Raai Laxmi

Raai Laxmi
Laxmi in 2017
Born
Lakshmi Raibagi

Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Occupations
  • Actress
  • model
Years active2005–present

Lakshmi Rai, professionally credited as Raai Laxmi,[1][2] is an Indian actress and model who predominantly works in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi languages.[3]

Early life

Raai Laxmi was born in Bangalore, Karnataka to Ram Rai and Manjula Rai and her family relocated to Belgaum.[4][5][6] She belongs to the Saurashtrian Kutchi community.[6]

Acting career

Early career (2005–2010)

In 2005,[7] Laxmi made her film debut in the Tamil-language film Karka Kasadara.[8] Subsequently, she appeared in a number of Tamil films, including the comedy film Kundakka Mandakka (2005) opposite R. Parthiban, Perarasu's action-masala flick Dharmapuri (2006) and the romance film Nenjai Thodu (2007). Valmiki (2005), opposite Shiva Rajkumar, marked her maiden film in Kannada.[9]

In 2008, she began working in more serious films such as the drama film Velli Thirai, in which she played herself, and the action thriller Dhaam Dhoom, directed by Jeeva. She received positive feedback for her portrayal of a lawyer in the latter. A review from Behindwoods wrote: "The latter (Raai Laxmi) sizzles even as she is supposed to play the court professional who is caught in the web of smuggling drugs".[10] She won her first Filmfare Award nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category.

She made her debut in Malayalam in 2007, starring in Rock n' Roll, opposite Mohanlal. She followed it up with several successful films such as Annan Thampi (2008), 2 Harihar Nagar (2009),[11] Evidam Swargamanu (2009) opposite Mohanlal, and Chattambinadu (2009) opposite Mammootty. She appeared in three Tamil films in 2009, Muthirai, Vaamanan and Naan Avanillai 2.

In Vaamanan (2009), she played a glamorous supermodel.[12] In 2010, she was seen in three films. She made special appearances during song sequences in two of them, In Ghost House Inn and Pen Singam and portrayed a cowgirl in the Tamil film Irumbukkottai Murattu Singam.[12]

Public recognition and success (2011–2014)

Raai at the CCL season 2 in 2012

Raai Lakshmi's first 2011 release was Christian Brothers. Her next two films were Tamil projects, the comedy horror Kanchana and the Venkat Prabhu-directed action thriller Mankatha, starring Ajith Kumar. She played a negative character in the latter, which was received positively by critics.[13] Following Kanchana's success, she was signed on to reprise the role in its Kannada remake, Kalpana (2012).[14] Her 2014 films were Irumbu Kuthirai, Aranmanai in Tamil and RajadhiRaja in Malayalam.

Recent work (2016–present)

Raai at the premiere of Welcome Back in 2015

In 2016, she signed two Tamil films, Bangalore Naatkal and Sowkarpettai.[15][16] After a brief gap, she performed her second item number opposite Pawan Kalyan in his Telugu film Sardaar Gabbar Singh (2016).[17] She debuted in the Hindi film Akira.[18]

She signed to perform her fourth item number with Chiranjeevi in his 150th film Khaidi No. 150 (2017),[19][20] and later in Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva (2017) in Tamil with Raghava Lawrence.[21] Raai Laxmi portrayed the lead role in her second Hindi film Julie 2 (2017).

In 2018, she made her comeback to Malayalam cinema with the Mammootty starrer Oru Kuttanadan Blog.[22]

In 2019, she starred in horror movies Where Is the Venkatalakshmi in Telugu then Neeya 2 in Tamil that were failures.[23][24] She also starred in the Bollywood film, Officer Arjun Singh IPS Batch 2000.[25]

In 2021, she starred in the Tamil horror movie Cinderella.[26]

