Meet actor who survived a fan’s kidnapping attempt, has temples built in her name, and worked with stars like Ajith, NBK, and Mohanlal

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Oh my goodness, Namitha Vankawala! What a journey this woman has had! From being crowned Miss Surat to gracing our screens as a popular actress, she’s truly been a star on the rise. I remember watching her on the big screen opposite some of my favorite actors like Ajith Kumar, Nandamuri Balakrishna, and Thalapathy Vijay.

Today on our interview, we’ll be discussing a popular Indian actress who first found success as a model. At just 17 years old, she was named Miss Surat and competed in the Miss India pageant in 2001, where Celina Jaitley took the top prize and Namitha Vankawala finished as the third runner-up. Following her acting debut in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam film industries, she decided to enter politics. And if you’ve been keeping up, you’ll know that actress we’re referring to is none other than Namitha Vankawala.

Who is Namitha Vankawala?

Born in Surat, Gujarat, India, Namitha Vankawala is a well-known actress who initially gained fame through her modeling career. She has appeared in numerous TV advertisements such as Arun Ice Creams, Himani cream, Nile shampoo, and others. In 2002, she embarked on her acting journey with the movie Sontham directed by Srinu Vaitla.

Following the triumph of her initial venture, she started getting numerous appealing proposals. During the same year, Namitha acted alongside Venkatesh Daggubati in Gemeni. Due to her mature appearance, filmmakers started casting her with senior actors such as Captain Vijayakanth, Sathyaraj, Sarathkumar, and others.

Yet, it was her appearance alongside Ajith Kumar in the 2007 film Billa that catapulted her to stardom. Nayanthara played the female lead in this movie as well. Furthermore, Namitha has collaborated with Nandamuri Balakrishna in Simha, Mohanlal in Pulimurugan, and Thalapathy Vijay in Azhagiya Tamizh Magan.

Because of her captivating screen persona, she swiftly gained popularity and cultivated a loyal fanbase in Tamil Nadu. Subsequently, she made an appearance on the reality TV show Bigg Boss, hosted by Kamal Haasan, in 2017.

A look at Namitha’s success and personal life

At the height of her fame, Namitha starred in many successful films alongside well-known actors. A DNA report mentions that Namitha, an actress, has three temples built by fans in Tamil Nadu. In 2008, one of her followers erected a temple in Coimbatore to honor her. She is the second actress in the state, after Khushbu Sundar, to have a temple named after her.

In 2012, a Japanese media outlet labeled her as India’s “most beautiful person.” Yet, from 2009 to 2021, her acting career experienced a noticeable downturn. She found herself receiving fewer acting opportunities, and many of the projects she took on failed at the box office.

During this period, Namitha chose to enter into a marriage with businessman Veerendra Chowdary. They exchanged vows in Tirupati back in 2017. In the year 2022, they were blessed with twin boys and shared their delightful news through their respective social media platforms.

Namitha’s controversies

Over a decade past, Namitha traveled to Trichy for an event. As per News 18’s report, a man named Periasamy pretended to be her driver and swiftly drove off with the actress in his car. This put Namitha in a frightening situation, prompting the actual driver to contact the organizers. They quickly notified the police who successfully apprehended the kidnapper by outpacing his vehicle. The culprit admitted to the police he was a fan of Namitha. Thankfully, the actress made it back home safely without any harm.

Currently, Namitha is actively involved in politics and holds the position of a state executive member within the BJP party in the state of Tamil Nadu.

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2024-11-05 13:52