# Devayani (actress)

Devayani Rajakumaran (née Jayadev; born 22 June 1974) is an Indian actress known for her works primarily in Tamil films. She also appears in few Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali.
She has received for the Best Actress 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).She is one of the successful actress in 90s.She won various accolades for her contribution to cinema and TV. She won twice time Sun tv award and a Zee Tamil award for serials. She won lifetime achievement award in 2017 and 2022.
Devayani has directed a short film named ‘Kaikuttai Rani’.

## Personal life

Devayani was born on 22 June 1974 in Mumbai, Maharashtra to a Konkani father from Mangalore and a Malayali mother. She has two younger brothers Nakkhul and Mayur. The former is working as an actor and singer in the Tamil film industry, while the latter would also make his acting debut in an upcoming film.
She dated director Rajakumaran, with whom she had worked on a few films for several years. Both their parents did not approve of their relationship, which led the couple to elope, and marry privately on 9 April 2001. They have two daughters, Iniya and Priyanka.

## Career

Devayani began her career in the Hindi film Koyal, which was later cancelled during its production stage. She later appeared in Bengali film Shaat Ponchomi (1993). 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. The movie was successful in establishing Devayani as the most successful actress in South Indian Cinema. Devayani, later, appeared in many films opposite several renowned names in the film industry.
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.
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.
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. Later, she slowly took up the role of mother.

## Filmography

List of Devayani film credits :
| Year | Title | Role | Language | Notes |
| 1993 | Shaat Ponchomi | | Bengali | Credited as Sushma |
| 1993 | Dhusar Godhuli | Moulika | Bengali | Credited as Koel |
| 1994 | Kinnaripuzhayoram | Indhu | Malayalam | Malayalam Debut |
| 1995 | Achan Rajavu Appan Jethavu | Alice | Malayalam | |
| 1995 | Three Men Army | Shubha | Malayalam | |
| 1995 | Kakkakum Poochakkum Kalyanam | Latha.S.Pillai | Malayalam | |
| 1995 | Dil Ka Doctor | Dolly | Hindi | Credited as Koyal and Hindi cinema debut |
| 1995 | Thotta Chinungi | Ramya | Tamil | Tamil Debut |
| 1996 | Kalloori Vaasal | Nivetha | Tamil | |
| 1996 | Chhota Sa Ghar | Vidya | Hindi | Credited as Koyal |
| 1996 | Kadhal Kottai | Kamali | Tamil | Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil |
| 1996 | Poomani | Vijaya | Tamil | |
| 1996 | Sivasakthi | Guest Appearance | Tamil | |
| 1996 | Mahathma | Saraswathi | Malayalam | |
| 1996 | Kinnam Katta Kallan | Anju | Malayalam | |
| 1996 | Mr. Clean | Nirmala | Malayalam | |
| 1996 | Kaathil Oru Kinnaram | Megha | Malayalam | |
| 1996 | Ajay | Anjali | Hindi | |
| 1997 | Vivasaayi Magan | Jyothi | Tamil | |
| 1997 | Kaadhali | Soubhagyavathi | Tamil | |
| 1997 | Periya Idathu Mappillai | Lakshmi | Tamil | |
| 1997 | Surya Vamsam | Nandhini | Tamil | Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil |
| 1998 | Suswagatham | Sandhya | Telugu | Telugu Debut |
| 1998 | Kizhakkum Merkkum | Malli | Tamil | |
| 1998 | Marumalarchi | Jayanthi | Tamil | |
| 1998 | Udhavikku Varalaamaa | Mythili | Tamil | |
| 1998 | Swarnamukhi | Swarnamukhi | Tamil | |
| 1998 | Ninaithen Vandhai | Savithri | Tamil | |
| 1998 | Moovendhar | Vaidegi | Tamil | |
| 1998 | Poonthottam | Sundari | Tamil | |
| 1998 | Senthooram | Otta Rosa (Megala) | Tamil | |
| 1998 | Srimathi Vellostha | Archana | Telugu | |
| 1998 | En Uyir Nee Thaane | Janaki | Tamil | |
| 1998 | Pudhumai Pithan | Aarthi | Tamil | |
| 1999 | Thodarum | Seetha Anand | Tamil | |
| 1999 | Kummi Paattu | Amaravathi | Tamil | |
| 1999 | Nee Varuvai Ena | Nandhini | Tamil | Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil |
| 1999 | Oruvan | Nandhini | Tamil | |
| 1999 | Premotsava | Chandana | Kannada | Kannada Debut |
| 1999 | Nilave Mugam Kaattu | Kasthuri | Tamil | |
| 1999 | Paattali | Sakunthala | Tamil | |
| 1999 | Manikyam | Meenakshi | Telugu | |
| 2000 | Vallarasu | Anjali Vallarasu | Tamil | |
| 2000 | Appu | Seetha | Tamil | |
| 2000 | Ennamma Kannu | Gayathri | Tamil | |
| 2000 | Bharathi | Chellamal Bharathi | Tamil | Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil |
| 2000 | Thenali | Jalaja Kailash | Tamil | |
| 2000 | Kannukku Kannaga | Devi | Tamil | |
| 2001 | Friends | Padmini | Tamil | |
| 2001 | En Purushan Kuzhandhai Maadhiri | Maheswari | Tamil | |
| 2001 | Vinnukum Mannukum | Devayani | Tamil | |
| 2001 | Aanandham | Bharathi | Tamil | Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil |
| 2001 | Ninaikkaadha Naalillai | Kavitha | Tamil | |
| 2001 | Sundara Purushan | Jyothika Menon | Malayalam | |
| 2001 | Kottai Mariamman | Rajeswari | Tamil | |
| 2002 | Vivaramana Aalu | Pappu | Tamil | |
| 2002 | Azhagi | Valarmathi Shanmugham | Tamil | ITFA Best Supporting Actress Award Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Tamil |
| 2002 | Panchathantiram | Nirmala | Tamil | |
| 2002 | Thenkasi Pattanam | Sangeetha | Tamil | |
| 2002 | Guruvamma | Guruvamma | Tamil | |
| 2002 | Samasthanam | Divya | Tamil | |
| 2002 | Padai Veetu Amman | Samundi | Tamil | |
| 2002 | Chennakesava Reddy | Chennakesava Reddy's sister | Telugu | |
| 2003 | Kadhaludan | Kavitha | Tamil | Also producer |
| 2003 | Bheeshmar | Gowri Bheeshmar | Tamil | |
| 2003 | Balettan | Radhika | Malayalam | |
| 2004 | Naani | Indira Devi | Telugu | Simultaneously shot in Telugu and Tamil |
| 2004 | New | Indira | Tamil | Simultaneously shot in Telugu and Tamil |
| 2004 | Sivaram | Nandhini | Telugu | |
| 2004 | Giri | Suryaprakash's wife | Tamil | |
| 2004 | Sema Ragalai | Devi | Tamil | |
| 2004 | Senthalam Poovae | | Tamil | |
| 2004 | Soumyam | | Malayalam | |
| 2005 | Naran | Janaki | Malayalam | |
| 2009 | Aiyantham Padai | Kalpana | Tamil | |
| 2010 | Oru Naal Varum | Rajalekshmi | Malayalam | |
| 2011 | Sarkar Colony | Padmini | Malayalam | |
| 2013 | Thirumathi Thamizh | Jothi | Tamil | Also producer |
| 2015 | Sagaptham | Lakshmi | Tamil | |
| 2015 | Strawberry | Shanthi | Tamil | |
| 2016 | Janatha Garage | Prabha Sathyam | Telugu | |
| 2017 | My School | Mahalakshmi | Malayalam | |
| 2018 | Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava | Suguna | Telugu | |
| 2018 | Ezhumin | Bharathi | Tamil | |
| 2018 | Kalavani Mappillai | Rajeswari | Tamil | |
| 2019 | NTR: Kathanayakudu | Akkineni Annapurna | Telugu | |
| 2021 | Love Story | Mounica's mother | Telugu | |
| 2021 | Madhagaja | Rathnamma | Kannada | |
| 2023 | Anuragam | Mercy | Malayalam | |
| 2024 | Devaki Nandana Vasudeva | Devaki | Telugu | |
| 2025 | Genie † | TBA | Tamil | Filming |
Key :
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |

