# Karthigai Deepam (TV series)

Karthigai Deepam is a 2022 Indian Tamil language television series having two seasons. The first season of the series starred Arthika and Karthik Raj (both in the titular role). and Arthika played in a dual role. It premiered in Zee Tamil on 5 December 2022 and ended on 9 November 2024. The storyline of the serial is taken from Zee Bangla's TV series Krishnakoli however it has a different narration.
After a 6-month leap, it continues as the second season of the series starring Karthik Raj with Vaishnavi Satheesh in the female lead.

## Series overview

| Series | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released |
| Series | Episodes | Episodes | First released | Last released |
| 1 | 659 | 659 | 5 December 2022 (2022-12-05) | 9 November 2024 (2024-11-09) |
| 2 | 1+ | 1+ | 11 November 2024 (2024-11-11) | TBD |

## Plot
### Season 1

The story revolves around Deepa (Arthika) a young, poor, dusky girl, who faces discrimination because of her skin color. However, she is a very talented singer and sets out on a journey, to create an own identity for herself. She believes that her complexion is akin to Lord Kartikeyan's complexion. Unexpectedly due to evils plans she's forced to marry Karthikeyan alias Karthik (Karthik Raj) a good-hearted and a business man. After Deepa's marriage, her life changes after marriage when she goes on to make a career in music. Deepa changes her life drastically. Eventually Karthik's mother Abhirami Nacchiyar (Meera Krishna) as her daughter-in-law but, later she understands her Innocence and she accepts her and gradually Karthik and Deepa fall in love with each other.
As per Deepa's wish Abhirami arranges Remarriage for Karthik and Deepa. During their marriage Deepa gets kidnapped by Ramya (Nanditha Jennifer) and Riya (Mounika) but Deepa escapes from the duo but while escaping Aishwarya (Chandini Prakash) push her off the hills and Deepa gets into coma and losses her memory. Karthik, begin to search her with help of Geetha (Arthika) who is the doppelganger of Deepa and a prisoner. Karthik organize a concert and he promises to his mother and Deepa's family that he will definitely brings deepa and make her to sing in concert. Aishwarya also arrives to kill deepa, but finally she gets arrested. Deepa also arrived with help of nurse Shakthi and Orphanage members.
Miraculously, deepa regains her memory and starts to sing in concert. After so, many hurdles and struggles finally Karthik and Deepa gets reunited but, unfortunately, Deepa dies and her sudden demise shatters Karthik. And finally it shows at Deepa's graveyard Karthik and Deepa's family members along with Geetha shares their condolences and Geetha also released from jail with help of Karthik and he says to Geetha the Good memories and Happiness that he gained from Deepa is enough for his life. And the story takes, a 6-month leap.

### Season 2

6 months later, after Deepa's death Karthik (Karthik Raj) moves to his native village, along with his brothers Anand and Arun and now currently stays with his grandparents Raja Sethupathi (Vijayakumar) and Parameshwari (Vadivukkarasi). Now Karthik assumes the role of a servant for Chamundeshwari (Reshma Pasupuleti), who supposed to be Karthik's aunt in order to get their family reunited. Also, circumstances brings Karthik and Revathi (Vaishnavi Sateesh) together. Will Chamundeshwari come to know about Karthik's reality?

## Cast
### Season 1
#### Main

* Arthika in a dual role as:
** Deepa Karthik alias Pallavi: Karthik's dead wife. (2022-2024)
** Geetha: A businesswoman; Deepa's lookalike. (2024)
* Karthik Raj as Karthikeyan Arunachalam alias Karthik: Deepa's husband. (2022-2024)

#### Recurring

* Meera Krishna as Abhirami Nachiyaar Arunachalam: Karthik, Anand and Arun's mother. (2022-2024)
* Madhu Mohan as Arunachalam: Karthik, Anand and Arun's father. (2022-2024)
* Rajesh as Dharmalingam: Deepa's father. (2022-2024) (Dead)
* Tamil Selvi as Janaki: Deepa's mother. Dharmalingam's wife (2022-2024)
* Riya Choudhary as Meenakshi: Anand's wife.(2022-2024)
* Nimesh Sagar as Anandakumar alias Anand Arunachalam: Abhirami and Arunachalam's eldest son. (2022-2024)
* Ayub VJ as Arunkumar alias Arun Arunachalam: Abhirami and Arunachalam's second eldest son. (2022-2024)
* Vandhana Michael → Shubha Raksha → Chandini Prakash as Aishwarya: Arun's wife. (2022-2024)
* Reshmaa as Mythili Dharmalingam's daughter-in-law; Deepa's sister-in-law. (2022-2024)
* Sathya Sudha as Dharmalingam's son; Deepa's brother. (2022)
* Sri Varshan Chinraj as Dharmalingam's son. (2022-2024)
* Indran as Raja: Karthik's best friend. (2023-2024)
* Dinesh Gopalsamy as Shivakumar alias Shiva: Abhirami's Arch- Rival. (2022-2023)
* "Adhu Idhu Edhu" Diwakar as Rajkumar alias Raju: Shiva's sidekick. (2022-2023)
* Sharmila Thapa as Thilaga: Abhirami's house-maid. (2022-2023)
* Vichithra as Rajashree: A village president; Roopashree's mother. (2022-2023)
* Janani Deva → Megna Jayakrishnaraj as Roopashree: Rajashree's daughter. (2022-2024)
* Pondy Ravi as Thungaa: Geetha's Arch-Rival. (Dead) (2024)
* Unkonown as Nurse Shakthi (2024)
* Mohan Raman as Chidhambaram: Karthik's enemy. (2023-2024)
* Saravanan → Mahesh Prabha as Inspector Saravanavel: Karthik's friend. (2023-2024)
* Smriti Kashyap as Nakshathra: Karthik's ex-fiancé. (2022-2023)
* Mounika Subramanyam as Riya: Anand's fake wife. (2024) (Dead)
* Nanditha Jennifer as Ramya Viswanathan: Karthik's obsessive lover. (2024) (Dead)

