# Thulasi Nair
**Thulasi Nair** (துளசி நாயர்) is an Indian actress known for her roles in Tamil and [Telugu cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/telugu-cinema), most notably as Beatrice in [Mani Ratnam](https://www.edgepedia.org/mani-ratnam)'s 2013 Tamil film *Kadal* and as Sreela in *Yaan* (2014). She comes from a prominent South Indian film family: her mother is the yesteryear actress Radha, her father is the hotelier and entrepreneur Rajasekharan Nair, her aunt is the actress Ambika, and her elder sister is the actress [Karthika Nair](https://www.edgepedia.org/karthika-nair).[1](https://m.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/2013/jan/30/slide-show-1-south-interview-with-thulasi-nair-on-kadal.htm)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India; October 25 (1996 per Rotten Tomatoes, 1997 per Filmibeat)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/thulasi_nair) • [3](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/thulasi-nair.html) |
| Family | Daughter of actress Radha and hotelier Rajasekharan Nair; niece of actress Ambika; younger sister of actress Karthika Nair[1](https://m.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/2013/jan/30/slide-show-1-south-interview-with-thulasi-nair-on-kadal.htm) |
| Debut | *Kadal* (2013), directed by Mani Ratnam, as Beatrice, opposite debutant Gautham Karthik[4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2013/Jan/17/i-never-dreamt-of-a-film-career-443889.html) |
| Second film | *Yaan* (2014), directed by Ravi K Chandran, with Jiiva; she played Sreela[5](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2014/Sep/25/thulasi-has-the-best-of-both-worlds-664980.html) |
| Telugu films | *Mr. Pellikoduku* (1 March 2013), *Chinni Chinni Aasa* (8 November 2013), and *Rangam 2* (25 November 2016)[3](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/thulasi-nair.html) |
## Early life and casting
Nair was born in [Thiruvananthapuram](https://www.edgepedia.org/thiruvananthapuram), Kerala, and raised in Mumbai.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/thulasi_nair) • [6](https://www.nowrunning.com/tamil/age-cant-be-barrier-for-acting-thulasi-nair/63689/story.htm) She did not grow up wanting to act; in a 2013 interview she said she had never even taken part in a school play and was studying for her board exams when Mani Ratnam called.[4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2013/Jan/17/i-never-dreamt-of-a-film-career-443889.html) She had set herself to follow her father into business, describing herself as business-minded like him.[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/interview-with-thulasi-nair/articleshow/18007059.cms)
**How the debut happened.** Ratnam was looking for a young heroine and, after an initial meeting, put her through a two-month acting workshop in Chennai under the actress Kalairani, alongside [Gautham Karthik](https://www.edgepedia.org/gautham-karthik), before confirming her for the role of Beatrice.[6](https://www.nowrunning.com/tamil/age-cant-be-barrier-for-acting-thulasi-nair/63689/story.htm) • [1](https://m.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/2013/jan/30/slide-show-1-south-interview-with-thulasi-nair-on-kadal.htm) She also prepared physically, losing 15 to 20 kg in about two and a half months under a trainer.[1](https://m.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/2013/jan/30/slide-show-1-south-interview-with-thulasi-nair-on-kadal.htm) Sources give her age at the time as 15 in a January 2013 Rediff interview and 16 in an IANS report; she was in her mid-teens during filming.[1](https://m.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/2013/jan/30/slide-show-1-south-interview-with-thulasi-nair-on-kadal.htm) • [6](https://www.nowrunning.com/tamil/age-cant-be-barrier-for-acting-thulasi-nair/63689/story.htm)
## Kadal (2013)
*Kadal*, released worldwide on 1 February 2013, is a romantic drama set in a Christian fishing village in southern [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu), with Nair playing Beatrice opposite Gautham Karthik's Thomas; the cast also included [Arvind Swamy](https://www.edgepedia.org/arvind-swamy), Arjun, Lakshmi Manchu, and [Thambi Ramaiah](https://www.edgepedia.org/thambi-ramaiah).[8](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/no-competition-with-sister-karthika-thulasi-nair-631328) • [9](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/south-review-kadal-has-nothing-new-to-offer/20130201.htm) The film was shot in the Andaman Islands, Rameswaram, and other coastal locations, with music by A. R. Rahman and cinematography by Rajiv Menon.[6](https://www.nowrunning.com/tamil/age-cant-be-barrier-for-acting-thulasi-nair/63689/story.htm) • [9](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/south-review-kadal-has-nothing-new-to-offer/20130201.htm) It was also dubbed in Telugu as *Kadali*.[1](https://m.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/2013/jan/30/slide-show-1-south-interview-with-thulasi-nair-on-kadal.htm)
The film was commercially unsuccessful, but reviewers were generally positive about her work. Rediff's review called her "natural" and said she had "lent an air of grace to her role"; Sify noted that despite limited screen time she did her best as a cheerful girl.[9](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/south-review-kadal-has-nothing-new-to-offer/20130201.htm)
## Yaan and later films
Her second Tamil film, *Yaan* (2014), directed by cinematographer Ravi K Chandran and starring Jiiva, took about two years to complete; she played Sreela, a 23-year-old Mumbai woman, and said the role made her more professional and independent after being, in her words, pampered on *Kadal*.[5](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2014/Sep/25/thulasi-has-the-best-of-both-worlds-664980.html) • [10](https://www.onlykollywood.com/interview-thulasi-nair/) She also appeared in the Telugu films *Mr. Pellikoduku* (2013), *Chinni Chinni Aasa* (2013), and *Rangam 2* (2016), the last also directed by Ravi K Chandran.[3](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/thulasi-nair.html)
## Education and outlook
Nair balanced filming with schooling, discontinuing regular classes during *Kadal* and studying through Skype, with board exams scheduled for May 2013.[6](https://www.nowrunning.com/tamil/age-cant-be-barrier-for-acting-thulasi-nair/63689/story.htm) She described films as a "happy aside" to her regular life and said her first priority was business, while committing to continue acting.[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/interview-with-thulasi-nair/articleshow/18007059.cms) • [1](https://m.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/2013/jan/30/slide-show-1-south-interview-with-thulasi-nair-on-kadal.htm)
## References
1. ['Mani Ratnam treated me like his daughter', Rediff.com Movies](https://m.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/2013/jan/30/slide-show-1-south-interview-with-thulasi-nair-on-kadal.htm)
2. [Thulasi Nair Movies List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/thulasi_nair)
3. [Thulasi Nair: Height, Age, Biography, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/thulasi-nair.html)
4. ['I never dreamt of a film career', The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2013/Jan/17/i-never-dreamt-of-a-film-career-443889.html)
5. [Thulasi Has the Best of Both Worlds, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2014/Sep/25/thulasi-has-the-best-of-both-worlds-664980.html)
6. [Age can't be barrier for acting: Thulasi Nair, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/tamil/age-cant-be-barrier-for-acting-thulasi-nair/63689/story.htm)
7. [Interview with Thulasi Nair, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/interview-with-thulasi-nair/articleshow/18007059.cms)
8. [No competition with sister Karthika: Thulasi Nair, NDTV](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/no-competition-with-sister-karthika-thulasi-nair-631328)
9. [Review: Kadal has nothing new to offer, Rediff.com](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/south-review-kadal-has-nothing-new-to-offer/20130201.htm)
10. [Interview with Thulasi Nair, Only Kollywood](https://www.onlykollywood.com/interview-thulasi-nair/)
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*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 K to P*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license