Priya Vasudev Mani Iyer, better known by her stage name Priyamani (Tamil: ப்ரியாமணி; Malayalam: പ്രിയാമണി) is an Indian film actress and model who has appeared in several Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada films. She is best known for earning a National Film Award for Best Actress for her role as Muththazhagu in the 2006 Tamil film Paruthi Veeran, and for her role as Malavika in the 2008 Malayalam film Thirakkatha for which she won the Filmfare Awards South for Best Actress.After three years in search of the elusive film that would make her get noticed, Priyamani managed to prove both her acting credentials and also commercial appeal with the 2007 film Paruthiveeran, directed by the Tamil director Ameer Sultan, in which she was paired with debutant Karthi Sivakumar. A rural subject which told the story of a notorious young villager in Madurai, the film won tremendous critical acclaim and also became a surprise box-office blockbuster. Priyamani's performance was unanimously praised and she went on to win the National Film Award, followed by a South Filmfare Award, a Tamil Nadu State Film Award and an award at the Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema. She had another blockbuster in Telugu, starring opposite Jr. NTR in the 2007 film Yamadonga and opposite Vishal in the Tamil film Malaikottai.
