
Actress Nayanthara, who has two films releasing this week, has revealed that she earned Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 for her first job as a model. During promotions for her upcoming Tamil romantic drama 'Hi', the actress told host Pearle Maaney that one of her earliest assignments was a cover shoot or fashion programme for Vanitha magazine.

Nayanthara began her film career in 2003 with the Malayalam movie 'Manassinakkare' after filmmaker Sathyan Anthikad reportedly spotted her photograph in Vanitha magazine. She later made her Tamil debut with 'Ayya' in 2005 and achieved stardom with 'Chandramukhi' opposite Rajinikanth. After years of leading roles in South Indian cinema, she made her Bollywood debut in 2023 with 'Jawan' opposite Shah Rukh Khan.
Nayanthara's film 'Toxic' released on August 26, and 'Hi' will hit screens on August 28. 'Hi' is directed by debutant Vishnu Edavan and stars Kavin alongside Nayanthara, with a supporting cast including Prabhu, Radhika Sarathkumar, K. Bhagyaraj and Poornima Bhagyaraj.
Nayanthara's disclosure of a Rs 2,000-3,000 first modelling fee is a rare personal detail from an actress who generally avoids promotional events. The Vanitha magazine connection is notable: it not only gave her first break but also led directly to her film debut, as filmmaker Sathyan Anthikad scouted her from its pages. The contrast between that modest start and her current star power underscores how much the industry has changed since 2003, when Malayalam cinema was the launchpad for many actors before they crossed over to Tamil and Telugu industries. Watch for how 'Hi' performs at the box office against 'Toxic' in the same week.
Source: greatandhra.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.