Jyothika

She debuted in Bollywood in the Hindi film Doli Saja Ke Rakhna, directed by Priyadarshan. She starred in her first Tamil film Vaali and her first Telugu film Tagore, opposite Chiranjeevi.

Jyothika received critical praise for playing a blind woman in Perazhagan, Alter-egos Chandramukhi and Ganga in Chandramukhi, A mute and deaf girl in Mozhi and a middle aged woman in 36 Vayadhinile. However, the turning point of her career came with the success of Vaali (1999) and Kushi (2000). At the peak of her career, she agreed to play the role of an antagonist in Pachaikili Muthucharam (2007).

She received her first Filmfare Awards for Vaali as Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut – South. She was awarded the Filmfare Best Tamil Actress Award for Kushi. A string of successful films followed and gained prominence for her performances in Kushi, Dhool, Thenali, Thirumalai, Dumm Dumm Dumm, Snegithiye, Kaaka Kaaka, Perazhagan, Chandramukhi, June R, Pachaikili Muthucharam, Mozhi and 36 Vayadhinile.

Jyothika left the industry at the peak of her career marrying actor Suriya on 11 September 2006, after being engaged in a relationship for several years, and with whom she was paired in seven films. She won three Filmfare Awards, three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, Dinakaran Awards, International Tamil Film Awards and other awards and nominations. She is also a recipient of the Kalaimamani Award.

She made a comeback in the film 36 Vayadhinile (2015), which received good reviews from the critics, especially for her performance and she received Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress for the movie. She became the first actress to win both Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Tamil and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress.