26 Popular South Indian Heroines with Photos 2025 from Samantha to Rashmika Mandanna

Imagine a world where great performances aren’t so normal. The performers meet stunning beauty, and stories come into existence with a special kind of magic. That's the world created by South Indian actresses. These amazing actresses don’t just hold pretty faces, but are super talented. They have influenced the different industries involved in movie or series production with their unique debuts and movies. Every movie from the South is just like a new adventure.

26 South Indian Actresses

Here are the top 26 South Indian Actresses who have made their unique place in the industry:

 1. Samantha Ruth Prabhu

Samantha Ruth Prabhu was born on 28 April 1987. She mainly works in Telugu and Tamil movies. She was born and brought up in Pallavaram, which is near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Samantha completed her schooling from Holy Angels Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School, Chennai, and then a commerce degree at Stella Maris College, Chennai. She is seen in the song, Oo Antava Oo Oo Antava and has been loved by the public. Also, she has acted in multiple films which has been popular. 

Interesting facts:

• The actor got divorced from Naga Chaitanya.
• She runs an NGO that provides medical support, especially to women and children.
• She has revealed her diagnosis of diabetes. She followed a strict diet and took other necessary precautions to overcome it.

Best movies:

• Pushpa: The Rise
• Shaakuntalam
• Ramayya Vasthavayya

 2. Nayanthara

Nayanthara, also known as Lady Superstar, is a popular South Indian actress who has been in many Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu movies. She was born on 18 November 1984 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Her multiple movies were successful, such as Chandramukhi and Ghajini. Nayanthara has proved herself as one of the most promising and famous actresses in South India.

Interesting Facts:

• She is considered the Lady superstar of South Indian cinema.

• She is not only an actress but also a film producer.

• She is a high-earning South Indian actress in cinema.

Best movies:

• Sooryan

• Kangaroo

• Bhooth

• Little Superman

3. Tamannaah Bhatia

Tamannaah Bhatia is a South Indian actress who works in different types of films including Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi films. She was born on 21 December 1989, in the city of dreams, Mumbai. She started her career as an actress and was seen in several music albums and television advertisements.

She made her film Chand Sa Roshan Chehra. She started her career as a model and was involved in several music albums and television advertisements. Tamannaah has been in various movies and has won some awards for her excellent performance.

Interesting facts:

• She is also known for her beauty and great acting skills.

• She is social media-friendly.

Best movies:

• Chand Sa Roshan Chehra

• Baahubali

• Bengal Tiger

• Baahubali 2 

4. Rashmika Mandanna

Rashmika Mandanna is a South Indian film actress born on 5 April 1996 in a small place in Karnataka called Kodagu. She is a popular South Indian actress who mostly appears in Kannada and Telugu films. She holds awards from different platforms for her popular role in the movie Geetha Govindham. Rashmika has graduated in the domain of psychology and holds an M.A. in Journalism along with a B.A. in English Literature.

Interesting facts:

• Rashmika is famous for her cuteness and bright smile.

• She is considered the National Crush and is one of the most beautiful South Indian actresses.

Best movies:

• Pushpa: The Rise

• Animal

• Pushpa 2: The Rule

• Chhaava

5. Raashi Khanna

Raashi Khanna, born in the capital of India i.e., Delhi, on 30 November 1990, is a South Indian actress and model who majorly works in the Telugu film industry. She debuted as an actress in a Hindi film and made her debut in Telugu with a successful movie which shows her personality as a multi-tasker. Later, she appeared in advertisements and is a recent and popular South Indian actress.

Interesting facts:

• She is known for her smile and cute roles.

• She is known for her natural and real-like acting.

Best movies:

• Bengal Tiger

• Supreme

• Rudra: The Edge of Darkness

• Farzi 

6. Nivetha Thomas

Nivetha Thomas is a popular South Indian actress who appears in films and television series in Malayalam and Tamil. She was born in Cherupuzha, a small place in Kerala, on 02 November 1995. Nivetha Thomas is well known for Veruthe Oru Bharya and won the award for Best Child Artist.

Interesting facts:

• She is known for her glamorous and cute roles.

• She is also a trained singer and has sung songs in some films.

