# Nandini (TV series)

Nandini is an Indian Tamil-Kannada bilingual supernatural fantasy thriller drama series that aired on Sun TV and Udaya TV.
The first season of Nandini started in Tamil and Kannada languages. It aired from 23 January 2017 to 22 December 2018 on Sun TV and from 23 January 2017 to 22 February 2019 on Udaya TV for 589 episodes. It was produced by Sundar C under Avni Telemedia.The season starred Nithya Ram as in a dual role with played a titular character, along with Rahul Ravi, Malavika Wales, Adhitri Guruvayurappan and others in pivotal roles while actress Khusbhu appeared in an extended cameo role.
The Next Generation of Nandini started in Kannada language on Udaya TV from 25 February 2019 to 31 July 2020 for 381 episodes. It was produced by Ramesh Aravind Productions. This season stars Nithya Ram(later replaced by Chaya Singh), Vinay Gowda, Kavya Shastry, Rashmi, Bharath, Jayashree and Rekha Krishnappa in lead roles.
The Second part of Nandini titled as Jothi was aired from 29 May to 1 August 2021 in Tamil language on Sun TV for 13 episodes. This season stars Meghashree,Chandana Shetty and Vishnu Unnikrishnan in the lead roles.

## Plot
### Season 1

The serial's plot begins with a man called Rathnavel (Riyaz Khan) falling in love with Parvathy (Khushbu), an enigmatic shape-shifting serpent, and the two of them being married. Nandini and Ganga, two twin daughters, were born to her. Ganga acquired human qualities, whereas Nandini inherited snake qualities. Parvathy offers her spouse Ganga after transforming him into a transgender person in order to spare him from her clan's murderous intentions. Subsequently, Rathnavel loses all memory and hands Ganga over to Manickam, the royal housemaid. Manickam is childless and believes Ganga is his daughter, raising Ganga in the palace. Then, Rathnavel adopts the name "Seyanayagi" and keeps up his devotion to the deity Karuppar.
6 years later
Prior to Rajashekar(Vijayakumar) and his party arriving to capture the "Kala Chakras" for financial gain, Parvathy and Nandhini were leading a tranquil life as followers of Kaatu Amman with Muniappa and his family. One day, after tricking Parvathy and Muniappa's family, Rajashekar and his pals Namboothiri, Vichu, Kumar, and Madhavi killed Parvathy and stole the three kaal chakras. Parvathy requests Nandhini that she should kill every murderer along with their whole family and return the lost Kaal Chakras. In the Rajashekar's palace, where Ganga is present, Namboodhiri locked Nandhini in a snake pit.
14 years later
The country girl Janaki (Malavika Wales) captures the heart of Arun Rajashekar(Rahul Ravi), son of Rajashekar, who marries her. Although Kavitha, Janaki's friend, also loved Arun, she died from heartbreak as a result of Janaki and Arun's marriage. Kavitha's sister Bhairavi(Gayatri Jayaram) swears to get revenge for her sister's demise. Soon after, Arun moved to Malaysia, where his palace was occupied by his wife Janaki. Months later, she has labour pains and gives birth to a child. However, Dharmaraj murdered her because he wanted his daughter to wed Arun. Turning into a ghost, Janaki defends her family.
6 years later
Ganga (Nithya Ram), who has grown into a beautiful young woman, has been doing pujas for the snake pit for the last 14 years without realising that her own sister is locked inside. Ganga consents to marry Arun because Rajashekar wants her to, and she promises to raise Arun and Janaki's daughter Devasena well.
She performed pooja to the snake pit the night before her marriage, and when her blood fell accidentally on Nandhini, she emerged twenty years later and entered the Ganga's body to exact revenge for the murder of her mother. After Ganga marries Arun, she begins her revenge. She intended to murder Arun and Devasena in order to demonstrate to Rajashekar what it feels like to die, but the Janaki spirit intervenes to rescue them. She thus brilliantly kills Kumar, one of the murderers, when he arrives at the palace and attempts to grab the kala chakra, but ends in vain. Nandhini departs Ganga's body to avoid being seen, and Ganga tells the authorities that she murdered Kumar and went to prison to prevent Nandhini from entering her body. However, Namboodhiri saw through it and Ganga was freed from custody. After learning of Nandhini's fate, Ganga confronts Rajashekar and begs him to provide the Kaal Chakras, but he refuses and tries to murder Ganga. Seyanayagi, however, goes to rescue Ganga. Ganga has been receiving therapy for months.
One Week Later
Nandhini (Nithya Ram) assumed a female form on one Full Moon Day, and she resembles Ganga. Rajashekar, in the meanwhile, commands Bhairavi, a magician in need of Kaal chakras, to change into Ganga and come to the palace.
Then, Nandhini captures Bhairavi, murders Namboodhiri and Vichu, and enters the palace dressed as Ganga in order to look for kaal chakras. After disturbed from her tapasya, Madhavi (Rekha Krishnappa) makes preparations to murder Nandhini. However, Rajashekar begs for forgiveness as Ganga comes back. They quickly discover that Nandhini resembles Ganga.
A few days later, Nandhini murders Rajashekar, which led Ganga to believe wrong things about Nandhini. After attempting to kill Nandini, Ganga realises they both are sisters and therefore clasp hands with Nandini. However, destiny intervenes, causing them to battle again until Madhavi seizes all three kaal chakras and gives rebirth to Namboodhiri. They both go to the Kaatamman temple and trap Nandhini. However, their scheme is foiled when Ganga bestows Nandhini with the three kaal chakras.
After killing Namboodhiri and Madhavi, Nandhini triumphs. Then, contrary to Parvathy's assertion that she should kill the Rajashekar's family, Nandhini transforms as stone serpent to punish herself. Ganga is left in tears when Nandhini and her are split apart once again. Ganga becomes pregnant after that, and the family has a happy life. However, when they are split up and the Nandhini-Ganga link is unbreakable, the last episode focuses on their sisterhood.

