Pooja Vijay, better known by her stage name Swasika, is an Indian actress, dancer, and television presenter. She predominantly appears in Malayalam films and television shows, and has also worked in a few Tamil and Telugu films. Following stints of appearances as lead and supporting roles in various films across South cinema, she played the titular role in Vasanthi (2019) winning her the Kerala State Film Award for Best Character Actress.

Personal life
Swasika was born Pooja Vijay to S. Vijayakumar Nair (an accountant in Bahrain) and Girija in Bahrain and hails from Perumbavoor, Ernakulam, Kerala. She has a brother, Akash. After taking a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature, she enrolled in dancing lessons.

Career
Her first film was Sundarapandi's Vaigai, a love story, her character was based on a real life individual. She then did Goripalayam (2010) by Rasu Madhuravan, in which she played the second lead. She was still a student, when she acted in the film. Her third film Maithanam (2011) got positive reviews from both the critics and the audience. She played a village girl, who "values culture and tradition" in the film. In her next venture, Kandadhum Kaanadhadum by director Seelan, she played a "city-bred college girl". She made her Malayalam debut with Cinema Company (2012) and was the lead actress in Sajeevan Anthikkad's Prabhuvinte Makkal (2012). In the 2014 Tamil thriller Panduvam she played a psychiatrist, a modern character as opposed to her earlier roles in Tamil films.

She has worked as television anchor too. In 2014, she hosted a show on Jeevan TV. She later played the lead role in a television serial  Dhathuputhri on Mazhavil Manorama. She has appeared in some advertisements also. Her next TV serial, My Marumakan  telecasted on Surya TV. In 2017, in Chinthavishtayaya Seetha on Asianet, she played the central character and eventually rose  to fame among the Malayali audience and won her several accolades. She played the lead role in Seetha on Flowers, a sequel to the latter. She had signed a serial Pranayini but later opted out. She is an active presence in stage shows mainly as a dancer and is also an anchor for several television shows. Apart from this, she has acted in some advertisements, dance- music video dramas, short films, albums, and dance covers.

In 2019, she was cast in the titular role in Rahman Brothers’ Vasanthi, which premiered at the 2021 International Film Festival of Kerala and met with critical acclaim. She was adjudged the Best Character Actor (Female) at the 50th Kerala State Film Awards. The film has also won the awards for Best Film and Best Script.

She is the host of Amrita TV's celebrity guest show Red Carpet. In 2023, she became the host of the reality show Ammayum Makalum.

Filmography

Television
 Acting Credits (Television Serials)

TV shows

 Acting Credits ( Online)

Awards and nominations

References

External links
 
 

21st-century Indian actresses
Actresses from Tamil Nadu
Actresses in Malayalam cinema
Actresses in Malayalam television
Actresses in Tamil cinema
Actresses in Telugu cinema
Indian film actresses
Indian television actresses
Living people
People from Ernakulam district
Year of birth missing (living people)