Best movies:

• Romans

• Money Ratnam

• Jai Lava Kusa

• Juliet, Lover of Idiot

• Vakeel Saab

7. Jyothika

Jyothika Sadanah Saravanan is a South Indian film actress who has acted in several Tamil films. Additionally, she also acted in a few Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi films. Jyothika Saravanan was born on October 18, 1978, in Mumbai. She did her schooling at Chembur Muslim School in Mumbai. She is one of the most beautiful South Indian actresses who got married to the actor Surya Sivakumar in September 2006.

Interesting facts:

• She has a skill in painting and creates abstract art. Beyond just acting, she is creative as well.

• She is famous for her nature being a down-to-earth person.

Best movies:

• Magalir Mattum

• Naachiyaar

• Kaatrin Mozhi

• Raatchasi

• Chekka Chivantha Vaanam

• Kaathal

8. Nithya Menen

Nithya Menen is an Indian film actress who acts in South Indian films. Nithya is known for her great performances in films like Violin. The actress has completed her education in the domain of Journalism. She was born in a Hindu family on 8 April 1988 belonging to Bangalore, Karnataka.

Interesting facts:

• Nithya Menen is a talented singer.

• She speaks and understands many languages, which makes it easy to communicate.

Best movies:

• Ustad Hotel

• Bangalore Days

• 100 Days of Love

• Kanchana 2

• Mersal 

• Thiruchitrambalam 

9. Regina Cassandra

Regina Cassandra is a popular South Indian film actress born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on 13 December 1988. She is seen in various cinemas, involving different types of movies such as Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada films. She was nine when she started anchoring for Splash, a kids' channel, and then moved on to work in commercials.

Interesting facts:

• She is known for her glamorous and bold roles.

• She is also a trained dancer.

Best movies:

• Jyo Achyutananda

• Maanagaram

• Evaru

• Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga

• Rocket Boys

• Jaanbaaz Hindustan Ke

10. Amala Paul

Amala Paul is an Indian film actress, who works primarily in the Tamil film industry. She was born to a Christian family on 26 October 1991. She was born in Ernakulam, Kerala and brought up in Kochi, Kerala. After being appeared in supporting roles in a number of low-budget projects, she received an offer for her portrayal of a great character in the film Sindhu Samaveli. 

Interesting facts:

• Amala Paul is a certified scuba diver.

• She loves to travel to the spiritual places.

• Along with acting, Amala Paul has a hobby and skill of playing veena.

Best movies:

• Run Baby Run

• Oru Indian Pranayakadha

• Vettai

• Thalaivaa

• Velaiilla Pattadhari

• Hebbuli

• Ratsasan

• The Goat Life 

11. Rakul Preet Singh

Rakul Preet Singh is a South Indian film actress who works in both Hindi and South Indian films. She is considered one of the most famous South Indian actresses, known and liked by many. Rakul Preet Singh plays golf actively and has played at the national level. Rakul was studying maths at Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi and was also engaged in modelling for more than two years before participating in the Miss India contest in 2011.

Interesting facts:

• Her film debut is Gilli, which is a Kannada film.

• She is known for her glamorous and cute roles.

• She is a certified fitness trainer.

• She loves to explore cuisines.

• She is a skilled table tennis player.

Best movies:

•  Gilli

• Keratam

• Thadaiyara Thaakka

• Venkatadri Express

• Sarrainodu

• Dhruva

• Ayalaan

• De De Pyaar De 

12. Anjali

Anjali is a South Indian film actress and model who mainly works in the Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada film industries. The actress was born to a Hindu family belonging to Razole, Andhra Pradesh, on 16 June 1986. Anjali, as an actor, is best known for her cheerful and enjoyable role as Ananthi in the Tamil film Katradhu Thamizh, which happened to be her first Tamil film and became the introduction factor to the Tamil audience as an actress.

Interesting facts:

• She is a popular child artist in Bollywood.

• Anjali expresses her interest in cooking.

• She loves to read as well.

Best movies:

• Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu

• Balupu

• Masala

• Geethanjali

13. Lakshmi Menon

Lakshmi Menon is a popular South Indian actress and model in Indian Cinema. She is better known for her work and appearance in the Tamil and Malayalam Film industries. Lakshmi Menon is a great actress born on 19 May 1996. She started her acting in Malayalam cinema and earned much popularity with her performance in Tamil movies like Sundara Pandian and Kumki.

