Aishwarya Rajesh, born on January 10, 1990, is a prominent Indian actress known for her work primarily in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films. Hailing from a Telugu family in Chennai, she has carved a niche for herself in the South Indian film industry through her versatile performances and willingness to take on challenging roles.
Rajesh's family has a strong connection to the film industry. Her father, Rajesh, was a Telugu film actor, and her grandfather, Amarnath, also acted in lead roles. Her aunt, Sri Lakshmi, is a well-known Telugu comedian with over 500 films to her credit. Despite her family's background, Aishwarya has described her upbringing as "lower middle class".
Before entering the film industry, Aishwarya Rajesh pursued a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Ethiraj College for Women in Chennai. She began her career as a television presenter in a comedy show. Her breakthrough came after winning the reality show Maanada Mayilada, which led to her being cast in her first film, Avargalum Ivargalum (2011). She gained recognition for her role in Attakathi (2012).
Aishwarya Rajesh has received several awards, including two Filmfare Awards South, one Tamil Nadu State Film Award, and four SIIMA Awards. She won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in Kaaka Muttai (2014). Some of her notable films include Vada Chennai (2018) and Kanaa (2018), with Kanaa earning her the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress – Tamil. She debuted in Malayalam cinema with Jomonte Suvisheshangal (2017), in Hindi with Daddy (2017), and in Telugu with Kousalya Krishnamurthy (2019), a remake of Kanaa.
In recent news, Aishwarya Rajesh has bravely shared a disturbing experience from early in her career, revealing the challenges young actresses can face in the film industry. During a podcast interview with Nikhil Vijayendra Simha, she recounted an incident where a photographer allegedly pressured her to expose herself. According to Rajesh, the photographer asked her to wear lingerie and said he wanted to see her body. She was very young at the time and had gone with her brother, who was asked to wait outside. Shocked and unsure of how to react, Rajesh almost complied but ultimately declined, stating she needed her brother's permission before leaving the situation. She admitted that she never told her brother about the incident.
Rajesh also shared another incident where she was publicly scolded by a director for being a few minutes late, further highlighting the difficulties faced by women in the industry. Despite these early challenges, Aishwarya Rajesh has established herself as a versatile and acclaimed actress, starring in numerous hit films across various languages. Her upcoming projects include Karuppar Nagaram, Mohandas, and Uttarakaanda.
