Showing all artists born at Thiruvalla

Diana Mariam Kurian, best known by her stage name Nayantara, is an Indian film actress, who has appeared in Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil films. After several commercial successes such as Chandramukhi, Ghajini, Billa and Yaaradi Nee Mohini, she has established herself as one of the leading contemporary actresses in Tamil cinema.

She studied in various parts of India (Bangalore, Gujarat, Delhi and Kerala), as her father was an Indian Air Force official. She is a Syrian Christian by birth. She did her schooling at the prestigious Kendriya Vidyalaya schools in north India and then attended Marthoma College in Tiruvalla for her Bachelors degree in English Literature. She is a native of Tiruvalla, Pathanamthitta district..

Nayan was spotted when she was still in college by director Satyan Anthikkad, who cast her opposite Jayaram in the 2003 Malayalam film Manassinakkare. Later, she co-starred alongside Mohanlal in Natturajavu and in Fazils Vismayathumbathu. She was also cast with Megastar Mammootty in Thaskaraveeran and Raapakal.

She subsequently started appearing in Tamil and Telugu films. 2005, she was cast opposite Sarath Kumar in Ayya, debuting in the Tamil film industry, and followed it up with Chandramukhi. The comedy horror film, in which she starred alongside Rajinikanth, became one of the most successful Tamil films in history, running for over 700 days in theatres, turning Nayantara eventually into one of the most-sought after actresses in Tamil. Later that year her third Tamil film, A. R. Murugadoss Ghajini released, where she played a secondary female character, which again was a commercially highly successful venture. She then made her debut in Telugu, starring in the film Lakshmi, following which she performed in Boss, alongside Venkatesh and Nagarjuna, respectively. She regained her star billing in Kollywood acting opposite Ajith Kumar in the Vishnuvardhan-directed Billa. The gangster film, a remake of the same-titled 1980 Tamil film, went on to become a blockbuster success at the box office.

In 2008 she had five releases, four of which in Tamil. Her first release, the family entertainer Yaaradi Nee Mohini was one of the highest grossing Tamil films of the year, besides receiving seven nominations at the 56th Filmfare Awards South, including a Best Actress nomination for Nayantara for her portrayal of Keerthi. Her subsequent releases, however, Kuselan opposite Rajnikanth, Sathyam opposite Vishal, Aegan opposite Ajith Kumar and Villu opposite Vijay were all unsuccessful. Her only successful release in 2009 was Aadhavan with Surya which released in October 2009, and become one of the few hits of 2009 which ran for 100 days.

Her 2010 releases, Bodyguard in Malayalam and Adurs and Simha in Telugu, all proved to be successful. Her forthcoming films include Boss Engira Bhaskaran with Tamil actor Arya and acclaimed director Shyamaprasads Malayalam film entitled Electra. She is also making a glamorous debut into the Kannada film industry opposite huge star Upendra. 

While shooting for her Tamil film Vallavan, she was romantically linked with the film's director and co-actor Silambarasan Rajendar. She initially denied the reports. In November 2006, however, she confirmed that she and Silambarasan had broken up, going on to add that she will not work with him again. 

During the making, in 2008, and after the release of her film Villu, reports suggested that she was in a relationship with its director Prabhu Deva, with some sources even claiming that both had married secretly in June 2009. She had tattooed his name on her wrist, and began appearing with him in public, while keeping silence and refusing to comment about the issue, neither denying nor confirming the relationship. In September 2010 then, Prabhu Deva openly confessed his love for Nayantara and further stated that he would marry her soon. The issue soon gained media attention and turned into a controversy, since Prabhu Deva was already married and not divorced yet, with his wife Ramalath, unwilling to agree for a divorce, filing a petition at the family court, seeking directions against her husband and Nayantara from marrying, attending functions together and receiving awards as husband and wife and requesting a reunion with him. Furthermore, Ramalath threatened to go on hunger strike, if Prabhu Deva married Nayantara, while several women's organizations also conducted protests against Nayantara for "bringing disrepute to Tamil culture", burning an effigy of her. In 2012, Nayantara confirmed that she had ended her relationship with Prabhu Deva.

