Aishwarya Rajesh is an Indian actress who appears predominantly in Tamil films. She first came to public attention as the host of the popular television show Asatha Povathu Yaaru and subsequently rose to prominence when she won the reality dance show Maanada Mayilada. Since her acting debut with the 2011 Tamil film Avargalum Ivargalum, Aishwarya has appeared in over 30 films, which includes a few acting credits in Malayalam and Hindi films. In 2015, Aishwarya was nominated for a Filmfare Award (South) for her performance in the critically acclaimed Tamil film Kaaka Muttai.

Early Life
Aishwarya was born to a family of professional actors. It was while pursuing a degree in commerce at Ethiraj College for Women in Chennai that she discovered her passion for performing arts.

Personal Life
Aishwarya is the daughter of late Telugu actor Rajesh. Her aunt, Srilakshmi, is a comedienne whose film credits span across three decades and over 500 films. Aishwarya`s grandfather, Amarnath, was also an actor.

Movie Career
Aishwarya made her feature film debut with the Tamil film Avargalum Ivargalum (2011), which went largely unnoticed. Subsequently, she appeared in minor roles in films like Sattapadi Kutram (2011) and Vilayada Va (2012). The actress` first big break came with the 2012 romantic comedy Attakathi, in which she played a key supporting role. The film opened to rave reviews upon its release and went on to become a sleeper hit. The thriller film Puthagam was Aishwarya`s sole release in 2013, but it went largely unnoticed. In 2014, Aishwarya starred alongside Vijay Sethupathi in the critically acclaimed comedy-drama film Pannaiyarum Padminiyum, which told the story of an old landlord and his love for the vintage car Premier Padmini. The actress` performance as Malarvizhi, the rustic female lead of the film, drew praise from all circles. This was followed by the action-comedy Thirudan Police, which opened to mixed reviews and went on to become a box office hit.

In 2015, Aishwarya played a pivotal supporting role in the comedy-drama film Kaaka Muttai, which told the poignant story of two slum kids` quest to taste an expensive slice of pizza. The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, was met with universal critical acclaim and has since become a cult classic. For her stellar turn as the mother of two, Aishwarya earned her first Filmfare Award (South) nomination for Best Actress. Kaaka Muttai also went on to win two National Film Awards that year. Among Aishwarya`s 2016 projects were two remakes: Aarathu Sinam, which was based on the Mollywood crime-thriller Memories (2013) and Manithan, which was inspired by the Bollywood black-comedy Jolly LLB (2013). Both these remakes managed to live up to the standards set by the originals, and were box office hits. She then appeared in a supporting role in the drama film Dharma Dhurai, which had Vijay Sethupathi and Tamannaah Bhatia in starring roles. The film was one of the biggest box office hits of the year.

The actress reunited with Kaaka Muttai director M. Manikandan for the psychological crime thriller Kuttrame Thandanai (2016), which saw her playing a character with slightly negative shades. The film added yet another diverse character to Aishwarya`s repertoire, and was well-received in all quarters. In the same year, she appeared in the romantic comedies Kadalai and Parandhu Sella Vaa, both of which opened to mixed reviews. In 2017, Aishwarya forayed into Mollywood with the Sathyan Anthikkad directorial Jomonte Suvisheshangal, where she starred alongside Dulquer Salmaan. The film received mixed to positive reviews upon its release, and was a commercial success. She then went on to land her second Malayalam film, with National Award winning director Sidhartha Siva`s Sakhavu, where she was cast opposite Nivin Pauly.

The Bollywood political crime-drama Daddy and the Kollywood spy-thriller Dhruva Natchathiram are some among the actress` most anticipated projects in 2017. Her other releases includes Vada Chennai and Boomika.

Television Career
Aishwarya made her entry into showbiz through television, hosting the popular comedy show Asatha Povathu Yaaru and subsequently contesting in the third season of the reality dance show Maanada Mayilada. She emerged as the winner of the season, following which her film career took off. Her 2019 projects includes Namma Veetu Pillai and Vaanam Kottattum. Her 2020 release includes World Famous Lover.