Kalyani Priyadarshan, a 32-year-old actress from the Malayalam film industry, is currently making headlines. She has carved a niche for herself in a career spanning just 8 years and 7 films. Her recently released film 'Loka: Chapter 1-Chandra' has set a record by earning 200 crore worldwide.
Entertainment: This actress is currently the talk of the town. She has made a name for herself in both Bollywood and the South Indian film industries, and has now become the first Malayalam actress whose film has grossed over 200 crore rupees globally. With this, she has also become India's first female superhero. Her background is also quite interesting. Her father is a well-known name in the Hindi film industry, which has benefited her with insights and experiences of the film world.
Who is Kalyani Priyadarshan?
Kalyani Priyadarshan was born on April 5, 1993, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. She is the daughter of filmmaker Priyadarshan and actress Lissy. Her brother's name is Siddharth. After completing her early education in Chennai, Kalyani moved to Singapore for higher studies, where she also worked with theatre groups. She graduated in Architecture from the Parsons School of Design in New York and interned in theatre at the Williamstown Theatre Festival during this period. After returning to India, she participated in an acting workshop at Adishakti Theatre, Pondicherry, and then ventured into the film industry.
An 8-Year Cinematic Journey and the Superhero Persona
Kalyani began her film career in 2017 with the Telugu film 'Hello'. For this, she received the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut - South and the SIIMA Award. Subsequently, she worked in Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil films, including:
- Chitralahari (2019)
- Varane Avashyamund (2020)
- Maanadu (2021)
- Hridayam, Bro Daddy, and Thallumaala (2022)
With 'Loka: Chapter 1-Chandra', released in 2025, Kalyani has become India's first female superhero. She played the lead role in this film, and her innocence and powerful performance won the hearts of the audience.
'Loka: Chapter 1-Chandra's Blockbuster Box Office Performance
The film was directed by Dominic Arun and produced by Dulquer Salmaan. The film grossed ₹100 crore in 7 days and ₹210 crore globally in 15 days. In India too, it crossed the mark of ₹101 crore. This film has become the third highest-grossing Malayalam film of 2025.
Besides Kalyani, the film also features actors like Arun Kurian, Chandu Salimkumar, Nishanth Sagar, Raghunath Paleri, Vijayaraghavan, Nithya Shree, and Sarath Sabha. A significant reason for Kalyani Priyadarshan's popularity is her father Priyadarshan's name. Priyadarshan has directed hit films such as 'De Dana Dan, Khatta Meetha, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Garam Masala, Hungama, Hulchul, Hera Pheri, Dhol'. He has also been honored with the National Film Award and the Padma Shri.
