Archive · 24 Aug 2026
Nayanthara Recalls First Paycheck and Feeling Left Out in Kerala
Nayanthara said her first job was modeling at a fashion event.
She earned about Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 for it.
She grew up moving between places because her father worked in the Indian Air Force.
Her schools in Delhi and Gujarat had students from many backgrounds.
When she moved to Kerala, she felt different from her classmates and became very unsure of herself.
A film director noticed her modeling and offered her a role in a movie.
That movie became successful, and she began enjoying acting.
She later became one of India’s highest-paid female actors.
Nayanthara said she received about Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 for her first modeling job at a Vanitha magazine fashion event.
She said moving from Kendriya Vidyalaya schools in Delhi and Gujarat to Kerala made her feel isolated and underconfident.
Her father’s Indian Air Force career meant the family frequently moved, giving her a diverse and inclusive school experience.
Director Sathyan Anthikad noticed her modeling and cast her as Gowri in the 2003 Malayalam film Manassinakkare.
Nayanthara later embraced acting, and Hauterrfly reported that she was paid Rs 12 crore to Rs 18 crore for Toxic: A Fairytale for Grownups.
- Who
- Actor Nayanthara, born Diana Mariam Kurian, discussed her early life and career.
- What
- She recalled feeling isolated after moving to Kerala, receiving Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 for her first modeling job, and entering films after being noticed by director Sathyan Anthikad.
- When
- Her first modeling job took place in the early 2000s; she acted in Manassinakkare in 2003 and Vismayathumbathu in 2004.
- Where
- She discussed the experiences on The Pearle Maaney Show and described attending schools in Delhi, Gujarat, and Kerala.
- Why
- Her family moved back to Kerala after her father retired from the Indian Air Force, where she found her classmates’ backgrounds and social environment different from what she had known.
- First job
- Modeling for a fashion event organized by Vanitha magazine
- First payment
- Approximately Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000
- First film
- Manassinakkare, a 2003 Malayalam family drama
- Breakthrough opportunity
- Director Sathyan Anthikad noticed her modeling work and cast her as Gowri
- Second film
- Vismayathumbathu, a 2004 psychological horror film directed by Fazil
- Reported upcoming fee
- Hauterrfly reported Rs 12 crore to Rs 18 crore for Toxic: A Fairytale for Grownups
- Early difficulty
- Nayanthara described feeling very left out and underconfident after moving to school in Kerala