Raai Laxmi

Lakshmi Rai (born on 5 May 1985), professionally credited as Raai Laxmi[2][3] is an Indian film actress and model born in Belgaum who predominantly appears in Tamil and Malayalam as well as Telugu and Kannada films. She made her Bollywood debut with the film Julie 2 (2017).[4][5]

Raai Laxmi
Born
Lakshmi Rai

(1985-05-05) 5 May 1985[1]
Belgaum, Karnataka, India
Occupation
  • Film actress
  • model
Years active2005 – present

Raai has completed over 14 years in the film industry, acting in over 50 films in several languages.[6]

Early life

Raai Lakshmi was born on 5 May 1989 in Belgaum, Karnataka to Ram Raibagi and Manjula Raibagi.[7][8] She is originally from Belgaum belonging to S.S.K Kshatriya Samaj community.[9]

Career

In 2005, at the age of 20,[10] Laxmi made her film debut in the Tamil-language Karka Kasadara after director R. V. Udayakumar saw her performance in the Kannada short film Valmiki.[11] 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). 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 Lakshmi) sizzles even as she is supposed to play the court professional who is caught in the web of smuggling drugs".[12] She won her first Filmfare Award nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category.

She made her debut in Malayalam in 2007, starring in Rock & Roll, opposite Mohanlal. She followed it up with several successful films such as Annan Thambi, 2 Harihar Nagar (2009),[13] 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, she played a glamorous supermodel.[14] 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.[14]

Public recognition and success (2011–2014)

Raai Lakshmi's first 2011 release was Christian Brothers, which was a huge commercial success. 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.[15][16] Both films emerged as high financial successes.[15] Following Kanchana's success, she was signed on to reprise the role in its Kannada remake.[17]

She performed an item number in the movie Pen Singam which went unnoticed. However, she performed her first successful item number opposite Ravi Teja in his Telugu film Balupu (2013) following which she signed to perform various item numbers with small cameo roles in films like "Money Money" in Vaamanan.

Her latest release Arabiyum, Ottakavum, P. Madhavan Nairum opposite Mohanlal was met with mixed reviews but turned out to a commercial success. Her 2014 films were Aranmanai[18] and Irumbu Kuthirai in Tamil,[19] Rajadhi Raja in Malayalam[20] and Shrungara in Kannada.[21]

Debut in Bollywood (2015–present)

In 2015, she signed three Malayalam films, Arabian Safari Preview and Santhoshayi Gopiyetta and three Tamil films, Oru Ticketla Rendu Cinema,[22] Sowkarpettai and Arjun, Divya Matrum Karthik.[23] After a brief gap of two years, she performed her second item number opposite Pawan Kalyan in his Telugu film Sardaar Gabbar Singh (2016).[24]

Later she signed two Hindi films Akira[25] and Julie 2.[26][27] Julie 2 is her first Hindi film as the main lead.[28]

In May 2016 she signed to perform her third item number in Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva.[29] In October 2016 she signed to perform her fourth item number with Chiranjeevi in his 150th film Khaidi No. 150.[30][31]

In 2018 she made her comeback to Malayalam cinema with the Mammootty starrer Oru Kuttanadan Blog

