Diana Mariam Kurian (born 18 November 1984),[2] best known by her stage name Nayantara (Malayalam: നയന് താര), is an Indian film actress. She made her acting debut in 2003 in the Malayalam film Manassinakkare. She debuted in Tamil cinema with Ayya (2004) and in Telugu cinema with Lakshmi (2005), following which she starred alongside popular lead actors. Following several commercial successes such as Chandramukhi (2005), Ghajini (2005) and Billa (2007), she had established herself as one of the leading actresses in Tamil cinemaNayantara was spotted, while she was still in college, by director Sathyan Anthikkad, who cast her opposite Jayaram in the 2003 Malayalam film Manassinakkare. Later, she co-starred alongside Mohanlal in Natturajavu and in Fazil's Vismayathumbathu. She was also cast with Mammootty in Thaskaraveeran and Raapakal.
She subsequently started appearing in Tamil films. In 2005, she was cast opposite Sarath Kumar in Hari's 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 800 days in theatres,[7] eventually turning Nayantara into one of the most-sought after actresses in Tamil.[8] Later that year her third Tamil film, A. R. Murugadoss' Ghajini, in which she played a secondary female character, again was a commercially highly successful venture. However, she later disclosed that appearing Ghajini was a big mistake and the "worst decision" she ever took.[8] 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,[9] while Nayantara received many accolades for her performance as Sasha