On 7 August 2011, she converted to Hinduism at the Arya Samaj Temple in Chennai. She went through Shuddhi Karma, a procedure involving a Vedic purification and a Homam where Nayan chanted the hymns from Veda and Gayatri Mantra under the guidance of the priest. After the purification ceremony, a Certificate of Conversion to Hinduism was issued to her and her stage name, Nayantara, became her official name. After breaking up with Prabhu Deva, she later reconverted back to Christianity, and says she has peace of mind after converting back to her own faith

Rajeev Govinda Pillai is an Indian film actor from Malayalam cinema. Rajeev rose to stardom with Celebrity Cricket League. His acting debut was in the movie City of God (2011).

Pillai is originally a dentist, the fashion bug bit him while doing his masters in London. After leaving dentistry he left for Mumbai to follow a career in fashion. His successful run in the fashion industry motivated many Kerala youth to take up modelling as he is still considered as one of the pioneers in the industry from Kerala. In 2011 he debuted in movies with Lijo Jose Pellissery's City of God (2011 film) as one of the leads. It was his 32nd audition which eventually gave him success. His upcoming films are Oru Muthassi Gada and tamil movie 7 naatkal.

Meera Jasmine (born as Jasmine Mary Joseph) is an Indian actress from Thiruvalla, Kerala, who appears in South Indian cinema. She won the National Film Award for Best Actress in 2004 and is a two-time recipient of the Kerala State Film Award, the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards,  as well as the Kalaimamani Award from the government of Tamil Nadu.

Meera Jasmine was born in a Syrian Christian family in Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India, to Joseph and Aleyamma. She completed her schooling in Bala Vihar, Thiruvalla and Marthoma Residential School, Thiruvalla. She appeared for her Higher Secondary Exams in March 2000. She had enrolled for a BSc degree in Zoology at Assumption College, Changanassery and completed nearly three months when she was spotted by director Blessy (who was then an assistant director to director Lohithadas) and offered a role in Soothradharan.

Meera Jasmine made her debut in the Malayalam film Soothradharan.  Her second film was Gramaphone, directed by Kamal, in which she appeared alongside Navya Nair and Dileep.  Her role as a Jewish girl was appreciated by Malayalam critics. Her third film was Swapnakkoodu, a romantic comedy alongside Prithviraj, Kunchako Boban, Jayasurya, and Bhavana under director Kamal. Her performance was appreciated and the film was a high commercial success. Among the five main characters, the one who scored the most was again Meera. She rose to fame in Malayalam cinema with the film Kasthooriman directed by her mentor Lohithadas, in which she enacted comedy and sentimental scenes. She received her first Filmfare award for her performance in Kasthooriman. The film was also a success at the box office, running for 100 days. The same year, she acted in T. V. Chandran's acclaimed Padam Onnu Oru Vilapam. She played a 15-year-old Muslim girl who was forced to marry an older man, for which she was awarded a State Award and the National Award in addition with several other awards. It was followed by her performance as Raziya in Perumazhakkalam alongside Kavya Madhavan.

Meera Jasmine's Tamil film entry made her a well-known star in the South. The successes of the Tamil film Run and Bala (2002) gave her the chance to work with the established actors of the Tamil film industry. She won the Filmfare Best Female Debut Actress award for Run. The success of the films led her to work with directors such as Mani Ratnam in Aayutha Ezhuthu and SS Stanley in Mercury Pookkal. Her latest Tamil film, Mambattiyan got released in December 2011. Meera has acted in 15 Tamil films.

Samyuktha Varma is an Indian film actress best known for her work in Malayalam cinema.  She made her debut as the heroine in Sathyan Anthikkad's Veendum Chila Veettukaryangal (1999). Then she acted in several Malayalam feature films and received two Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress. After a 3-year long career, she left the industry after her marriage to actor Biju Menon.