Interesting facts: 

• She is known for her natural performances, mainly in village-based roles.

• At a certain stage, she chose her education over acting in films.

Best movies:

• Sundara Pandian

• Kumki

14. Priya Bhavani Shankar

Priya Bhavani Shankar is another famous South Indian actress, born on 31 December 1989, faced much criticism for her characters and many people consider her the reason for the movie flops. She had gone through the struggling phase of her life but she never considered that and worked hard in every movie. She gained many feature movie roles through hard work and natural acting. She was recognised as a good actor for her role in her recent film and gained many fans.

Interesting facts:

• She is famous on social media.

• She is known for her expressive acting.

Best movies:

• Meyaadha Maan

• Kadaikutty Singam

• Monster

• Zebra

15. Anushka Shetty

Anushka Shetty was born in Mangalore, Karnataka and currently living in Hyderabad. She has completed her Bachelor's in Computer Application from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She stands out as a skilled actress and a leading star in South Indian films. Anushka was born on 7 November 1981 in Mangalore.

She captured attention with her great role in Arundhati, of a brave character and earned many awards. Anushka shows her adaptability by taking on many different roles, from action movies to deep emotional parts. Anushka inspires many of us with her hard work and great performances.

Interesting facts:

• She is paid well in the South Indian cinema.

• Anushka’s role in "Baahubali" gained her international recognition.

• She is known for her dedication to her roles, often undergoing significant physical transformations.

Best movies:

• Vettaikaaran

• Singam

• Yennai Arindhaal

• Vaanam

• Deiva Thirumagal

• Rudhramadevi

• Baahubali series

16. Kajal Aggarwal

Kajal Aggarwal is a popular South Indian actress and a shining star in the domain of South movies cinema. She is qualified in Mass Media from Jai Hind College, Mumbai. The actress was born on 19 June 1985. Kajal expresses the emotions of her characters while staying elegant, earning her many loyal fans. She keeps pushing herself and trying new roles, making her a favourite South Indian heroine among audiences.

Interesting facts: 

• She is known for her glamorous roles and dance performances.

• She is involved in various brand endorsements.

• She has a skill in writing in calligraphy.

Best movies:

• Naayak

• Baadshah

• Govindudu Andarivadele

• Khaidi No. 150

• Bhagavanth Kesari

• Naan Mahaan Alla

• Singham

17. Priyanka Arul Mohan

Priyanka Arul Mohan is a beautiful and hardworking South Indian actress who has appeared in many movies. Her roles in every movie are strong and notable. She has acted in family dramas, love stories, and action movies. She was born on 20 November 1994 in Bangalore and completed her education at PES University.

Interesting facts: 

• She is known for her charming screen presence.

• She has worked with several leading actors in a short time.

Best movies:

• Ondh Kathe Hella

• Gang Leader

• Saripodhaa Sanivaaram

• Doctor

• Don

• Etharkkum Thunindhavan

18. Keerthy Suresh

Keerthy Suresh is a popular South Indian actress who acted in many movies with her stunning performance. She has also worked in different types of movies such as comedy, family drama, comedy, and action movies. She is known for her amazin roles in the movies such as Mahanati. She has married to her long time boyfriend Antony Thattil who is an entrepreneur.

Interesting facts: 

• She won the National Film Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of actress Savitri in the biopic "Mahanati."

• She started her career at a young age.

Best movies:

• Sarkaru Vaari Paata

• Mahanati

• Dasara

19. Aishwarya Rajesh

Aishwarya Rajesh, born on 10 January 1990 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, is that South Indian actress who acted in a strong female-oriented character and delivered an honest and real performance. She works in films based on Tamil, Malayalam, and Telugu languages. She was awarded for her powerful female role and was also awarded at the state level. She is considered one of the list of best South Indian actresses who worked in films with her natural talent.

Interesting facts:

• For her performance in Kaaka Muttai, she received positive reviews. 

• She works not only in Tamil but also in Telugu and Malayalam films.

• She is also skilled in dance and singing.

