Parvati Nair

Background and family

Parvati was born in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates into a Malayali family and has an elder brother. Her father is a businessman based in Dubai and her mother is a professor. She attended Our Own English High School in Abu Dhabi and went on to graduate in Computer Science and Engineering in from Manipal Institute of Technology in Manipal, Karnataka, India, hoping to work as a software engineer. She became a full-time model after she participated in "Miss Karnataka", won the title and went on to be an ambassador for Mysore Sandal Soap. She won "Navy Queen Kerala", before appearing in numerous print and television commercials. As a model, she has endorsed the brands Anchor, Asian Paints, Malabar Gold, Mazaa, Prestige, Reliance, ANA Airlines Japan, AbuDhabi T10 Abudhabi, Renault cars, Peps, GRT gold and diamonds, Vanish, Tata Diamonds etc. and several other national and international brands . she had also expressed interest in participating in the Femina Miss India pageant after winning the state-level title, but could not apply as a result of the competition's height eligibility. While working as a model, she began appearing in short films, music videos and documentaries. Nair married businessman Ashrith Ashok in 2025.

Career

Early work (2012-2013)

After working in a jewellery commercial for director V. K. Prakash, she made her acting début in Prakash's anthology film Poppins (2012), and worked on the project alongside commitments for other Malayalam films. She played further roles as a traditional bride in the horror film Yakshi – Faithfully Yours (2012) and in Shalil Kallur's drama film. She subsequently began working on bigger budget films in the Malayalam film industry and signed on to portray Jayasurya's wife in the action anthology D Company (2013), as a part of the segment Gangs of Vadakkumnathan, which won positive reviews. Nair made her debut in the Kannada film industry through Story Kathe (2013) which earned her recognition as the Best Debut Actress in Kannada films at the 3rd South Indian International Movie Awards. Portraying a television journalist who tries to win patent rights for a medical student, her role was appreciated by critics and the film performed well at the box office. In 2013 Nair appeared as a judge in the first modelling based Malayalam reality show Super Models on Amrita Television. She also appeared in a music video, "Ariyathe Ninayathe" by Vineeth Sreenivasan and was included in Bangalore Times' "Most Desirable Women of 2013" list.

Breakthrough (2014-present)

Nair moved on to work on two big-budget Tamil films during the course of 2014 and shot for Gautham Vasudev Menon's Yennai Arindhaal (2015) and Kamal Haasan's Uttama Villain (2015). Nair was cast alongside Ajith Kumar, Trisha and Anushka Shetty in Yennai Arindhaal after a successful screen test. The actress stated it was "a dream-come-true" and to be cast in the project was "huge encouragement", and made reference to Menon's dignified portrayals of female characters. Portraying Elizabeth, the vengeful wife of Arun Vijay's character, the film and her performance received praise from Silverscreen.com, who stated she displays "awesome ruthlessness" and "nails the part". Nair also auditioned for Uttama Villain, directed by Ramesh Aravind, and portrayed the girlfriend of Kamal Haasan's son. Featuring alongside an ensemble cast, her role was extended as the shoot progressed and Nair expressed her delight at working with Kamal Haasan, stating it was like "going to an acting school". The film opened to positive reviews and marked the actress's most high-profile project at that time. She then appeared in the Kannada film, Vascodigama (2015), as a college lecturer alongside Kishore. Nair also made her debut as a singer through the film, in a song which featured Kannada and English lyrics. Indiaglitz.com noting that she "suits the role precisely" and another reviewer stating she was "utilised well" in the film.

She was also in the most desirable women of 2015, 2016, and 2017 lists from Kochi. She gave motivational talks at TEDx Bangalore and was invited to speak at a Rotary Club and various other venues.

She later appeared in Malayalam movie James and Alice (2016). Her next release was the Tamil film Koditta Idangalai Nirappuga directed by R. Parthiepan with Shanthanu Bhagyaraj as male lead in which her performance stood out and was widely appreciated. The road thriller Overtake was her next Malayalam film in which she performed stunts without a double. The movie opened to good reviews at the Kerala box office and the concept was fresh to Malayalam cinema . She paired up with Mohanlal for the movie Neerali, directed by AJoy Varma which opened to positive reviews. She later appeared in Amazon Prime's first exclusive series in Tamil named Vella Raja.

Nair received the Indian Affairs "Most Promising Actress 2017" award at the 8th Annual India Leadership Conclave in Mumbai on 4 August 2017.

Parvati Nair collaborated with a US-based fashion brand Yog The Label selling her pictures featured products manufactured in USA and Europe worldwide.

In 2025, Parvati Nair’s long-delayed in the Tamil psychological thriller, Un Paarvayil stream on Sun NXT.

