Thulasi Nair is an Indian former actress who has appeared in two Tamil language films. She made her debut in the 2013 Tamil drama film Kadal.[1][2]

Thulasi Nair
Tulasi at 60th South Filmfare Awards 2013
Born
NationalityIndian
Occupations
Years active2013–2014
ParentRadha Nair
RelativesKarthika Nair (sister)

Career

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At age 14, Thulasi Nair was first considered for a role in director Mani Ratnam's Kadal after being recommended by actress Suhasini to audition for the lead role in November 2011.[citation needed] She was initially rejected with the director noting she was "too young for the role", before the team chose to sign her following Samantha's exit from the project.[3][4][5][6] She would feature alongside fellow debutant Gautham Karthik in the leading roles, coincidentally 32 years after her mother and Gautham's father had also debuted together in Bharathiraja's Alaigal Oivathillai (1981).[7][8] Nair lost twelve kilograms for the film and she went through a series of pre-production workshops conducted by actress Kalairani before the first schedule.[9] Portraying the role of Beatrice, a young nurse with a child like personality, Nair worked alongside an ensemble cast including Arvind Swamy and Arjun and shot scenes across coastal Tamil Nadu.[10] Her appearance was kept away from the media prior to release, with a clause in her contract preventing her from partaking in media interaction.[11][12]

After the release of first theatrical trailer of the film, a kissing scene by her generated controversy as she was a minor.[13][14] The film opened in February 2013 to mixed reviews and the film became a commercial failure at the box office. Nair's performance won positive reviews from critics, with Rediff.com noting that "when the script demands that she come to life at the end she manages to do it well."[15] Similarly, another reviewer added "Thulasi, is natural and has lent an air of grace to her role", while Sify.com wrote "though she has a very little screen space, she has tried her best to do a fair job of the young, chirpy girl."[16][17] Her performance fetched nominations for Best Female Debut Actress at the Vijay Awards and the South Indian International Movie Awards in 2014.

Before the release of Kadal, cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran signed on Nair to appear in a leading role in his maiden directorial venture, Yaan (2014). In Yaan, Nair played Srila, daughter of a retired defence officer, who lives in Mumbai. Featuring alongside Jiiva, the film was shot extensively in Morocco[18] and released in October 2014 to negative reviews and became a surprise failure at the box office.[19] She received mostly negative reviews for her portrayal with Behindwoods.com noting "she gets a better outing this time, and has some range of expressions in her bag". In comparison, Rediff.com wrote that she is "barely recognisable", and that "there is barely any chemistry between the lead pair", while describing the film as a "terrible bore".[20] She has not acted in any further film since.[21]

Personal life

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Thulasi Nair was born in a Malayali family to businessman Rajasekaran Nair and Radha, a leading actress in Tamil and Telugu films during the 1980s. Her elder sister Karthika is also an actress who appeared in Indian films,[22] while she also has an elder brother, Vignesh Nair. Her maternal aunt Ambika was also a contemporary of Radha's, and Thulasi has revealed she often seeks advice on acting from her mother and sister.[23][24]

She has juggled between completing her acting commitments and attending Podar International School in Mumbai.[25] She completed her undergraduate in Business Administration from Russel square international affiliated with Royal Holloway London. She then continued to pursue her Master in International Management from King's College London and graduated in 2020.

Filmography

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Year Film Role
2013 Kadal Beatrice
2014 Yaan Sreela Rajan

References

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  1. ^ "Exclusive- In conversation with Thulasi". Sify. Archived from the original on 18 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  2. ^ "First Look: Mani Ratnam's heroine in Kadal". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 12 December 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  3. ^ "If not for Mani Ratnam, I wouldn't be in films: Thulasi". The Times of India. 29 September 2012. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  4. ^ "If not for Mani Ratnam, I wouldn't be in films: Thulasi". The Times of India. 29 September 2012. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  5. ^ "Mani to launch Karthika's sister?". The Times of India. 4 September 2011. Archived from the original on 1 July 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  6. ^ "Mani Ratnam picks Thulasi". IndiaGlitz. 9 June 2012. Archived from the original on 10 June 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  7. ^ Raghavan, Nikhil (23 April 2011). "Baby steps to fame?". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 23 November 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Radha and Karthik made their debut in the same film". The Times of India. 15 June 2018. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  9. ^ s.d.d (13 January 2013). "From school to screen". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 31 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  10. ^ "Camera didn't make newcomer Thulasi Nair nervous". Sify. 17 January 2013. Archived from the original on 18 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  11. ^ "No Photos Please, Says Mani Ratnam". Behindwoods. 1 October 2012. Archived from the original on 19 September 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  12. ^ "First Look: Mani Ratnam's heroine in Kadal". Rediff.com. 10 December 2012. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  13. ^ "Celebrities opine as kiss scenes happen in movies including upcoming 'Kadal'". TamilStar. 23 January 2013. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  14. ^ "Mani Ratnam's film in lip-lock dispute". India Today. 29 January 2013. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  15. ^ Sivaswamy, Saisuresh (1 February 2013). "Kadal review: With apologies to director Bharathi Raja". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  16. ^ Rajamani, Radhika (1 February 2013). "Review: Kadal has nothing new to offer". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  17. ^ "Movie Review : Kadal". Sify. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  18. ^ Lakshmi, V. (20 July 2014). "Jiiva, Thulasi to sport 100 outfits for a song". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 20 July 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  19. ^ Subha J Rao (24 May 2014). "On finding herself". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 July 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  20. ^ "Review: Yaan is a terrible bore". Rediff.com. 2 October 2014. Archived from the original on 7 October 2014.
  21. ^ "14 வயதில் கடல் படத்தில் நடித்த ராதா மகளா இது ? அம்மாவை போல எப்படி ஆகிட்டார் பாருங்க". Behindtalkies (in Tamil). 30 November 2021. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  22. ^ "Thulasi Nair follows her sister's footsteps". Zee News. 29 September 2012. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  23. ^ "Interview with Thulasi Nair". The Times of India. 13 January 2013. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  24. ^ "No competition with sister Karthika: Thulasi". The New Indian Express. IANS. Archived from the original on 17 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  25. ^ "Post exams, Thulasi resumes shooting". The New Indian Express. IANS. Archived from the original on 17 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
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