She was born in the year November 26, 1979 to Ravi Varma and Uma Varma and belongs to the Nedumpuram Palace clan in Tiruvalla, Kerala. She hails from Thrissur, had never thought of becoming an actress although her aunt Urmila Unni had already been recognised as an accomplished actress, active in both Cinema and Teleserials in Malayalam. Her parents are settled in Thrisur and got a younger sister named Sanghamitra Varma. She had also learnt dancing, but had no plans to become a professional dancer either. When she was studying at Sree Kerala Varma college, Thrissur, she got the offer to do the female lead role in Veendum Chila Veettukaaryangal.

Film career

Samyukta Varma’s three-year movie career saw her playing a string of strong characters.  Samyuktha did so well that her first movie Veendum Chila Veetukaryangal hit the theatres (in 1999) and the audience did not ever feel that the girl doing the lead role was a miscast. But hit-maker Joshi's Vazhunnor, released in 1999 itself, proved all speculations wrong. In 1999 Samyuktha Varma being cast in her third film, Chandranudikkunna Dikkil by Lal Jose, in which she was one of the two heroines, the other being debutante Kavya Madhavan. And also in the cast was Biju Menon, co-starring with whom in two of her later films, Samyuktha was to give scintillating performances. The year 2000 was not very fruitful to Samyuktha. Her second film opposite Jayaram, Nadanpennum Naattupramaaniyum of director Rajasenan, though the film appealed very much to Rajasenan's fans, it did not do much good business at the box office.

And then came a film that could be perhaps one of Samyuktha's most ambitious ventures. She was cast for the first time opposite National Award–winning superstar Mohanlal in hit-maker Fazil's home production Life is Beautiful. The film grossed average. Director Mohan's Angane Oru Avadhikaalaththu, in which Samyuktha was cast opposite Sreenivasan, offered her as well etched out role, which she did to perfection.

Then Samyuktha Verma stunned the audience with real scintillating and sensitive performances in three of her films. The first was Mazha, noted director Lenin Rajendran's film based on a short story by noted writer Madhavikutty. Samyuktha won accolades as Bhadra, a young girl caught between two worlds-one full of romantic dreams, poetry and music, and the other replete with bitter and harsh realities. Lost between these two worlds, Bhadra was indeed a well etched out role for Samyuktha and she did full justice to her role.

Then came Kamal's Madhuranombarakaattu, in which she was again cast opposite Biju Menon as Priyamvada, who finds that life for her is an unending war against fate which has nothing but sorrows in store for her. This again was a really sensitive role. Along with Madhuranombarakaattu, Swayamvarapanthal was released, directed by national award-winning filmmaker Harikumar. As Priya opposite Jayaram, Samyuktha lived in the role of an insane girl with a haunting past.

Though Samyuktha Varma did really wonderful work of her different roles, commercial success went on eluding her films. Her films in 2000, from Naadanpennum Naattupramaaniyum to Swayamvarapanthal, all were flops. But the year ended on a promising note for this young actress, as far as the commercial aspect is concerned. Rafi-Mecartin's Thenkasi Pattanam, in which she is one of the three heroines, did well and was a super hit. Starring opposite Suresh Gopi, Samyuktha dons the role of Meenakshi, a character that is more of a lighter vein compared to her earlier characters. Her next movie Meghasandesham did not do well in the box office. Rajasenan's horror movie with Suresh Gopi, newcomer Rajshri Nair and Abhirami too in the cast was a flop.

Her most noted characters are-that of Bhadra in Mazha and that of Priyamvada in Madhuranombarakaattu.

Personal life

She acted in several Malayalam feature films and retired from her profession after her marriage to actor Biju menon on 21 November 2002. The couple have a son Dhaksh Dharmik who was born on 14 September 2006.

While on tour in the United States in 2002, Varma was on a flight to New York. Before landing, a few passengers heard her father, Ravi Varma, pointing out the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and other buildings in Malayalam. One of the passengers got suspicious and alerted a flight attendant. The plane was escorted to La Guardia Airport by two fighter jets. The family, two others in their group and one unconnected man were questioned by the Joint Terrorism Task Force for approximately five hours before being released. After the incident, Varma said, "At first I thought I would never want to come to America again, I was so scared, but the police were very nice to us. They made sure we were comfortable and they treated us well. America is good country, and I understand people are afraid of people who look different."