It goes without saying that regional cinema and regional actors have garnered a strong fanbase over the years.
From delivering compelling performances to nail-biting storylines, these non-Hindi actors and movies are like a breath of fresh air from the usual tropes that Bollywood resorts to.
Speaking of which, we have compiled a list of regional actors who have not only done some amazing films but also won us over with their talent.
1. Fahadh Faasil
Fahadh started out his acting career by working in Malayalam films. Throughout his career, he has worked for noteworthy movies like- Super Deluxe, 22 Female Kottayam, Irul, and the latest one being, Malik. Over the years, he has donned the hat of a producer, picked up negative roles, and also played the hero effortlessly. Some of his upcoming projects include- Malayankunju, Pushpa, Vikram.
2. Prithviraj Sukumaran
Prithviraj is legit a one-man army because he’s not just an actor but also a director, producer, and even a playback singer. Although his first Malayalam movie was Nandanam where he bagged the lead role, he has also been part of Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi movies. He starred opposite Rani Mukerji in the movie Aiyyaa. We’ll also be seeing him next in multiple projects such as Karachi 81, Neelavelicham, L2: Empuraan, and many more.
3. Priya Anand
Actor and model, Priya has done a lot of Tamil films. But her versatility is not just limited to Kollywood. She has also appeared in Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada movies. She ventured into Bollywood when she played a supporting role in English Vinglish. Post that, she has been part of Fukrey and Rangrezz. In the near future, she will be a part of multiple Tamil films that are in the pipeline as of now. Other than the big screen, Priya has also worked for the Tamil TV show Ganga.
4. Jitendra Joshi
Jitendra has become a common household name when it comes to Marathi movies. But there’s more to him than meets the eye. He is also known to be a reality show host and has been a part of Bigg Boss Marathi 2, and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa for Zee Marathi. We also saw him as constable Katekar in Sacred Games. Some of his best works include- Tukaram, Guldasta, and Duniyadari where he played both the hero and the anti-hero.
5. Akash Thosar
Another actor we just simply adore from the Marathi film fraternity is Akash. He is popularly known for his role in Sairat, a movie Dhadak was a remake of. Even though he has not been a part of many movies but he surely has left a lasting impression on people. Not to mention, he has won multiple awards for his work such as the Zee Cine Award for the best actor in the Marathi category, Filmfare Marathi Awards for the category best male debut.
6. Keerthy Suresh
Rocking all three, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam film industries, Keerthy was always destined to be an actor. Her acting career started out as a child actor in the early 2000s and bagged her first lead role for a Malayalam film Geethaanjali. And, since then there was no looking back for her. Starring in multiple projects, Keerthy has surely made a name for herself. Some of her works till now include- Ring Master, Remo, Nenu Sailaja, and Mahanati, etc.
7. Shalini Pandey
Shalini has worked for Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi film industries. Her debut being Arjun Reddy where she played the role of Dr.Preethi Shetty, Arjun’s love interest. Now she is all set to enter Bollywood under the banner of Yash Raj Films. She will be a part of upcoming Hindi movies like- Jayeshbhai Jordaar and a biographical drama, Maharaja.
8. Priyamani
All of us know her as Suchitra from The Family Man but before working for Hindi films and web series, Priyamani had already created a name for herself in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, and Malayalam film industries. She debuted through a Telugu film named Evare Atagadu and gained popularity over the years. She has starred in notable movies like- Raam, Raavan, Raavanan, Pranchiyettan & the Saint and Chaarulatha. Other than that, she has also judged multiple dance reality shows.
9. Samantha Akkineni
The next regional actor who has slayed us with her skill and love for acting is Samantha Akkineni. She recently made headlines for her exemplary performance in The Family Man season 2 for her role of Raji. Other than that, she has worked for multiple Telugu and Tamil films such as Jaanu, Manmadhudu 2, and Oh! Baby. We’ll be seeing her next in projects like- Kaathu Vaakula Rendu Kaadhal (Tamil) and Shaakuntalam (Telugu).
10. Aaditi Pohankar
Although her career started out with the Hindi movie Love Sex Aur Dhokha, she moved on to regional cinema later on. She has also been a part of Marathi movie named- Kunasathi Kunitari but she rose to popularity with another Marathi film of hers starring opposite Riteish Deshmukh- Lai Bhaari. She is also acted in web series like- Aashram and She.
11. Jisshu Sengupta
Ah, Jisshu is hands down one of our favourite regional actors because of what he brings to the plate when it comes to acting. Although starring in many Bengali, Telugu, and Malayalam movies, Jisshu has also been creating a name of his own in Bollywood as well. We recently saw him in- Durgamati, Shakuntala Devi, and Mardaani 2. Now he’s onto his next projects like- L2: Empuraan, Thalaivi, and also, Maestro.
12. Swastika Mukherjee
All of us remember Swastika from Paatal Lok where she played the role of Dolly or Sunila Basu from Dil Bechara. But her acting career dates back to other amazing movies/ shows. Her acting career started when she was a part of a Bengali TV series named Devdasi, after that, she went on to do projects like- Mumbai Cutting, Jaatishwar, Saheb Bibi Golaam, and Shah Jahan Regency.
13. Nivin Pauly
Nivin is yet another great actor and producer who works in Malayalam films. Throughout his acting career, Nivin is known to experiment a lot with his roles. From sports drama to comedy thrillers, Nivin definitely has a lot to offer. He got his breakthrough as a lead in a movie named Thattathin Marayathu and since then, he has only stepped higher. Some of his remarkable movies include- Love Action Drama, Mikhael, and Moothon.
14. Vijay Deverakonda
Vijay is yet another significant star who has won us over with his talent and adaptability. His acting career started with the movie Nuvvila where he played the role of Vishnu. But he gained popularity while playing a supporting role in Yevade Subramanyam. After that, there was no looking back for him. Some of his works include- Arjun Reddy, Mahanati, Dear Comrade, and NOTA.
15. Dulquer Salmaan
Although we have recently started seeing Dulquer in Hindi movies, he also has a stronghold in Malayalam cinema along with Tamil and Telugu movies. His debut was a Malayalam movie named Second Show while his ABCD: American-Born Confused Desi became a commercial success. Other than that, he has done movies like- Kali, Kammatipaadam, and Mahanati (Telugu). His Hindi works include- Karwaan and The Zoya Factor.
16. Parvathy Thiruvothu
Now if we are talking about Malayalam movies, then how can we miss out on Parvathy Thiruvothu? She has also been a part of multiple Tamil and Kannada films. Some of her notable projects include Notebook, City of God, Poo Maryan, Charlie, Uyare, and Virus. It is for her skill and talent that she has received the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress twice and even the IFFI Best Actor Award (Female) at the 48th International Film Festival of India and many more such accolades.
17. Roshan Mathew
We are in awe of Roshan Mathew and his knack for acting. Starting out with Malayalam cinema, he got his first big role in the movie Puthiya Niyamam. But his career took a turn for the better when he landed roles in projects like Moothon, Kappela, and the latest one being C U Soon.
18. Darshana Rajendran
Another gem from the Malayalam film industry is Darshana Rajendran. And, ever since her acting career started, she has been a part of some remarkable movies such as Irul, C U Soon, Virus, Mayaanadhi. She was highly appreciated for her work in Mayaanadhi. Some of her upcoming projects are Hridayam and Thuramukham.
Let us know in the comment section who is your favourite?