Rashmika Mandanna is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, and Tamil cinema. Born on April 5, 1996, in Virajpet, Karnataka, she studied psychology, journalism, and English literature at M. S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Bengaluru. Prior to acting, she won the Clean & Clear Fresh Face contest in 2014, which launched her modeling career. She made her acting debut with the critically and commercially successful Kannada romantic comedy *Kirik Party* (2016). She expanded into Telugu cinema with *Chalo* (2018) and quickly rose to nationwide prominence with blockbuster hits including *Geetha Govindam* (2018), *Sarileru Neekevvaru* (2020), *Pushpa: The Rise* (2021), and *Pushpa 2: The Rule* (2024). She also established a strong presence in Hindi cinema with films like *Goodbye* (2022), the record-breaking action drama *Animal* (2023), and *Chhaava* (2025), alongside her Tamil debut in *Sulthan* (2021). Her performances have earned her four South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA), including Best Debut Actress – Kannada (*Kirik Party*) and Best Actress – Telugu (*Geetha Govindam* and *Pushpa: The Rise*), along with a Filmfare Award South for Best Actress (Critics) – Telugu for *Geetha Govindam*.
