Shanthi Priya, the actress who starred opposite Akshay Kumar in his debut film Saugandh (1991), is set to make a comeback to the silver screen after a hiatus of 35 years with the Tamil film Bad Girl. The film is slated for release on September 5, 2025.

Born on September 22, 1969, in Andhra Pradesh, Shanthi Priya began her acting career in 1987 with the Telugu film Kaboye Alludu. She gained recognition for her roles in several Tamil and Telugu films before entering Bollywood with Saugandh. Some of her notable works include Enga Ooru Pattukaran, Phool Aur Angaar, Ikke Pe Ikka, and Meherbaan. Shanthi Priya was admired for her versatility and ability to adapt to both dramatic and romantic roles.

Bad Girl, directed by Varsha Bharath and produced by Vetri Maaran, marks Shanthi Priya's return to Tamil cinema after 33 years. In the film, she plays a school teacher and a mother struggling with her daughter's rebellious choices. Shanthi Priya expressed her excitement about returning to the industry and mentioned that she is thrilled to come back to where she belongs.

In an interview, Shanthi Priya shared her experience of working without makeup for the first time in Bad Girl. She mentioned that she was initially nervous about it but later found it liberating. She realized that acting is about honesty, not perfection, and connected more deeply with the character without the distraction of makeup.

Shanthi Priya is also the sister of renowned South Indian actress Bhanupriya, who had to quit acting due to memory loss. Shanthi Priya had taken a break from her acting career after her marriage to actor Siddharth Ray in 1992. Siddharth Ray passed away in 2004.

In 2025, Shanthi Priya has been making headlines for various reasons. She has been lauded for challenging beauty norms by sporting a bald head and wearing her late husband's blazer. She shared that she made this decision to break the beauty standards set by society and to celebrate her self-liberation.

Shanthi Priya has also spoken about an insensitive comment made by Akshay Kumar on the set of their film Ikke Pe Ikka (1994), which led her to depression. She revealed that Akshay Kumar had commented on the color of her knees, which hurt her deeply.

Apart from Bad Girl, Shanthi Priya had also planned to make a comeback with a biopic on the freedom fighter Sarojini Naidu. However, the project was delayed due to the pandemic and pending permissions. Shanthi Priya remains keen to portray Sarojini Naidu and complete the remaining schedule of the biopic.