In the media

Nair has been a guest model at Indian fashion weeks, often appearing in the display of shows. At the 2013 Chennai International Fashion Week, Nair was the main model for Sakshi Bindra's clothing line and was the first day's "showstopper". She wore costumes styled by Vivek Karunakaran as a part of the Walk of Pride charity event held at the Park, Chennai in April 2015. During August 2015, she attended the India Luxury Style Week and Chennai's Fashion Culture Week within a fortnight, to promote the fashion industry in the city. In 2016, she was showstopper in the first day of the Bangalore Fashion Week, wearing traditional wear by designer Mable Thomas, and then at the Keralan Fashion League. She was a judge on Amrita TV's reality show, Supermodels, in 2013. She also appeared alongside four other actresses as the judges of the beauty pageant, Miss India Bangalore 2015 during December of that year. Her popularity as a model had initially helped her make a breakthrough into the film industry, and saw her get recognition across all four South Indian states.

Nair was announced as the brand ambassador of the Karnataka Bulldozers team during the 2016 Celebrity Cricket League and attended the team's fixtures across South India as a part of her role. She shared ambassadorial duties with actress Sharmiela Mandre, saying that she had grown up following the sport during her childhood in the United Arab Emirates, where her father and brother had played regularly. The actress also attended matches played by Royal Challengers Bangalore during the IPL Season of 2015 and played cricket as part of shooting for Uttama Villain (2015). Nair has taken part in charity events including the Clean Bengaluru Challenge in November 2014, when she helped sweep the streets of Vasanthnagar in the city. She has been chosen by Peta India as an ambassador for the adopt a stray dog campaign. She was brand ambassador for the World Junior Squash Championships held in Chennai along with Ashok Selvan.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. (25 July 2019). "POI".
2. (6 August 2011). "Parvathy Nair: Catwalking to tinseltown". The Times of India.
3. (16 September 2014). "And the SIIMA Awards go to...". The Times of India.
4. "The Big Break for Parvathy Nair". Deccan Chronicle.
5. (2025-02-10). "Parvati Nair ties the knot with Ashrith Ashok in a grand ceremony; celebrities extend warm wishes". The Times of India.
6. (22 June 2013). "Engineer, entrepreneur, actress...". Deccan Chronicle.
7. (3 January 2013). "Strange equations". The Hindu.
8. (14 September 2012). "Parvathy makes up for earlier loss". The Times of India.
9. "Review : D Company".
10. [http://www.deccanherald.com/content/435936/039it039s-your-work-speaks-039.html "'It's your work that speaks '"] {{Webarchive. link. (17 June 2015 . ''Deccan Herald''.)
11. "Story Kathe Movie Review". The Times of India.
12. "Parvathy Nair gets busy with Kannada movies".
13. (31 October 2013). "The making of a model". The Hindu.
14. (30 October 2014). "Parvathy in Ajith's 'Yennai Arindhaal'". The Hindu.
15. (9 February 2015). "Yennai Arindhaal UnReview: Of Superstars and Those Who Make Them". Silverscreen.in.
16. (6 February 2015). "'Yennai Arindhaal': Human drama beneath policeman's story". The Indian Express.
17. (5 February 2015). "'Yennai Arindhaal': Ending cop trilogy on a high". The Hindu.
18. (19 April 2014). "From fan to co-star". The Hindu.
19. [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news-interviews/Parvathy-romances-Kamal-Haasans-son/articleshow/33560622.cms "Parvathy romances Kamal Haasan's son"] {{Webarchive. link. (4 June 2014 . ''The Times of India''.)
20. (28 February 2015). "Parvathy gets practical". The Hindu.
21. (9 October 2014). "Parvathy Nair Talks About Uttama Villain". Silverscreen.in.
22. (4 May 2015). "Review: Uttama Villain is for hardcore Kamal Haasan fans - Rediff.com Movies". Rediff.com.
23. (30 January 2015). "Parvathy Nair makes her singing debut". The Times of India.
24. (24 October 2015). "Vascodigama review. Vascodigama Kannada movie review, story, rating".
25. (1 January 2016). "Vascodigama – a purpose & fun filled voyage". Nam Cinema.
26. "Review: Vascodigama Weaves Comedy with a Serious Theme". The New Indian Express.
27. (24 June 2014). "Most Desirable Women of 2013". The Times of India.
28. [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/A-pleasure-to-chat-with-Ajith-Parvathy-Nair/articleshow/45122546.cms "A pleasure to chat with Ajith: Parvathy Nair"] {{Webarchive. link. (15 November 2014 . ''The Times of India''.)
