The new era of cinema has ensured that women in films finally get their due. Currently, Bollywood is ruled by prominent female performers. Not only are there more women-centric stories on the increase, but female performers are also earning bigger roles in mainstream films directed by men. Women’s engagement in the filmmaking process, not just in front of the camera, is increasing at a rapid rate.

Women actors such as Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, and Deepika Padukone have made an impact not only in Bollywood but also in Hollywood. However, did you know that these Bollywood actors made their acting debut in South Indian films? The cinema is one of the most popular forms of entertainment, and language is just one factor that creates a unique bond between audiences and the movie in their native tongue.

The South Indian audience is considerably different from the Hindi audience there, but establishing your presence among such die-hard followers of their male performers is crucial. Another accomplishment is being spotted and then making your way into popular films on your own. Here we have compiled a list of popular actors of Bollywood who made their acting debut in South Indian films.

Bollywood Actors Debut With South Indian Films

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

She made her acting debut in Mani Ratnam’s Tamil political drama film Iruvar in 1997, and her Bollywood debut in the romantic comedy Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya the same year, after winning Miss World. She returned to Tamil films with Jeans in 1998. Her other Tamil films include Kandukondain Kandukondain, Raavanan, and Enthiran. She also acted in a Telugu film, Ravoyi Chandamama.

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone is a well-known Bollywood actor who has also appeared in the Hollywood film, XXX: Return of Xander Cage. However, her acting debut was in the Kannada film Aishwarya in 2006. She then made her big Bollywood debut with Om Shanti Om (2007), opposite Shah Rukh Khan. She returned to South Indian films with Kochadaiiyaan, a Tamil film released in 2014 that featured her in a pivotal role. The film was an animated film with Rajnikanth in the lead role.

Deepika Padukone With Upendra in Aishwarya

Suggested Reading: Nayanthara To Rashmika Mandanna, 4 South Actors Making Their Bollywood Debut

Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra, the winner of the Miss World pageant in 2000, is currently one of India’s highest-paid actors. She made her acting debut in the Tamil film Thamizhan (2002). Vijay, Revathi, Nassar, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Vivek play important parts in the movie. After that, she made her Bollywood debut with The Hero: A Spy’s Love Story (2003).

 Yami Gautam

Yami Gautam began her acting career on television with her first appearance in Chand Ke Paar Chalo. She made her lead acting debut in the Kannada film Ullasa Utsaha in 2009. The film is a remake of the Telugu film Ullasamga Utsahamga from 2008, and it is Gautam’s lone Kannada feature to date. She appeared in the Telugu film Nuvvila in 2011, and she has also appeared in Gouravam, Yuddham, and Courier Boy Kalyan. In 2012, she also starred in the Malayalam film Hero.

Yami Gautam and Ganesh Ullasa Utsaha

Kriti Sanon

Kriti Sanon has established herself as one of Bollywood’s leading actors, having starred in a number of successful films. In 2014, she made her Telugu acting debut in the psychological thriller 1: Nenokkadine, opposite Mahesh Babu. Then she made her successful Bollywood acting debut with Heropanti. Dohchay, a Telugu film starring Naga Chaitanya Brahmanandam, Ravi Babu, Posani Krishna Murali, and Pooja Ramachandran, is her second Telugu film.