Filmography

Film

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
  • Note: She was credited as Lakshmi Rai till 2014.[27]
List of Raai Laxmi film credits
Year Title Role(s) Language Notes Ref.
2005 Karka Kasadara Anjali Tamil Tamil debut [28]
Kanchanamala Cable TV Sireesha / Kanchanamala Telugu Telugu debut [29]
Kundakka Mandakka Roopa Tamil [30]
Valmiki Lakshmi Deshpande Kannada Kannada debut [8]
2006 Neeku Naaku Saranya Telugu [31]
Dharmapuri Valarmathy Tamil [32]
2007 Nenjai Thodu Aishwarya Tamil [28]
Rock n' Roll Daya Sreenivas Malayalam Malayalam debut [33]
Snehana Preethina Lakshmi Kannada [34]
2008 Velli Thirai Herself Tamil Cameo [35]
Annan Thampi Thenmozhi Malayalam [36]
Minchina Ota Lakshmi Kannada [37]
Parunthu Rakhi Malayalam [38]
Ragasiya Snehithane Jennifer Tamil [39]
Dhaam Dhoom Aarthi Chinappa Tamil [40]
2009 2 Harihar Nagar Maya / Christina Honai / Serina Malayalam [41]
Muthirai Kavyanjali "Kavya" Tamil [42]
Vaamanan Pooja Tamil [43]
Naan Avanillai 2 Deepa Tamil [44]
Oru Kadhalan Oru Kadhali Charanya Tamil [45]
Chattambinadu Gouri Malayalam [46]
Ividam Swargamanu Adv. Sunitha Malayalam [47]
2010 In Ghost House Inn Serina Malayalam Special appearance in the song "Ole Ole" [48]
Irumbukkottai Murattu Singam Pakki Tamil [49]
Pen Singam Herself Tamil Special appearance in the song "Adi Aadi Asaiyum Edupu" [citation needed]
2011 Christian Brothers Sofia Malayalam [50]
Kanchana Priya Tamil [51]
Mankatha Sona Tamil [52]
Oru Marubhoomikkadha Meenakshy Thampuran,
Manasi Thampuran		 Malayalam Double Role [53]
2012 Casanovva Hana Malayalam [54]
Mayamohini Maya / Katrina Malayalam [55]
Adhinayakudu Deepthi Telugu [56]
Kalpana Priya Kannada [57]
Thaandavam Geetha Tamil [58]
2013 Attahasa Vijetha Vasisht Kannada Guest appearance [59]
Onbadhule Guru Sanjana Tamil [60]
Aaru Sundarimaarude Katha Fouzia Hassan IPS Malayalam [61]
Balupu Herself Telugu Special appearance in the song "Lucky Lucky Rai" [62]
2014 Irumbu Kuthirai Christina Tamil [63]
RajadhiRaja Radha Malayalam [64]
Aranmanai Maya Tamil [65]
2016 Bangalore Naatkal Lakshmi Tamil [66]
Sowkarpettai Maya Tamil [67]
Sardaar Gabbar Singh Herself Telugu Special appearance in the song "Tauba Tauba" [68]
Akira Maya Amin Hindi Hindi debut [69]
2017 Khaidi No. 150 Herself Telugu Special appearance in the song "Ratthaalu" [70]
Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva Herself Tamil Special appearance in the song "Hara Hara Mahadevaki" [71]
Julie 2 Julie / Sumitra Devi Hindi [72]
2018 Oru Kuttanadan Blog Sreejaya Malayalam [73]
2019 Where Is the Venkatalakshmi Venkatalakshmi Telugu [74]
Neeya 2 Malar / Nagarani Tamil [75]
Officer Arjun Singh IPS Batch 2000 Durga Dayal Singh Hindi [76]
2021 Mirugaa Lakshmi Tamil [77][78]
Jhansi I.P.S Jhansi I.P.S Kannada [79]
Cinderella Thulasi / Akira Tamil Dual role [80][81]
2022 The Legend Herself Tamil Special appearance in the song "Vaadi Vaasal" [82]
2023 Bholaa Herself Hindi Special appearance in the song "Paan Dukaniya"
2024 DNA Rachel Punnoose IPS Malayalam [83]

Television

List of Raai Laxmi television credits
Year Title Role Language Channel Notes
2009 Anu Alavum Baiyamillai 2 Host Tamil Vijay TV Reality show
2015 Star Challenge Contestant Malayalam Flowers TV
2020 Poison 2 Sara Hindi ZEE5 Web series
Bigg Boss (Telugu season 4) Guest Telugu Star Maa Reality show
2021 Comedy Stars Season 3 Celebrity Judge Malayalam Asianet

Awards and nominations

List of Raai Laxmi awards and nominations
Year Award Category Film Result Ref.
2009 Asianet Film Awards Most Popular Actress Evidam Swargamanu Won [84]
2009 Filmfare Awards South Best Supporting Actress – Malayalam Nominated [85]
2011 Best Supporting Actress – Tamil Mankatha Nominated [85]
2012 South Indian International Movie Awards Stylish Star of South Indian Cinema Various films Won [86]

References

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