From Asin to Kriti Sanon: South cinema’s glamour girls in Bollywood

You saw Asin for the first time opposite Aamir Khan in Ghajini and fell in love with her. She went on to do a number of films with Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan and Abhishek Bachchan. What most of us don’t know is that she is an established south Indian actor having worked in Tamil, Telugu and her native Malayalam industries with biggies like Kamal Haasan, Suriya, Vikram, Ajith and Vijay. (TeamAsin/Facebook)

Updated on: Mar 07, 2016 4:02 PM IST

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You saw Asin for the first time opposite Aamir Khan in Ghajini and fell in love with her. She went on to do a number of films with Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan and Abhishek Bachchan. What most of us don’t know is that she is an established south Indian actor having worked in Tamil, Telugu and her native Malayalam industries with biggies like Kamal Haasan, Suriya, Vikram, Ajith and Vijay. (TeamAsin/Facebook)

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Updated on Mar 07, 2016 4:02 PM

Our pretty girl from aamchi Mumbai, had to go down south to work, establish herself as a star to reckon with before making a second coming in Bollywood. Kajal Agarwal whom you so lovingly accepted in films such as Singam and Special 26, made her debut in Kyun! Ho Gaya Na in 2004 which was a disaster. But after films such as Magadheera (Telugu), Maattrraan, Thuppakki and Jilla (all three in Tamil), she commands respect. (ImKajalAggarwal/Facebook)

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This pretty Delhi girl made her acting debut in the Telugu psychological thriller 1: Nenokkadine opposite leading actor Mahesh Babu. You, of course, saw her for the first time in Heropanti. Here’s one girl who continues to work in both the industries - she just acted in Dilwale (Hindi) and Dohchay (Telugu). Atta girl! (KrithiSanon/Facebook)

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Liked the lovely wife of Vijay Salgaonkar in Drishyam? That was actor Shriya Saran. This Dehradun girl made her acting debut back in 2001 with Ishtam in Telugu and hasn’t looked back since. With films like Sivaji (Tamil), Pokkiri Raja (Malayalam), Pavitra (Telugu), Chandra (Kannada), Manam (Telugu), she has proven to be a major star in south cinema. She has also worked in Deepa Mehta’s critically acclaimed adaption of author Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children. (OfficialShriyaSaran/Facebook)

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Seen the recent poster of Akshay Kumar’s next, Rustom? While it is Akshay as the Parsi naval office Nanavati who dominates the poster, in the shadows somewhere is the pretty picture of Ileana D’Cruz. With films like Main Tera Hero and Phata Poster Nikla Hero in her kitty, she has a certain standing in Bollywood. Not many know, however, that she slogged it out in Telugu films such as Devadasu (2006), Pokiri (2006), Jalsa (2008), Kick (2009) and Julayi (2012), before moving back to Mumbai, from where she hails. (Ileana_Official/Facebook)

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When she beat the living daylight out of Sushant Singh Rajput’s character in the Akshay Kumar-starrer Baby, you suddenly sat up and took note of this dangerous ‘pretty young thing’. Taapsi Pannu had a small yet impactful role in it but she is among the most-sought after actors down south. Featuring primarily in Telugu and Tamil films, this Delhi girl has starred in some big commercial successes such as Mr Perfect (Telugu), Arrambam, Vai Raja Vai and Kanchana 2 (all three in Tamil) while her film Aadukalam (Tamil) won several National Awards. (Taapseeofficial/Facebook)

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The ‘cutie pie’ of Bollywood, Genelia D’Souza came to limelight as an actor with her film Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008). Married to actor Riteish Deshmukh, the celeb couple are a permanent fixture in Bollywood’s glamour circles. Though she hasn’t done too many films in Bollywood, it is with Telugu and Tamil hits such as Bommarillu, Dhee (both Telugu) and Santosh Subramaniam (Tamil) that she sealed her luck as an actor. (Geneliad/Twitter)

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As the daughter of actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan and actor Sarika, Shruti Haasan is the child of Indian cinema. With films like Gabbar is Back (Akshay Kumar) and Welcome Back (John Abraham), Shruti is has proven to be a noticeable face in Bollywood. But she started out in 2011 appearing in Tamil and Telugu films. While working in Bollywood, she remains an active star in south cinema, having delivers hits like Srimanthudu (Telugu) and Vedalam (Tamil) in 2015. (ShrutiHaasan/Facebook)

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You saw this buxom beauty in a special appearance in Chennai Express dancing alongside Shah Rukh Khan in the song 1234 Get On The Dance Floor. A regular in Kannada and Telugu films, Priyamani did work in Hindi films like Mani Ratman’s bilingual Ravan/Ravanan and RGV’s Rakta Charitra. She is a veteran of many hits such as Paruthiveeran (Tamil, won a National Award too), SS Rajamouli’s Yamadonga (Telugu) Thirakkatha (Malayalam), Raam (Kannada) Chaarulatha (Kannada). Incidentally, she is a cousin of Vidya Balan. (PriyamaniOfficial/Facebook)

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An ‘A list’ star in Tamil and Telugu cinema, Trisha Krishnan is a name to reckon with in South cinema. A former Miss Madras, Trisha has been part of many hits, the most recent being Ajith-starrer Yennai Arindhaal and critically-acclaimed Thoongavanam starring Kamal Haasan. She tried unsuccessfully to cross over to Bollywood with Khatta Meetha. (Dudette583/Facebook)