The landscape of Tollywood has undergone significant changes, with a trend that saw directors favoring actresses from other languages to attract audiences. This led to the rise of actresses like Kajal, Trisha, Samantha, and currently Rashmika, Pooja Hegde, and Mrunal Thakur as the leading stars. However, there has been a noticeable shift recently, with an increasing presence of Telugu actresses in the industry, particularly evident in smaller films outside the realm of big-hero movies. This change marks an exciting development. Let’s delve into the profiles of these emerging Telugu actresses who are making their mark and vying for the status of star heroines.
Gouri Priya
Recently making her mark in Tollywood with the youthful entertainer ‘MAD’, Gouri Priya has captured everyone’s attention with her acting and charm. After acting alongside Tamil hero Manikandan in ‘Lover’, she’s also trying her luck in Kollywood.
Anandhi
Hailing from Warangal, Anandhi entered the industry with the 2012 film ‘Ee Rojullo‘. After playing small roles, she shifted her focus to Tamil movies, gaining praise as a heroine alongside young heroes. In Telugu, she has been the main lead in movies like Zombie Reddy, Sridevi Soda Center, and Itlu Maredumilli Prajanikam.
Chandini Chowdary
From Visakhapatnam, Chandini Chowdary made her debut with ‘Life is Beautiful’. She became well-known with ‘Kundanapu Bomma’, ‘Howrah Bridge’, and ‘Manu’. Her fame skyrocketed with ‘Colour Photo’. Recently, she has risen to lead roles in movies like ‘Gaami’ and has also been part of web series like ‘Masti’s’, ‘Gaalivaana’, and ‘Jhansi’.
Vaishnavi Chaitanya
Vaishnavi Chaitanya became famous overnight with the movie ‘Baby’. Initially known for YouTube series, her popularity soared with the series ‘Software Developer’, leading to her role in ‘Baby‘. Her mesmerizing performance has won hearts, and she’s currently working on another film with ‘Baby’ fame Anand Deverakonda and has accepted a movie under Dil Raju’s production.
Divya Sripada
Divya Sripada is gradually increasing her presence in Tollywood. She turned into a heroine with ‘Sundaram Master’ after doing side roles in notable films like ‘Dear Comrade’, ‘Colour Photo’, ‘Miss India’, ‘Jathi Ratnalu’, ‘F3’, ‘Yashoda’, and ‘Panchathantram’. Her performance in ‘Sundaram Master’ attracted attention, promising her more lead roles in the future.
Sobhita Dhulipala
Born in Tenali, Andhra Pradesh, Sobhita Dhulipala debuted in the industry with ‘Raman Raghav 2.0’. She made her Telugu debut with ‘Goodachari’, captivating Telugu audiences. She shined in movies like ‘Kurup’, ‘Major’, and ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ and is noteworthy for acting in the Hollywood film ‘Monkey Man’. Currently, she’s working in the Hindi movie ‘Sitaara’, setting an example for local actresses with her roles in Hollywood and Bollywood level films.
Ritu Varma
From Hyderabad, Ritu Varma debuted in a small role in ‘Baadshah’ but gained fame as the heroine of ‘Pelli Choopulu’, which was a solid hit. She’s recognized for her roles in ‘Keshava’, ‘Ninnila Ninnila’, ‘Tuck Jagadish’, ‘Varudu Kavalenu’, and ‘Oke Oka Jeevitham’, and recently in ‘Mark Antony’. She’s also acting in Vikram’s upcoming ‘Dhruva Natchathiram’.
Swathi Reddy
Swathi Reddy, from Visakhapatnam, debuted in ‘Danger’ directed by Krishna Vamsi in 2005. She gained recognition in Tamil with ‘Subramaniapuram’, which was released in Telugu as ‘Ananthapuram’. She has worked in Telugu films like ‘Ashta Chamma’, ‘Swamy Ra Ra’, ‘Karthikeya’, ‘Tripura’, and ‘Panchathantram’, recently engaging the audience with ‘Month of Madhu’.
Dimple Hayathi
Born in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, actress Dimple Hayathi grew up in Hyderabad. She made her Telugu debut with the movie ‘Gulf’ in 2017. Although the movie didn’t achieve much success, Dimple received good marks for her performance, leading to more opportunities in Telugu. She acted in ‘Abhinetri 2’, ‘Eureka’, in Hindi ‘Atrangi Re’, with Vishal in ‘Samanyudu’, with Ravi Teja in ‘Khiladi’, and with Gopichand in ‘Ramabanam’. Currently, even though she doesn’t have any movies in hand, there’s talk in the industry that nobody can stop Dimple if she gets the right hit.
Shivani Nagar
Among the recent new heroines in Tollywood, Shivani Nagar stands out. She made her debut as a heroine in the movie ‘Ambajipeta Marriage Band’ starring young hero Suhas. She impressed as a quintessential village girl. With this movie’s success, it’s likely Shivani will bag more opportunities in Telugu.
Maanasa Choudhary
From Puttur in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, Maanasa Choudhary recently shined in Tollywood with the movie ‘Bubblegum’. Starring Rajeev and Suma son Roshan as the hero, she captivated with her beauty and performance. Though the movie didn’t succeed at the box office, Maanasa has sent a strong message to the Telugu film industry that she possesses significant skills. A single hit could potentially make her unstoppable in Telugu cinema.
Anjali
Actress Anjali, born in Rajahmundry, East Godavari district, once reached the status of a star heroine in Tollywood. She entered the industry with the Telugu film ‘Photo’ in 2006 and then moved to the Tamil industry, where she became a star heroine. After acting in a string of movies in Kollywood, Anjali returned to Tollywood with ‘Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu’. She shined in movies like ‘Balupu’, ‘Masala’, ‘Geethanjali’, ‘Dictator’, ‘Sarrainodu’, ‘Vakeel Saab’, and ‘Macherla Niyojakavargam’. Currently, she is acting in Telugu movies like ‘Geethanjali 2’, ‘Gangs of Godavari’, and ‘Game Changer’.