Best movies:

• Vada Chennai

• Kanaa

• Jomonte Suvisheshangal

• Ka Pae Ranasingam

20. Ritika Singh

Ritika Singh, born on 16 December 1994 in Mumbai, is a South Indian actress who has appeared in many films. In this movie she acted in a natural way and received great appreciation from audiences. Partially, she is also involved in martial arts as it is her hobby and strength.

Interesting facts:

• Beyond acting, she's a professional boxer.

• She is a big fan of extreme sports.

Best movies:

• Guru

• Shivalinga

• Neevevaro

• Oh My Kadavule 

21. Nimisha Sajayan

Nimisha Sajayan is a South Indian film Actress who has worked predominantly in the movie industry. One of the latest film of Nimisha Sajayan is Dabba Cartel in the year 2025. She was born on 4 January 1997 in Movie. Sajayan gave an amazing performance in the movie The Great Indian Kitchen (2021). She has bagged awards for her amazing performances in her career. Her upcoming movie is DNA, which is expected to be released in 2025.

Interesting facts: 

• She loves street food.

• She loves collecting vintage postcards.

• She is famous for acting in women-centric movies.

Best movies:

• The Great Indian Kitchen

• Nayattu

• Malik

22. Rajisha Vijayan

Rajisha Vijayan was born on 15 July 1990 in Calicut. She is currently shifted to Kochi. She is a South Indian Actress and Television Anchor who mainly works in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu Cinema. She made her first debut movie in Malayalam in 2016 and secured the Kerala State Film Award for best actress for her performance in the film. She is a South Indian actress famous for her great performance in films. Rajisha Vijayan has completed her education from Amity University, Delhi.

Interesting facts:

• She likes to ride a bike.

• Rajisha is known for her longevity in the industry.

Best movies:

• Jai Bhim

• Ellam Sheriyakum

• Freedom Fight

• Keedam

• Malayankunju

23. Aparna Balamurali

Aparna Balamurali is a South Indian actress born on 11 September 1995 in Kerala. She is one of the popular South Indian actresses known for her performance in Malayalam and Tamil cinemas. She attended Devamatha CMI Public School, Thrissur. Aparna is known for her amazing performances in the movies Kishkindha Kaandam, Soorarai Pottru. Her father was a music director.

Interesting facts: 

• The actress likes to travel and explore new places in her free time.

• She is known for her fitness and is one of the latest South Indian actresses

Best movies:

• Maheshinte Prathikaaram

• Sunday Holiday

• Soorarai Pottru

• Raayan

• Kishkindha Kaandam 

24. Srinidhi Shetty

Srinidhi Shetty is a South Indian actress born on 21 October 1992 in Mangalore, Karnataka. She studied at the Sri Narayana Guru English Medium School. She later did her pre-university course at St. Aloysius Pre-University College. Srinidhi got a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from Jain University, Bangalore with distinction.

Interesting facts:

• Srinidhi is known for her charitable work.

• She has expressed her interest in cooking.

• She is known for her cheerful personality.

Best movies:

• KGF

• Cobra

25. Shriya Saran

Shriya Saran is a renowned South Indian actress born on 11 September 1982. While pursuing her dream to act, she started her career by acting in music videos and at an acting studio. She debuted in films in 2001 with Ishtam. She made an impact in Telugu cinema in 2002 with her role of Bhanu in Santhosham, which was her first notable success. She also started working in many Telugu films along with leading actors, as well as Bollywood and Tamil films. 

Interesting facts:

• Shriya is a Kathak dancer and has been trained in the same for a long period.

• She loves to travel.

• Shriya is known for her charitable work.

Best movies:

• Sivaji

• The Other End of the Line

• Kanthaswamy

• Pokkiri Raja

26. Priyamani

Priyamani is an Indian actress who mainly works in films made in Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Tamil. She was born on June 4, 1984, in Palakkad, Kerala, India. She received the National Film Award for Best Actress for her successful role in the Tamil film Paruthiveeran.

Interesting facts:

• She is a National Film Award winner for her role in the Tamil film Paruthiveeran.

• She is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer.

Best movies:

• Evare Atagaadu

• Raam

• Puthiya Mukham

• Raavanan

• Pranchiyettan & the Saint