29. (23 July 2013). "Parvathi to play the lead in three Mollywood films". The Times of India.
30. "Parvathy Nair aces stunts sans body double". The Times of India.
31. (6 October 2016). "When Parvathy's stunt double ran away". [[Deccan Chronicle]].
32. (13 July 2018). "Neerali movie review: This Mohanlal thriller is a winner". The Indian Express.
33. "Neerali Movie Review {4/5}: Neerali is an engaging tale filled with suspense". The Times of India.
34. "Parvatii Nair's Action avatar".
35. "Vella raja Trailer Parvatii Nair as CBI officer".
36. "Vivacious & Emerging Actress Parvathy Nair crowned the prestigious Indian Affairs Most Promising Actress 2017 at ILC Power Brand Award 2017 - Breakfast News TV".
37. ""Yog The Label"".
38. "Parvatii Nair - Yog The Label".
39. "Parvati Nair on Un Paarvaiyil: ‘It’s one of the toughest films in my career’". Indulg Express.
40. (8 July 2013). "Chennai glams up!". The Hindu.
41. (20 April 2015). "A fashionable helping hand". The Hindu.
42. (6 August 2015). "Parvathy Nair looked stunning at the Fashion couture week held at Radisson Blu in Chennai". The Times of India.
43. Greening, Danielle. (9 February 2016). "Bangalore Fashion Week 2016 Highlights". DESIblitz.
44. (5 February 2016). "DAY 1 at BLENDER'S PRIDE BANGALORE FASHION WEEKSUMMER ONLINE 2016". IBC World News.
45. (26 December 2015). "South beauties take centre stage at Shangri-La hotel in Bengaluru". The Times of India.
46. (31 October 2013). "The making of a model". The Hindu.
47. (6 May 2012). "It's unfair to say that models can't act: Parvathy Nair". The Times of India.
48. "Ayngaran International". Ayngaran.com.
49. Anushka Sivakumar. (2 February 2016). "In a league of her own". Deccan Herald.
50. (4 November 2014). "Parvathy Nair participates in Clean Bengaluru Challenge at Gems B School". The Times of India.
51. (26 February 2018). "Actor Parvathy Nair Stars in New PETA Campaign Ahead Of World Spay Day". PETA India.
52. "Squash is a great sport to play in a hot place like Chennai". The Times of India.
53. "Parvathy Nair all set to enter Mollywood". The Times of India.
54. "I contemplated going in for a name change: Parvathy Nair". The Times of India.
55. "Maria John, Shruti Nair walk out of movie". [[The Times of India]].
56. "Parvathy Nair praises Ajith's fans". The Times of India.
57. (4 June 2015). "Parvathy Nair bags a big Tamil film". [[The Times of India]].
58. Menon, Thinkal. (3 September 2015). "I am ready for more action: Parvathy Nair".
59. (21 March 2015). "'Janda (Jenda) Pai Kapiraju' Movie Review: Viewers and Critics Call it Good Entertainer with a Message". [[International Business Times]].
60. "I contemplated going in for a name change during the shoot of Uttama Villain: Parvathy Nair". The Times of India.
61. "Movie review 'Vascodigama': 'Marking' a difference". Deccan Chronicle.
62. (2 January 2016). "Maalai Nerathu Mayakkam Tamil Movie Review".
63. Deepa Soman. (18 November 2015). "Parvathy Nair is a tomboy in her next". The Times of India.
64. (9 August 2016). "'Koppayile Kodumkaattu': Songs of Sidharth Bharathan starrer released". [[Malayala Manorama]].
65. (4 June 2015). "Parvathy Nair bags a big Tamil film". [[The Times of India]].
66. Sindhu Vijayakumar. (21 December 2017). "I don't regret my choice of films: Parvatii Nair". The Times of India.
67. Sanjith Sidhardhan. (10 January 2018). "Mohanlal next in Malayalam will have an all-Bollywood crew". The Times of India.
68. (21 December 2018). "Seethakathi review: A unique 'soul'-ful film".
69. Features, C. E.. (2024-08-04). "Dhyan Sreenivasan's Super Zindagi gets a release date".
70. (2024-01-04). "Parvati Nair to play a 'bold', 'interesting' character in Vijay's GOAT". The Times of India.
71. "4 Tamil OTT Releases to Watch this Week: Heartiley Battery to Parvati Nair’s Un Paarvayil". Pinkvilla.
72. "Pics: Parvati Nair is a vision in white as she shares captivating pics on her Instagram".
73. "Amazon Prime's first exclusive series in Tamil is 'Vella Raja'". The Hindu.
74. "Amazon Prime launches its first Tamil series Vella Raja.Parvatii nair's Action Avatar". The Indian Express.
75. (4 December 2014). "Best Debutant Actress Kannada Parvathy Nair".
76. "Who will win the award for Best Supporting Actor (Female) - Tamil?".
77. (28 March 2017). "Ramu Karyatt awards".
78. "Parvatii Nair bags Tea advertisement awards".
79. "Dr abdul Kalam memorial Awards".
80. "MPS Nalli film awards".
81. "Edison Awards Rising star of the year".