Nayanthara Reveals Her First Salary Was Just ₹2,000-3,000; Actress Recalls Her Humble Beginnings Before Stardom

Nayanthara and Kavin are gearing up for the release of their upcoming romantic drama Hi. In a recent interview, Nayanthara opened up about her first job and recalled how much she earned as her first salary. The actress revealed that she received just around Rs. 2,000-3,000 for her first professional assignment.

During her conversation with Pearle Maaney, Nayanthara was asked about her first job and first salary. She revealed that she started out as a model and recalled, “I think it was for Vanitha's cover shoot. I think I was called for a fashion program.” She then revealed that she earned around Rs. 2,000-3,000 for the assignment.

Pearle responded with a humorous anecdote, saying, “I had got Rs. 500 for cutting my father's nails.”

Nayanthara's Career

Nayanthara began her career in 2003 with Manassinakkare, after filmmaker Sathyan Anthikad spotted her photograph in Vanitha magazine while she was working as a model. She initially had no plans to pursue acting, but accepted the role of Gauri. The film’s success brought her recognition, followed by Vismayathumbathu and Natturajavu. She then entered Tamil cinema with Ayya (2005), but it was Chandramukhi opposite Rajinikanth that became a major breakthrough and established her as a popular South Indian actress.

Over the years, Nayanthara successfully moved beyond conventional glamour roles and took on stronger, performance-driven characters. Films such as Billa, Yaaradi Nee Mohini, Sri Rama Rajyam, Raja Rani, Maya, Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, Aramm and Kolamaavu Kokila showcased her versatility and helped earn her the “Lady Superstar” tag. She later made her Bollywood debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Atlee’s Jawan (2023), which became a major pan-India success and expanded her popularity among Hindi audiences.

Nayanthara's Upcoming Film

Nayanthara and Kavin’s upcoming Tamil-language romantic drama Hi is directed by debutant Vishnu Edavan and follows an unusual love story that takes an unexpected turn with marriage. The film also stars Prabhu, Radhika Sarathkumar, K. Bhagyaraj and Poornima Bhagyaraj in key roles. The mvoie is set to release in theaters on August 28, 2026.