Actor Nayanthara is one of the biggest and most popular stars in Tamil cinema. While almost everyone is aware of her impressive body of work, not many know that she was not the first choice for the movie Ayya, which marked her Kollywood debut
Speaking to Behindwoods, Navya Nair-- the star of Kannada films such as Boss and Drushya -- said that she was offered the film but decided against taking it up to concentrate on other professional commitments. The makers subsequently decided to cast the future 'Lady Superstar' and the rest is history.
Ayya, which hit the screens in 2005, was an action drama that featured Sharath Kumar in a double role and revolved around the journey of a veteran politician. It did reasonably well at the Chennai box office, receiving praise from the masses. The Oru Vaarthai song, composed by Bharadwaj, became quite popular. The film was dubbed in Telugu as Maa Daivam Peddayana.
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Post Ayya, Nayanthara carved a niche for herself in Kollywood with films such as Chandramukhi and Ghajini. It was, however, the 2015 release Maya that helped her add a new dimension to her career. The female-centric horror drama emerged as a hit and proved that she was a box office draw.
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'Thalaivi' went on to star in films such as Dora, Aramm, Imaikka Nodigal and Kolamavu Kokila, emerging as a bankable name. She also made an impact in Telugu cinema with Simha, Adhurs, and the Chiranjeevi-starrer Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy. She also acted in Malayalam films such as Bhaskar the Rascal and Dileep's Bodyguard. Nayan will soon be seen in the Siva-directed Annaatthe, featuring Rajinikanth in the lead. It is likely to hit the screens later this year. The cast includes Jagapathi Babu, Keerthy Suresh, Meena and Khushboo.
She also has Netrikann and Kaathu Vaakula Rendu Kaadhal in her kitty. The films are likely to be released once the Covid-19 situation improves.