# Tulasi (తులసి) (actress)
**Tulasi** (తులసి), also known as **Tulasi Shivamani**, is an Indian actress who works primarily in Telugu, Kannada, and [Tamil cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-cinema). She began as a child actress, moved into lead roles, and after returning to films became widely cast in mother characters; she has acted in over 300 films across Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, and Hindi.[1](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/580662-tulasi?language=en-US) • [2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSr_4o2usH8) She has won two [Nandi Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/nandi-awards) and one Filmfare Award.[2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSr_4o2usH8)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1967 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876310/) |
| Career span | Child actress, then lead actress, then supporting mother roles; over 300 films in five languages[1](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/580662-tulasi?language=en-US) |
| Debut | Telugu film *Bharya* at three months old, placed in a cradle at the request of the actress Savitri[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXKV_rn-Zu0) |
| Marriage | Married Kannada director Shivamani in 1995; one son, Sai Tarun[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876310/bio/) • [4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXKV_rn-Zu0) |
| Comeback | Kannada film *Excuse Me*, playing mother to Divya Spandana, followed by about three films a year[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXKV_rn-Zu0) |
| Awards | Two Nandi Awards, one Filmfare Award, and a Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for *Pannaiyarum Padminiyum*[2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSr_4o2usH8) |
| Known for | *Karthikeya 2* (2022), *Srimanthudu* (2015), *Dear Comrade* (2019)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876310/) |
## Early career as a child actress
Tulasi's entry into films came before she could walk. For a song in the Telugu film *Bharya*, a baby was needed, and the leading actress Savitri, a friend of Tulasi's mother, asked that the infant be placed in the cradle; Tulasi was three months old at the time[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXKV_rn-Zu0). She next appeared in a song in *Jeevanatarangalu* at one and a half years of age and has said she became a full-fledged actor at three[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXKV_rn-Zu0). She has stated that she never attended school[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXKV_rn-Zu0).
As a child artist she worked mainly in Telugu films, playing younger sisters, daughters, and similar parts, and built a following for her performances[6](https://tamil.behindtalkies.com/actress-tulasi-shivamani-film-history/). Two of her best-remembered childhood roles placed her opposite the biggest stars of Tamil cinema: she played [Kamal Haasan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kamal-haasan)'s younger sister in the 1982 hit *Sakalakala Vallavan*, in a role that stood at the film's center, and Rajinikanth's daughter, and Karthik's love interest, in *Nallavanuku Nallavan*[6](https://tamil.behindtalkies.com/actress-tulasi-shivamani-film-history/).
## Marriage and return to films
Tulasi married the Kannada director Shivamani in 1995[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876310/bio/). She has described the wedding as abrupt: she met him in the morning and the two went to a temple that same evening and married in secret, with both families learning of it only a few weeks later[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXKV_rn-Zu0) • [6](https://tamil.behindtalkies.com/actress-tulasi-shivamani-film-history/).
**The comeback.** When her son Sai Tarun was about six years old, offers for mother characters began arriving, and she turned them all down at first[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXKV_rn-Zu0). She finally signed one Kannada film, *Excuse Me*, in which she played mother to Divya Spandana; it became a big hit, and she settled into a pace of about three Kannada films a year[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXKV_rn-Zu0).
## Screen mother in Tamil and Telugu cinema
Her later career is defined by mother roles, first in Telugu and Tamil films[7](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B3%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF_%28%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%88%29). Her notable Telugu supporting credits include *Sasirekha Parinayam*, *[Mr. Perfect](https://www.edgepedia.org/mr-perfect-film)*, *Darling*, *Srimanthudu*, *Idharammayilatho*, *Nenu Local*, *Mahanati*, and *Dear Comrade*; her Tamil mother-role films include *Pillaiyar Theru Kadaisi Veedu*, *Easan*, *Mankatha*, *Sundarapandian*, *[Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer](https://www.edgepedia.org/aadhalal-kadhal-seiveer)*, and *Pandiya Naadu*[7](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B3%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF_%28%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%88%29).
One role stands out in her own account. Playing mother to Manisha Yadav in *Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer*, she has said, "changed my life" and "brought me an identity as a screen mother"[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXKV_rn-Zu0). Her performance as Chellamma in *Pannaiyarum Padminiyum* (2014) drew critical praise; reviewers called her "intelligent" and credited her with the best performance of her career, and the film brought her the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Supporting Actress[7](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B3%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF_%28%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%88%29).
## Recent work
Her later filmography is dense with Telugu releases. Database listings credit her with films including *[Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/vendhu-thanindhathu-kaadu)* (2022, as Durga), *Dhamaka* (2022, as Devaki), *Karthikeya 2* (2022, as Karthikeya's mother), *Miss. Shetty Mr. Polishetty* (2023, as Revathi Polishetty), *[Manamey](https://www.edgepedia.org/manamey)* (2024), *Rathnam* (2024), and *Shivam Bhaje* (2024), with further releases scheduled into 2026[1](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/580662-tulasi?language=en-US) • [8](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/tulasi). IMDb lists her also as a writer, and credits her marriage to Shivamani as lasting since 1995[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876310/).
## Sources and name variants
Industry databases record her under several names: Tulasi Shivamani, Thulasi, Thulsi, Tulsi, Baby Tulasi, Tulasi Sivamani, and Thulasi Sivamani[1](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/580662-tulasi?language=en-US). Database credit counts differ widely from the "over 300 films" figure in her biographies: TMDB records 103 known credits, Movie List 119, and Archytele 126 across a career span from 1980 to 2026[1](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/580662-tulasi?language=en-US) • [8](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/tulasi) • [9](https://www.archytele.com/person/tulasi), figures that reflect what each database tracks rather than her total output.
## References
1. [Tulasi, The Movie Database (TMDB)](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/580662-tulasi?language=en-US)
2. [Actress Tulasi (Tulasi Shivamani) Exclusive Interview, Real Talk With Anji, Film Tree (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSr_4o2usH8)
3. [Tulasi (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876310/)
4. [Actress Tulasi Shivamani Press Meet, 2DayCinema (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXKV_rn-Zu0)
5. [Tulasi, Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0876310/bio/)
6. [Actress Tulasi Shivamani Film History, Tamil Behind Talkies](https://tamil.behindtalkies.com/actress-tulasi-shivamani-film-history/)
7. [துளசி (நடிகை), Tamil Wiki](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B3%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF_%28%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%88%29)
8. [Tulasi Movies: Full List, Movie List](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/tulasi)
9. [Tulasi: Movies, TV Shows & Biography, Archytele](https://www.archytele.com/person/tulasi)
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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 › Telugu film actors › Surnames S to Z*
*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*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license