## Cast and characters
### Season 1
#### Main

* Nithya Ram in a dual role as:
** Nandhini: Shakti Naagam, Rathnavel and Parvathy's oldest daughter, Muniappan's adopted daughter, Ganga's twin sister, and a shape-shifting serpent who exacts vengeance on the assassins who murdered her mother Parvathy
** Ganga Arun: the human component, Arun's second wife, Rajasekhar's daughter-in-law, Devasena's stepmother, and Rathnavel and Parvathy's younger daughter, Nandhini's twin
* Rahul Ravi as Arun Rajasekhar: Rajasekhar's son, Devasena and Janani's father, Ganga's spouse and Janaki's widower.
* Khushbu as Parvathi Rathnavel: a Shiva Naagam, the shape-shifting serpent, Rathnavel's wife, Nandhini, and Ganga's mother, was slain by assassins for the "Kaal Chakra". (Extended Cameo)
* Malavika Wales as:
** Janaki Arun: Arun's first wife, Spirit, was Devasena's mother.
** Malavika also portrayed as Seetha: the human element, Janaki's medium, Ganga's buddy, and Arun's fake wife. (Cameo)
* Adhithri Guruvayurappan as Devasena: Janaki and Arun's daughter, Rajasekhar's granddaughter, Ganga's step-daughter.

