# Anjana Jayaprakash **Anjana Jayaprakash** (അഞ്ജന ജയപ്രകാശ്; born 1992) is an Indian actress who works in Malayalam and Tamil films and web series. She is known for playing Hamsadhwani in *Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum* (2023) opposite [Fahadh Faasil](https://www.edgepedia.org/fahadh-faasil) and [Indulekha](https://www.edgepedia.org/indulekha) in *Turbo* (2024) opposite [Mammootty](https://www.edgepedia.org/mammootty), after an earlier Tamil debut in *Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru* (2016).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8682293/bio/) • [2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2024/Jun/06/anjana-jayaprakash-audiences-unfairly-judge-actors-based-on-just-two-films) | Key fact | Detail | |---|---| | Born | 1992[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8682293/bio/) | | Background | Malayali by origin; born in Dubai and brought up in Sharjah, then moved to India after school[3](https://www.asianage.com/entertainment/in-other-news/010320/the-young-queen.html) | | Education | B.Tech in Fashion Technology in Coimbatore; began modeling and acting in short films during her studies[3](https://www.asianage.com/entertainment/in-other-news/010320/the-young-queen.html) | | Film debut | Tamil film *Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru* (2016), directed by her college junior Karthick Naren[4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2023/May/09/anjana-jayaprakash-im-planning-to-change-my-looks-to-avoid-being-stereotyped-43225.html) | | Breakthrough | Hamsadhwani in *Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum* (2023), opposite Fahadh Faasil[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2024/Jun/06/anjana-jayaprakash-audiences-unfairly-judge-actors-based-on-just-two-films) | | Notable series | *Queen* (2019), playing the young Shakthi Seshadri, a character loosely based on J. Jayalalithaa[3](https://www.asianage.com/entertainment/in-other-news/010320/the-young-queen.html) | | Latest film | *Turbo* (2024), as the female lead Indulekha opposite Mammootty[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2024/Jun/06/anjana-jayaprakash-audiences-unfairly-judge-actors-based-on-just-two-films) | ## Early life and start in acting Anjana Jayaprakash was born in 1992.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8682293/bio/) A Keralite by origin, she was born in Dubai and brought up in Sharjah, moving to India after completing her school education.[3](https://www.asianage.com/entertainment/in-other-news/010320/the-young-queen.html) She studied for a B.Tech in Fashion Technology in [Coimbatore](https://www.edgepedia.org/coimbatore), where she took up modeling and acted in short films, including *Muse* (2015), in which she played the lead.[3](https://www.asianage.com/entertainment/in-other-news/010320/the-young-queen.html) • [5](https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2023/06/08/exclusive-chat-with-anjana-jayaprakash.html) A scene from *Muse* was shot at the home of director [Karthick Naren](https://www.edgepedia.org/karthick-naren), her college junior, who later cast her in his first film.[5](https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2023/06/08/exclusive-chat-with-anjana-jayaprakash.html) Her first film audition was for *Premam* (2015), in which she was cast as Celine and shot for two days in Kochi before the makers decided she did not suit the role; the part went to [Madonna Sebastian](https://www.edgepedia.org/madonna-sebastian).[4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2023/May/09/anjana-jayaprakash-im-planning-to-change-my-looks-to-avoid-being-stereotyped-43225.html) She has described this as a harsh early lesson in how publicly failures are discussed in cinema.[4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2023/May/09/anjana-jayaprakash-im-planning-to-change-my-looks-to-avoid-being-stereotyped-43225.html) ## Tamil debut and web series Her full-fledged debut came with the Tamil film *Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru* (2016), directed by Karthick Naren.[4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2023/May/09/anjana-jayaprakash-im-planning-to-change-my-looks-to-avoid-being-stereotyped-43225.html) The film opened doors for her, and she moved from Kochi to Chennai, where she found more work as a working actor in advertisements, short films, and web series.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2024/Jun/06/anjana-jayaprakash-audiences-unfairly-judge-actors-based-on-just-two-films) • [5](https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2023/06/08/exclusive-chat-with-anjana-jayaprakash.html) **Queen.** After clearing an audition and screen test, she began work in 2018 on the web television series *Queen*, released on [MX Player](https://www.edgepedia.org/mx-player) in December 2019.[3](https://www.asianage.com/entertainment/in-other-news/010320/the-young-queen.html) • [4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2023/May/09/anjana-jayaprakash-im-planning-to-change-my-looks-to-avoid-being-stereotyped-43225.html) The 11-episode series, based on Anita Sivakumaran's book *Queen*, which is loosely based on the life of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, was directed jointly by [Gautham Vasudev Menon](https://www.edgepedia.org/gautham-vasudev-menon) and Prasath Murugesan and released in Tamil, English, Hindi, Telugu, and Bengali.