## Television
### Serials

| Year | Serial | Role | Language | Channel |
| 2003–2009 | Kolangal | Abinaya(Abi) | Tamil | Sun TV |
| 2007–2008 | Manjal Magimai | Soundarya/Neeraja | Tamil | Kalaignar TV |
| 2010–2011 | Kodi Mullai | Anna Kodi/Malar Kodi | Tamil | Raj TV |
| 2011–2013 | Muthaaram | Ranjini Devi / Sivaranjani | Tamil | Sun TV |
| 2019–2020 | Rasaathi | Illavarasi Soundaravalli | Tamil | Sun TV |
| 2021–2022 | Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal | Lakshmi | Tamil | Zee Tamil |
| 2021 | Sembaruthi | Amman (Cameo) | Tamil | Zee Tamil |
| 2023 | Maari | Muthupechi (Cameo) | Tamil | Zee Tamil |

### Shows

| Year | Serial | Role | Language | Notes |
| 2015–2016 | Ugram Ujjwalam season 2 | Judge | Malayalam | Mazhavil Manorama |
| 2016–2017 | Jodi Number One | Judge | Tamil | Vijay TV |
| 2017 | Junior Super Stars Season 2 | Judge | Tamil | Zee Tamil |
| 2022 | Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal Niraivu Vizha | Lakshmi | Tamil | Zee Tamil |

## Awards and honours

| Year | Award Category | Work | Result |
| 1996 | Tamil Nadu State Film Special Award for Best Actress | Kaadhal Kottai | Won |
| 1997 | Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress | Surya Vamsam | Won |
| 2000 | Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress | Bharathi | Won |
| 2000 | Kalaimamani Award by Tamil Nadu Government | Contribution to Tamil Cinema | Won |
| 2002 | ITFA Best Supporting Actress Award | Azhagi | Won |
| 2004 | Pace Awards Best Television Actress | Kolangal | Won |
| 2004 | Vivel Chinna Thirai Awards Best Actress | Kolangal | Nominated |
| 2007 | Tamil Nadu State Television Award for Best Actress | Kolangal | Won |