#### Recurring

* Riyaz Khan as Rathnavel Bhoopathi also known as Seiya Nayagi: Ganga and Nandhini's father and Paravathy's husband.
* Vijayakumar as Rajashekar: Father of Arun and Malathy. He was one of the murderers who seeks "Kaal Chakra", and killed Parvathy and then killed by Nandhini.
* Gayatri Jayaraman as Bhairavi: She was a magician who helped Nandhini in finding the Kaal Chakras.
* Vanishree / Rekha Krishnappa as Madhavi: She was one of the murderers who seeks "Kaal Chakra", and killed Parvathy and then killed by Nandhini.
* Narasimha Raju as Muniappa: Parvathy's henchman, Nandhini's guardian and Gayatri's father, killed by Madhavi.
* Vinod as Namboothiri: A priest, He was one of the murderers who seeks "Kaal Chakra", and killed Parvathy and then killed by Nandhini; Madhavi's brother
* Shreya Anchan as Gayathri/Sandhya: Muniappan and Lakshmi's daughter, Nandhini and Ganga's cousin sister who attempts a revenge against the murderers who killed Parvathy, then killed by Naagananthian
* Vichu Vishwanath as Vichu: He was one of the murderers who seeks "Kaal Chakra", and killed Parvathy and then killed by Nandhini; Rajasekhar's business partner
* K. S. G. Venkatesh as Maanikam: Rajasekhar's henchman, Ganga's adoptive father
* Vijayalakshmi / Kanya Bharathi as Devi: Annapoorani and Rajasekhar's first younger sister, Arun's aunt; Eshwaran's wife and Shanthi's mother
* Meena Vemuri as Leela: Annapoorani and Rajasekhar's second younger sister, Arun's aunt; Dharmaraj's wife, Moorthy and Maya's mother
* Sachu as Annapoorani: Rajasekhar's elder sister, Arun's aunt
* Padmini Jagadeesh as Manju, Annapoorani and Rajasekhar's third younger sister, Arun's aunt and Kumar's wife
* Kavitha as Selva Rani: Rajasekhar's second wife, Arun's step mother
* Swetha as Malathi: Rajasekhar and Selva Rani's daughter, Arun's younger sister and Moorthy's wife
* Kiran as Moorthy: Leela and Dharmaraj's son, Maya's brother, Arun's cousin, Gayatri's ex-fiancé and Malathi's husband
* Niranjan BS as Suresh: Ramya's lover
* Sri Ganesh as Eshwaran: Devi's husband and Shanthi's father
* Keerthi Jai Dhanush as Maya: Leela and Dharmaraj's daughter, Moorthy's Sister and Arun's cousin
* Bhanuprakash as Kumar: Manju's husband
* Ramesh Pandit as Dharmaraj: Leela's husband, Moorthy and Maya's father
* Gracey as Lakshmi: Muniappa's wife and Gayatri's mother
* Deepa Nethran as Raadha: Gayatri's adoptive mother
* Shabnam as Ramya: Manju and Kumar's daughter, Arun's ex-fiancé
* Shanmugarajan / Mahanadi Shankar as Sathyanarayanan: Selva Rani's younger brother
* Rani as Mallika: Sathyanarayanan's wife
* Girish as Kumar: He was one of the murderers who seeks "Kaal Chakra", killed Parvathy and then killed by Nandhini
* Mohammed Mastan Naga as Naganandiyan: Parvathy's elder brother, shape shifting serpent
* Ramesh Kannan as Nagavanchiyan
* Rudrachand as Shenbagachezhiyan
* V.S.Jayanthi as Chellamma
* Nanditha Ghosh as Kavitha: Bhairavi's younger sister
* Kousalya Senthamarai as Ranganayaki
* Kalairani as Naachiyaaramma: magician
* Anu Mohan as Neelakanthan
* Manjula Paritala as Shanthi: Devi and Eshwaran's daughter
* Thameem Ansari as Balaji: Arun's friend
* Sivakumar as Dr. Siva
* Swarna Ramakrishnan as Meenakshi
* Ram Rajesh as an Icchadhari Snake
* Vijaya Durga as Chamundi: Witch who seeks "Kaal Chakra", killed by Janaki
* Baba Lakshman as Janaki's father, killed by Bhairavi

#### Special appearances

* Yuvina Parthavi as young Gayatri
* Manjula Vijayakumar as Manjula: Rajasekhar's first wife and Arun's mother (posthumous photographic appearance only)
* Singampuli as himself
* Vaiyapuri as himself
* Sudha Raghunathan as herself

### Season 2

* Nithya Ram / Chaya Singh as Nandini and Janani (dual role)
* Vinay Gowda as Virat
* Kavya Shastry as Devasena and Trishala (dual role)
* Rashmi as Neeli
* Bharath as Ashtavakra
* Jayashree as Sharabha
* Anu Poovamma
* Rekha Krishnappa
* Riyaz Khan as Ranganayaki / Krishnamoorthi Bhoopathi
* Rahul Ravi as Arun Rajasekhar (Cameo appearance)
* Ramesh Aravind as Narrator

## Reception
### Season 1

In week 42 of 2017 and the following week, the show was at first position. In week 52 of 2018, it was at first position with 18.47 million impressions.

### Season 2

Even though the season had good TRP in its initial days, it began to drop after COVID-19 break and the show went off-air on 31 July 2020.