[3](https://www.asianage.com/entertainment/in-other-news/010320/the-young-queen.html) Anjana played the 18-to-30 stage of the lead character Shakthi Seshadri, with Anikha playing the first part and [Ramya Krishnan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ramya-krishnan) the rest; she shot for about 45 to 50 days in Chennai, Gandikotta, and Pondicherry.[3](https://www.asianage.com/entertainment/in-other-news/010320/the-young-queen.html) She also finished shooting for the Zee5 investigative thriller series *Police Diary 2.0*, playing an Inspector.[3](https://www.asianage.com/entertainment/in-other-news/010320/the-young-queen.html) ## Malayalam breakthrough and Turbo Anjana's first appearance in [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema) was a brief role in *Kumbasaram* (2015).[4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2023/May/09/anjana-jayaprakash-im-planning-to-change-my-looks-to-avoid-being-stereotyped-43225.html) She auditioned for *Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum* in 2019 and was selected, but the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown delayed the shoot; the film launched in January 2020 and was released in 2023.[4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2023/May/09/anjana-jayaprakash-im-planning-to-change-my-looks-to-avoid-being-stereotyped-43225.html) • [5](https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2023/06/08/exclusive-chat-with-anjana-jayaprakash.html) Directed by Akhil Sathyan, the film cast her as Hamsadhwani opposite Fahadh Faasil, and her performance drew wide appreciation from Malayali audiences.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2024/Jun/06/anjana-jayaprakash-audiences-unfairly-judge-actors-based-on-just-two-films) • [4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2023/May/09/anjana-jayaprakash-im-planning-to-change-my-looks-to-avoid-being-stereotyped-43225.html) Months after that film's release, she was approached by MammoottyKampany for *[Turbo](https://www.edgepedia.org/turbo-2024-film)* (2024), directed by Vysakh, in which she plays Indulekha, the female lead who is not the protagonist's romantic pair.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2024/Jun/06/anjana-jayaprakash-audiences-unfairly-judge-actors-based-on-just-two-films) She has said that holding her own opposite Mammootty's screen presence was the main challenge of the role, and that she focused on following the director's instructions.[6](https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2024/05/27/chat-with-anjajana-jayaprakash-turbo-movie.html) ## Other work and views Beyond acting, Anjana wrote and directed the short film *Barely Breathing* and began working as a content writer in early 2023, working from home.[5](https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2023/06/08/exclusive-chat-with-anjana-jayaprakash.html) In interviews she has discussed stereotyping, saying she planned to change her look to avoid being boxed into Hamsadhwani-like mature roles, and has expressed interest in comedic roles and characters with negative shades.[4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2023/May/09/anjana-jayaprakash-im-planning-to-change-my-looks-to-avoid-being-stereotyped-43225.html) • [2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2024/Jun/06/anjana-jayaprakash-audiences-unfairly-judge-actors-based-on-just-two-films) On female representation in Malayalam cinema, she has said the industry is at a nascent stage compared with [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema), where she observes women are more often paid their due, and that she does not support including female characters who have no influence on the plot.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2024/Jun/06/anjana-jayaprakash-audiences-unfairly-judge-actors-based-on-just-two-films) ## References 1. [Anjana Jayaprakash – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8682293/bio/) 2. [Anjana Jayaprakash: Audiences unfairly judge actors based on just two films, Cinema Express (6 June 2024)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2024/Jun/06/anjana-jayaprakash-audiences-unfairly-judge-actors-based-on-just-two-films) 3. [The young queen, The Asian Age (1 March 2020)](https://www.asianage.com/entertainment/in-other-news/010320/the-young-queen.html) 4. [Anjana Jayaprakash: I'm planning to change my looks to avoid being stereotyped, Cinema Express (9 May 2023)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2023/May/09/anjana-jayaprakash-im-planning-to-change-my-looks-to-avoid-being-stereotyped-43225.html) 5. [ഈ 'ഹംസ'യാണ് ഇപ്പോൾ മലയാളികളുടെ ക്രഷ്; അഞ്ജന ജയപ്രകാശ് അഭിമുഖം, Manorama Online (8 June 2023)](https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2023/06/08/exclusive-chat-with-anjana-jayaprakash.html) 6. [മമ്മൂക്കയ്‌ക്കൊപ്പം പിടിച്ചു നിൽക്കുക എന്നതാണ് പ്രധാന വെല്ലുവിളി: അഞ്ജന ജയപ്രകാശ് അഭിമുഖം, Manorama Online (27 May 2024)](https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2024/05/27/chat-with-anjajana-jayaprakash-turbo-movie.html) --- *Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Tamil film actors › Surnames symbols to J* *Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026* *Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.* License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license