Facebook
X / Twitter
Reddit
LinkedIn
Trisha gained early recognition after winning the Miss Chennai title in 1999, which became an important stepping stone toward her entertainment career. She also won the Miss Salem title that year and later participated in the Miss India competition, where she received the Beautiful Smile title in 2001. Her pageant success led to modelling assignments and commercial appearances before she transitioned into acting.
She made her screen debut with a supporting appearance in the 1999 Tamil film Jodi. Her first major lead role came with Mounam Pesiyadhe (2002), in which she starred opposite Suriya. The film was commercially successful and established Trisha as a promising new actress. She subsequently appeared in Manasellam and Lesa Lesa, before achieving major success with Saamy (2003).
The following years established Trisha as a leading actress in both Tamil and Telugu cinema. Films such as Ghilli (2004), Aaru (2005), Varsham (2004), Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana (2005) and Athadu (2005) became important milestones in her career. Her performance in Varsham earned her first Filmfare Award South for Best Actress, while her work in Telugu films helped establish her as a major star beyond Tamil cinema.
During the late 2000s and early 2010s, Trisha increasingly took on roles that allowed her to explore more mature and emotionally demanding characters. Her performances in films such as Abhiyum Naanum (2008) and Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010) were particularly well received. She also appeared in Yennai Arindhaal (2015) and Kodi (2016), demonstrating her ability to move between commercial entertainers and more character-driven projects.
One of the defining performances of her later career came in 96 (2018), where she played Janaki "Jaanu" Devi opposite Vijay Sethupathi. The romantic drama became widely regarded as one of her most acclaimed performances and reinforced her reputation as an actress capable of portraying emotionally complex characters. Her performance also earned her another Filmfare Award South.
Trisha has also worked across several Indian film industries. She made her Hindi-film debut with Khatta Meetha (2010) opposite Akshay Kumar. She later appeared in Kannada cinema with Power, while Hey Jude (2018) marked her entry into Malayalam cinema. Her ability to work in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam productions has contributed to her status as a pan-Indian actress.
In the 2020s, Trisha experienced another major career resurgence. She portrayed Princess Kundavai in Mani Ratnam's historical epic Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022) and Ponniyin Selvan: II (2023). Her performance as the Chola princess became one of the most celebrated aspects of the two-part epic and introduced her to a new generation of audiences.
She followed this with several major projects, including Leo (2023), in which she played Sathya alongside Vijay, and The Road (2023), where she took on the lead role of Meera. In 2024, she appeared in the Telugu web series Brinda and made a special appearance in The Greatest of All Time.
Trisha remained highly active through 2025, appearing in the Tamil films Vidaamuyarchi, Good Bad Ugly and Thug Life, as well as the Malayalam thriller Identity. Her role as Kayal in Vidaamuyarchi, Ramya in Good Bad Ugly, Indhrani in Thug Life and Alisha in Identity added further variety to her recent filmography.
Her career has continued into 2026, with Karuppu among her recent releases, where she plays Preethi. She also has several projects associated with the period ahead, including the Telugu fantasy film Vishwambhara and the Kannada film Dvitva, reflecting her continued presence across multiple South Indian industries.
Over the course of her career, Trisha has received numerous major honours for her work. Her accolades include five Filmfare Awards South, a Tamil Nadu State Film Award, a Nandi Award, the Kalaimamani honour and several other regional and industry awards. Her recognition spans both commercial cinema and critically acclaimed performances.
Overall, Trisha Krishnan is a veteran Indian actress and model whose career has remained remarkably consistent across more than 25 years. From winning Miss Chennai in 1999 and entering Tamil cinema with Jodi, she progressed to become a leading star in Tamil and Telugu films before expanding into Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam cinema. Films such as Ghilli, Varsham, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, 96, Ponniyin Selvan, Leo and her recent 2025–26 projects demonstrate her ability to remain relevant across different generations and phases of Indian cinema.
She made her screen debut with a supporting appearance in the 1999 Tamil film Jodi. Her first major lead role came with Mounam Pesiyadhe (2002), in which she starred opposite Suriya. The film was commercially successful and established Trisha as a promising new actress. She subsequently appeared in Manasellam and Lesa Lesa, before achieving major success with Saamy (2003).
The following years established Trisha as a leading actress in both Tamil and Telugu cinema. Films such as Ghilli (2004), Aaru (2005), Varsham (2004), Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana (2005) and Athadu (2005) became important milestones in her career. Her performance in Varsham earned her first Filmfare Award South for Best Actress, while her work in Telugu films helped establish her as a major star beyond Tamil cinema.
During the late 2000s and early 2010s, Trisha increasingly took on roles that allowed her to explore more mature and emotionally demanding characters. Her performances in films such as Abhiyum Naanum (2008) and Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010) were particularly well received. She also appeared in Yennai Arindhaal (2015) and Kodi (2016), demonstrating her ability to move between commercial entertainers and more character-driven projects.
One of the defining performances of her later career came in 96 (2018), where she played Janaki "Jaanu" Devi opposite Vijay Sethupathi. The romantic drama became widely regarded as one of her most acclaimed performances and reinforced her reputation as an actress capable of portraying emotionally complex characters. Her performance also earned her another Filmfare Award South.
Trisha has also worked across several Indian film industries. She made her Hindi-film debut with Khatta Meetha (2010) opposite Akshay Kumar. She later appeared in Kannada cinema with Power, while Hey Jude (2018) marked her entry into Malayalam cinema. Her ability to work in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam productions has contributed to her status as a pan-Indian actress.
In the 2020s, Trisha experienced another major career resurgence. She portrayed Princess Kundavai in Mani Ratnam's historical epic Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022) and Ponniyin Selvan: II (2023). Her performance as the Chola princess became one of the most celebrated aspects of the two-part epic and introduced her to a new generation of audiences.
She followed this with several major projects, including Leo (2023), in which she played Sathya alongside Vijay, and The Road (2023), where she took on the lead role of Meera. In 2024, she appeared in the Telugu web series Brinda and made a special appearance in The Greatest of All Time.
Trisha remained highly active through 2025, appearing in the Tamil films Vidaamuyarchi, Good Bad Ugly and Thug Life, as well as the Malayalam thriller Identity. Her role as Kayal in Vidaamuyarchi, Ramya in Good Bad Ugly, Indhrani in Thug Life and Alisha in Identity added further variety to her recent filmography.
Her career has continued into 2026, with Karuppu among her recent releases, where she plays Preethi. She also has several projects associated with the period ahead, including the Telugu fantasy film Vishwambhara and the Kannada film Dvitva, reflecting her continued presence across multiple South Indian industries.
Over the course of her career, Trisha has received numerous major honours for her work. Her accolades include five Filmfare Awards South, a Tamil Nadu State Film Award, a Nandi Award, the Kalaimamani honour and several other regional and industry awards. Her recognition spans both commercial cinema and critically acclaimed performances.
Overall, Trisha Krishnan is a veteran Indian actress and model whose career has remained remarkably consistent across more than 25 years. From winning Miss Chennai in 1999 and entering Tamil cinema with Jodi, she progressed to become a leading star in Tamil and Telugu films before expanding into Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam cinema. Films such as Ghilli, Varsham, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, 96, Ponniyin Selvan, Leo and her recent 2025–26 projects demonstrate her ability to remain relevant across different generations and phases of Indian cinema.
Instagram 
