Priyamani - The down to earth star

       Few actresses who make it big in Tamil cinema are able to blend in with the kind of subtle acting style that is the norm of Malayalam film. One honorable exception is the dusky beauty Priyamani, who brings such an earthy effervescence, if one can call at that, or a touch of sizzle to each of her roles. As she reaches the mid-off of her career, every industry whether it is Malayalam, Tamil or Telugu, seems to think her as their own.
       Though she has her origins in Kerala - born as Priya Vasudev Mani Iyer in Palakkad - Priyamani had her education in Bangalore.
It maybe her attitude to life that helps her keep both her feet planted firmly on the ground in the glamour-driven career she has chosen for herself. It is again this sense of equanimity that has governed her approach to work too; pacing out her career and picking and choosing roles. For instance, if one thought after reaching cinematic peak with a National award for her performance in "Paruthiveeran" (2007), she would be in consolidation mode to be a reigning star and go on a role-signing spree, that was not the case at all.
       Even though her role as a pan-chewing Madurai girl, "Muthazhagi" drew critical acclaim and picked up a clutch of awards such as the Tamil Nadu State Award, a South Filmfare Award and and another award at the Osian's Cinefan Festival Asian and Arab Cinema, Priyamani never seemed to be possessed by an urge to put her career on full-throttle.
       Perhaps she would have just accepted that she had got her due in "Paruthiveeran" that she was denied for what was another critically acclaimed performance in Balu Mahendra's "Adhu oru Kaana Kaalam" (2005) though the film itself was a damp squib at the box office. That was a year after her low-key debut in Bharathiraja's "Kangal Kaidhu Sei" (2004).
       Priyamani has also switched her glamorous side in few blockbuster movies such as "Drona" (Telugu) and not shied away from doing few bold scenes in some of her films, including the upcoming Sharukh Khan starrer "Chennai Express". She also did an off beat horror flick featuring conjoined twins in "Charulatha" (Tamil).
       The other stand outs in her filmography includes outings in Mani Ratnam's bilingual "Raavan" and the first of two part trilingual Ram Gopal Varma's "Rakth Charithra".
         In Malayalam, Priyamani debuted in Satyam (2004) opposite Prithviraj, an actor with whom she would again share screen years later in "Ninaithale Inikkum", the Tamil Remake of "Classmates". Neither of these outings with Prithviraj was too successful at the box office.
       In "Thirakkatha" (2008), Priyamani pulled off the role of Malaivika, who had a spectrum of emotions with ease. The story revolved around the ups and downs in the life of a film actress which was  pretty heavy too. This role fetched her the Filmfare awards for the South's best actress.
       Her best efforts yet in Malayalam came in "Pranjiyettan and the Saint" where she provided the ideal foil for a deglamourized Mammootty playing Chirmmal Enashu Francis alias Pranjiyettan, a Thrissur-slang-spouting race merchant while she excelled as Padmashree, his love interest.