]
Vivel Chinna Thirai Awards Best ActressNominated[26]
2007Tamil Nadu State Television Award for Best ActressWon[27]
2025Best Short Film for ChildrenKaikuttai RaniWon[28]

References

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  1. ↑ "Devayani latest interview: Actress shares the love story". Samayam Malayalam (in Malayalam). 28 April 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  2. ↑ "Instagram". Instagram.com. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
  3. ↑ "I never gave her a gift: Nakul". The Times of India. 5 August 2009. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014.
  4. ↑ "I want to earn a good name: Nakul". The Times of India. 18 March 2010. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014.
  5. ↑ "The Hindu: Tinsel to TV". The Hindu. 6 December 2003. Archived from the original on 30 May 2004.
  6. ↑ "Devayani's wedding". Tamil Movies. 19 April 2001. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008.
  7. ↑ "Taking care of children, my first priority: Devayani". Chennai Online. Archived from the original on 22 June 2012.
  8. ↑ "Former South Actress Devayani is Now a School Teacher". NDTV.com. 5 December 2014.
  9. ↑ "The Hindu: Cinema Plus / Columns: My first break – Devayani". The Hindu. 11 April 2008. Archived from the original on 13 April 2008.
  10. ↑ "Actress Devayani acted in Hindi, Bengali and Marathi films before making her Tamil debut". The Times of India. 21 May 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 "Actress Devayani Rajakumaran's Pictures With Daughters The Cutest Thing On Internet Today". 10 January 2024.
  12. ↑ "UnforgettableOnes: Actress Devayani". The Times of India. 25 May 2022.
  13. ↑ "Devayani's comeback in Thirumathi Thamizh". The Times of India. 15 January 2017.
  14. ↑ "Devayani Rajakumaran set to make her TV comeback with Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal; details inside". The Times of India. 9 March 2021.
  15. ↑ "Senior actress-Devyani-turns-school-teacher-for a-private-school". India Herald.
  16. ↑ "Devayani interview: On directing short film, 'Kaikuttai Rani', and how 'Kolangal' changed her life". The Hindu. 3 February 2025. Archived from the original on 5 February 2025. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  17. ↑ "Devayani's directorial debut 'Kaikuttai Rani' earns global reception". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  18. ↑ "Gautham Vasudev Menon's Malayalam Film Anuragam To Be Released On This Date". News18. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  19. ↑ M, Narayani (30 April 2025). "Nizhar Kudai Trailer: Devayani becomes entangled in a tale of love and longing". Cinema Express. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  20. ↑ "Devayani's Directorial Debut 'Kaikuttai Rani' Wins Best Short Film Award - Asian News from UK". Asianlite.com. 21 January 2025. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
  21. ↑ "Tamilnadu Government Cinema Awards". Dinakaran. Archived from the original on 3 February 1999. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  22. ↑ "Tamilnadu Government Cinema Awards". Dinakaran. Archived from the original on 3 February 1999. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  23. ↑ "Kalaimamani Awards Announced". The Hindu. 8 October 2000. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012.
  24. ↑ "Best Malaysian Tamil DVD VCD AUDIO Tamil Movies selling portal veenaimovies.com". Archived from the original on 4 July 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  25. ↑ "Devayani, Venu Aravind get awards". The Hindu. 20 September 2005. Archived from the original on 8 December 2006.
  26. ↑ "Winners List of Vivel Chinna Thirai Awards 2008". Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  27. ↑ "Tamil Nadu State Television Awards Announced: Best Actress Devayani". Dinamani. 20 September 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  28. ↑ "Actress Devayani's short film 'Kaikuttai Rani' wins award at Jaipur International Film Festival".
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