Padmapriya Janakiraman , better known mononymously as Padmapriya (Tamil: பத்மபிரியா) is an Indian film actress and model.
A classical Tamil bharatanatyam dancer,[1] Padmapriya made her acting debut in the Telugu-language film Seenu Vasanthi Lakshmi (2003), following which she appeared in a number of Malayalam and Tamil-language films alongside leading actors. In a span of 5 years, she has appeared in nearly 30 films in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi[1] and has received several major South Indian awards. She is probably best known for her critically acclaimed performances in the Malayalam-language films Kaazhcha, Karutha Pakshikal, Pazhassi Raja and the Tamil-language films Thavamai Thavamirundhu and Mirugam.
Early life
Padmapriya was born in Delhi into a Tamil Iyer family to Janakiraman, a brigadier in the Indian Army, and Vijaya and brought up in Punjab.[1][2]
She did her schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Trimulgherry, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh[1] and studied at Loyola Academy, Alwal, Secunderabad, from which she graduated with a B. Com degree.[3] Later, she pursued an MBA degree in finance at Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies, Bangalore. She was then working for GE Capital as a risk consultant in Bangalore and Gurgaon.[2] After GE she was with Symphony in Bangalore. During her free-time, she ventured into modelling, which would later pave her way to the film business and acting. She has also won Miss Andhra Pradesh in 2001.[1]
Classical dance
She has grown up to be a vibrant danseuse under the auspices of the famous guru Natya Brahma V. S. Ramamurthy. She has more than 200 public performances to her credit. Her Krishna Leela Ballet, where she performed the role of Lord Krishna for Hyderabad Doordarshan in 1990, is telecast even today on almost all Krishna Jayanti festivals and was specially chosen for the SAARC exchange program. She also featured in Nritya Rupam, an innovative choreography by Jayalakshmi Eshwar at Delhi, which was also specially telecast by Delhi Doordarshan.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Seenu Vasanthi Lakshmi | Vasanthi | Telugu | |
| Kaazhcha | Lakshmi Madhavan | Malayalam | Winner, Asianet Award for Best Female New Face of the Year | |
| Amrutham | Sainaba Gopinathan | Malayalam | ||
| 2005 | Thavamai Thavamirundhu | Vasanthi Ramalingam | Tamil | Winner, Filmfare Award for Best Debut Actress |
| Rajamanikyam | Malli | Malayalam | ||
| 2006 | Vadakkumnathan | Mira | Malayalam | Winner, Asianet Award for Best Actress also for Karutha Pakshikal |
| Pattiyal | Saroja | Tamil | ||
| Ashwaroodan | Sitalakshmi | Malayalam | ||
| Bhargava Charitham Moonam Khandam | Sophia | Malayalam | ||
| Karutha Pakshikal | Poongodi | Malayalam | Winner, Filmfare Best Malayalam Actress Award Winner , Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress also for Yes Your Honour Winner , Asianet Award for Best Actress also for Vadakkum Nathan | |
| Yes Your Honour | Maya Ravishankar | Malayalam | Winner, Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress also for Karutha Pakshikal | |
| 2007 | Anchil Oraal Arjunan | Pavithra | Malalyalam | |
| Veeralipattu | Pooja | Malayalam | ||
| Satham Podathey | Bhanumathi | Tamil | ||
| Paradesi | Usha | Malayalam | ||
| Naalu Pennungal | Kunnipennu | Malayalam | ||
| Time | Susan Mary Thomas | Malayalam | ||
| Mirugam | Azhagama Ayyanar | Tamil | Winner, Tamil Nadu State Film Special Award for Best Actress Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Actress | |
| 2008 | Pachamarathanalil | Anu Sachidanandan | Malayalam | Nominated, Filmfare Best Malayalam Actress Award |
| My Mother's Laptop | Payal | Malayalam | ||
| 2009 | Bharya Swantham Suhruthu | Sreelakshmi Vallabhan | Malayalam | |
| Pokkisham | Nadira | Tamil | Nominated, Filmfare Best Tamil Actress Award Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Actress | |
| Katha Parayum Theruvoram | Malayalam | |||
| Kana Kanmani | Maya Roy | Malayalam | ||
| Pazhassi Raja | Neeli | Malayalam | Winner, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress (Malayalam) | |
| Bhoomi Malayalam | Fousia | Malayalam | ||
| 2010 | Striker | Madhu | Hindi | |
| Irumbukkottai Murattu Singam | Pappali | Tamil | ||
| Andari Bhanduvaya | Paddu | Telugu | ||
| Thamassu | Dr. Shanthi | Kannada | ||
| Kutty Srank | Revamma | Malayalam | ||
| Charulathayude Baaki | Amritha | Malayalam | ||
| 2011 | Talkies | Malayalam | Filming | |
| Aparajitha | Kuhu | Bengali | Filming | |
| Seniors | Indhu | Malayalam | ||
| Aan Piranna Veedu | Malayalam | Filming | ||
| Achante Aanmakkal | Malayalam | Filming |
