“An architect turned actress” Kalyani Priyadarshan: Biography, career, age, family, net worth

Kalyani Priyadarshan is an Indian actress who primarily works in the Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil cinema. She is the daughter of renowned Film Director Priyadarshan and actress Lissy. Kalyani has a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture and worked as an architect before making her debut in Hello! (2017). She rose to popularity for her movies like  Hridayam (2022), Varshangalkku Shesham (2024), and Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra (2025).

Kalyani Priyadarshan Biography 

Name	Kalyani Priyadarshan
Date of Birth	April 5, 1993
Place of Birth	Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Mother	Lissy
Father	Priyadarshan
Siblings	Siddharth Priyadarshan (brother)
Education	Lady Andal (School) Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture (Parsons School of Design In NYC)
Occupation	Architect, Actress
Awards	Best Female Debut (Filmfare Award South 2017)
Height	1.58m
Zodiac sign	Aquarius
Debut	Hello! (2017)

Early Life and Education 

Kalyani Priyadarshan was born on April 5, 1993, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, to Prominent Indian Filmmaker Priyadarshan and Actress Lissy. She has a younger brother named Siddharth Priyadarshan. She attended Lady Andal, from where she completed her schooling. On completion, she pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Parsons School of Design in New York City. She did not aim to venture into the film industry and went on to pursue Architecture, but destiny had other plans. She attended an acting workshop in India after her arrival. 

Career 

• She landed her first job as an assistant to a production designer, Sabu Cyril, on the sets of the movie Krrish 3 (2013). She also worked as an assistant art director on the Tamil film Iru Mugan (2016). In 2017, she made her debut in Hello! (Telugu movie) opposite the son of Akhil Akkineni. It won her Best Female Debut in the Filmfare Award South 2017. She is Malayali by birth, but she revealed she is not fluent in Malayalam. She continued to work in the Telugu movies with Chitralahari (2019) and Ranarangam (2019). 
• In 2019, she made her debut in the Tamil Industry in the movie Hero opposite Sivakarthikeyan. A viewer wrote, “Kalyani Priyadarshan, once again, is primarily used to amplify the glamour quotient.”  She received love and success in the Malayali industry by working in movies like Varane Avashyamund (2020), Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham (2021), and Hridayam (2022). The film was a commercial success, and “The Hindu” reviewed “might not stir your soul, but will keep you entertained.
• She starred in Bro Daddy, released in 2022, where she performed opposite Prithviraj Sukumaran. It was a Malayalam film, and it enabled her to create a strong fanbase of Malayali audience. In 2023, two of her movies were released, she played a muslim woman aspiring to become a football commentator in Sesham Mike-il Fathima. In the same year, she played a college student named Ann Maria opposite Joju George in Antony. 
• In 2024, she appeared in Varshangalkku Shesham, alongside Pranav Mohanlal. She played a college student and his ex-lover; her acting was critically received as her screen time and role were limited. Nevertheless, the movie became a commercial success. In 2025, she played a superheroine in Lokah: chapter 1: Chandra, and she played the role of Kalliyankattu Neeli, a Yakshi under the disguise of Chandra Ananya. She received positive reviews for her acting skills and confidence to carry out her own stunts. 
• This project enabled her to position herself as a young and promising actress of the modern era. In the same year, she did Odum Kuthira Chaadum Kuthira, which was a commercial hit. She revealed that the singer Sayanora Philip had dubbed for her in Malayalam movies released in 2025, as she is not fluent in the language. She has signed numerous projects in the coming years, such as Genie and Marshal; the release dates have not been confirmed yet. 

Net Worth 

There are little to no definite sources revealing Kalyani Priyadarshan’s real net worth; But is estimated that she charges between ₹50 Lakh to  ₹1 crore per movie, and in her Lokah chapter 1: Chandra, she was paid around ₹1 crore. Her net worth is around ₹5 crore. 

Awards 

Kalyani Priyadarshan won all the awards for which she was nominated for her debut in 2017 in Hello! She won Best Female Debut in the Filmfare Awards South in that year. She was awarded the Best Actress award for Bro Daddy in the South Indian International Movie Awards (2022). 

Social Media Handles 

Intagram	Kalyani Priyadarshan
Facebook	kalyanipriyadarshan
Twitter	@kalyanipriyan

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