### Special appearances

* Vijayakumar as Raja Sethupathi: Abhirami‘s father; Karthik, Anand and Arun‘s grandfather. (2023)
* Vadivukkarasi as Parameshwari: Abhirami‘s Mother. (2023 & 2024)
* Vanitha Vijayakumar as Chamundeshwari: Arunachalam's sister. (2023)
* Ambika as herself (2024)
* Chandini Prakash as Nikitha: Aishwarya's cousin. (2022)
* Senthilnathan as Astrolger (2024)
* Vimal Kumar as Ramesh: Ramya's fiance. (2024)
* Ashika Padukone as Maari
* VJ Dhanshik Vijayakumar as Malar: Abhirami's Niece. (2023)
* Dharani Hephzibah as Fake Pallavi (2024)
* Nanda Gopal (2023)
* Jayanthi Narayanan (2023)

### Season 2
#### Main

* Karthik Raj as Karthikeyan Arunachalam / Raja: Deepa's widower; Revathi's husband. (2024-present)
* Vaishnavi Sateesh as Revathi: Chamundeshwari's second eldest daughter; Karthik's second wife. (2024-present)

#### Recurring

* Reshma Pasupuleti as Chamundeshwari: Raja Sethupathi and Parameshwari's daughter-in-law. (2024-present)
* Ramachandran Mahalingam as Rajarajan: Chamundeshwari's husband; Abhirami's brother. (2024-present)
* Dhanalakshmi Shiva as Rohini: Chamundeshwari's eldest daughter. (2024-present)
* Bhavani Chowdhury as Durga: Chamundeshwari's third eldest daughter. (2024-present)
* Kaviya as Swathi: Chamundeshwari's youngest daughter. (2024-present)
* Krithika Annamalai as Chandrakala: Chamundeshwari's younger sister. (2024-present)
* Mahesh as Mayilvaganam: Rohini's husband. (2024-present)
* Feroz Khan as Sivanandi: Chandrakala's husband. (2024-present)
* Vadivukkarasi as Parameshwari: Abhirami and Rajarajan‘s Mother; Chamundeshwari's mother-in-law. (2024-present)
* Meera Krishna as Abhirami Nachiyaar Arunachalam: Rajarajan's sister; Karthik, Anand and Arun's mother. (2024-present)
* Nimesh Sagar as Anandakumar alias Anand Arunachalam: Abhirami and Arunachalam's eldest son. (2024-present)
* Indran as Raja: Karthik's best friend. (2024-present)
* Eesan Sujatha as Valliammal: Sivanadhi's mother (2024-present)
* Vijayakumar as Raja Sethupathi alias Sethur Raja: Abhirami and Rajarajan‘s Father; Chamundeshwari's father-in-law. (2024-present)
* Ashwanth Thilak as Mahesh: Revathi's fiancé. (2024-present)
* Bharathi Mohan as Perumal: A villager, Karthik's enemy (2024-present)
* Navin Kishore as Naveen: Karthikeyan's friend and Durga's love interest (2025-present)

### Special appearances

* Keerthana as Sivagami: Chamundeshwari's mother. (2024) (dead)
* Ranjan Kumar as Sivagami's husband: Chamundeshwari's father (2024)
* Divyadharshini as young Chamundeshwari (2024)
* Poornima Bhagyaraj as Rajeshwari: Chamundeshwari's business friend. (2025)

## Production
### Season 1

Initially, actress Roshini Haripriyan was chosen and approached to play the female lead but she denied. Later, Malayalam actress Arthika was ultimately cast as Deepa. Karthik Raj was selected to play the role of smart businessman Karthikeyan, making his comeback to Tamil Television after Sembaruthi nearly two years. Vichithra as selected to play the negative lead and making her presence in the Tamil television after one year. Rajesh plays a father role of Deepa, Meera Krishna plays a mother role of Karthikeyan. Besides Dinesh Gopalsamy and Tamilselvi were cast then.
In June 2023, Actor Vijayakumar was joined as Raja Sethupathi. In February 2024, Actress Mounika was joined. In the following 3 May 2024, Actress Nanditha Jennifer was cast as Ramya Viswanathan, marking his return after Amman season 1. In August 2024 Vimal Kumar was cast to play as Ramesh.

### Season 2

After a 6-month leap, from Season 1 all characters are retained except Deepa and Geetha (both played by Arthika). In season 2, Malayalam actress Vaishnavi Satheesh selected for the female lead. Some cast members from the first season were retained while, Reshma Pasupuleti was playing negative role as Chaumundeshwari. Then, Krithika Annamalai, Dhanalakshmi and Ramachandran also joined for the supporting role.
In March 2025, Actor Navin Kishore was joined as Naveen.

## Awards

| Award | Category | Recipient |
| Zee Tamil Kudumbam Viruthugal 2023 | Favourite Serial | |
| Zee Tamil Kudumbam Viruthugal 2023 | Favourite Actor Male | Karthik Raj |
| Zee Tamil Kudumbam Viruthugal 2023 | Favorite Actor Female | Arthika |
| Zee Tamil Kudumbam Viruthugal 2023 | Favourite On Screen Pair | Karthik Raj and Arthika |
| Zee Tamil Kudumbam Viruthugal 2023 | Favourite Mamiyar | Meera Krishna |