Filmography
Key
Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Title Role(s) Language Notes Ref.
2005Karka KasadaraAnjaliTamilTamil debut
Kanchanamala Cable TVKanchanaTeluguTelugu debut
Kundakka MandakkaRoopaTamil
ValmikiKannadaKannada debut
2006Neeku NaakuSaranyaTelugu
DharmapuriValarmathyTamil
2007Nenjai ThoduAsihwaryaTamil
Rock N' RollDaya SreenivasMalayalamMalayalam debut
Snehana PreethinaLakshmiKannada
2008Velli ThiraiHerselfTamilCameo appearance
Annan ThambiThenmozhiMalayalam
Minchina OtaLakshmiKannada
ParunthuRakhiMalayalam
Ragasiya SnehithaneJenniferTamil
Dhaam DhoomAarthi ChinappaTamil
20092 Harihar NagarMaya/Christina Honai/SerinaMalayalam
MuthiraiKavyaTamil
VaamananPoojaTamil
Naan Avanillai 2DeepaTamil
Oru Kadhalan Oru KadhaliCharanyaTamil
ChattambinaduGouriMalayalam
Evidam SwargamanuAdvocate SunithaMalayalam
2010In Ghost House InnMaya/Christina Honai/SerinaMalayalamGuest appearance
Irumbukkottai Murattu SingamPakkiTamil
Pen SingamHerselfTamilSpecial appearance in the song "Adi Aadi Asaiyum Edupu"
2011Christian BrothersSofiaMalayalam
KanchanaPriyaTamil
MankathaSonaTamil
Oru MarubhoomikkadhaMeenakshy Thampuran,
Manasi Thampuran		Malayalam
2012CasanovvaHanaMalayalam
MayamohiniMaya,
Katrina		Malayalam
AdhinayakuduDeepthiTelugu
KalpanaPriyaKannada
ThaandavamGeethaTamil
2013Vana YuddhamVijetha VasishtTamil
AttahasaKannada
Onbadhule GuruSanjanaTamil
Aaru Sundarimaarude KathaFouzia Hassan IPSMalayalam
BalupuHerselfTeluguSpecial appearance in the song "Lucky Lucky Rai"
2014Irumbu KuthiraiChristinaTamil
Rajadhi RajaRadhaMalayalam
AranmanaiMayaTamil
2016Bangalore NaatkalLakshmiTamil
SowkarpettaiMayaTamil
Sardaar Gabbar SinghHerselfTeluguSpecial appearance in the song "Tauba Tauba"
AkiraMayaHindiHindi debut
2017Khaidi No. 150HerselfTeluguSpecial appearance in the song "Ratthaalu"
Motta Shiva Ketta ShivaHerselfTamilSpecial appearance in the song "Hara Hara Mahadevaki"
Julie 2JulieHindi
2018Oru Kuttanadan BlogSreejayaMalayalam
2019Where Is The VenkatalakshmiVenkatalakshmiTelugu
Neeya 2Malar/ NaharaniTamil
Officer Arjun Singh IPS Batch 2000HerselfHindiSpecial appearance in the song "Haya Re Jawani"
2020JhansiJhansiKannadaPost Production
CinderellaTamilFilming
Anandha BhairaviTeluguFilming
MirugaTamilFilming

Television
YearShowRoleLanguageChannelNotes
2015Star ChallengeContestantMalayalamFlowers TVReality show

Awards and nominations

Asianet Film Awards

South Indian International Movie Awards

Surya TV awards

Filmfare Awards South
Other awards

Based on an online poll conducted by The Times of India, Raai Lakshmi won the "Best Actor Award in a Negative Role - Female" for Mankatha.[33]

Notes

    References
    1. https://m.timesofindia.com/topic/Raai-Laxmi?val=3728
    2. "It's Raai Laxmi from now!". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
    3. "Lakshmi Rai is now Raai Laxmi"
    4. "'Julie 2' teaser: Southern siren Raai Laxmi's bold, beautiful and blessed Bollywood debut".
    5. "Julie 2 teaser: Raai Laxmi is 'bold, beautiful and blessed' in her first Bollywood film. Watch video".
    6. "50 FILMS IN JUST 10 YEARS".
    7. "I was brought up like a boy: Raai Laxmi"
    8. "Lakshmi Rai flooded with messages on birthday"
    9. Daithota, Madhu (29 July 2014). "I'm not a bunt, don't speak to me in Tulu: Raai Laxmi". The Times of India.
    10. "Why Raai Laxmi doesn't share space with Sonakshi Sinha"
    11. https://www.indiaglitz.com/another-rai-another-beauty-queen-tamil-news-12209
    12. "DHAAM DHOOM – MOVIE REVIEW CAST Jayam Ravi Kangana Ranaut Lakshmi Rai". Behindwoods.com. 5 December 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
    13. "Lakshmi Rai's hat trick with Mammootty!". Sify. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
    14. "Lakshmi is happy with life". The Times Of India. 17 April 2009. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
    15. Prakash KL (6 September 2011). "Lakshmi Rai Ravishing | Ajith Kumar Mankatha". Oneindia.in. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
    16. "I'm on cloud nine, says Lakshmi Rai". ppSify. 8 September 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
    17. "Lakshmi in Kanchana Kannada remake". The Times Of India. 6 November 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
    18. "Lakshmi signs her next film with Sundar C - The Times of India". The Times Of India.
    19. "Lakshmi's a biker in her next with Atharvaa - The Times of India". The Times Of India.
    20. "Lakshmi Rai teams up with Mammootty again - The Times of India". The Times Of India.
    21. "Lakshmi Rai signs a new Kannada film - The Times of India". The Times Of India.
    22. "Sexy Laxmi to Go 'Hungry' for Lawrence!"
    23. "Raai Laxmi Recovering from Injury: Leggy Lass Thanks Fans for their Prayers"
    24. "Excited to work with Pawan Kalyan: Raai Laxmi"
    25. "Raai Laxmi lands a special role in ‘Akira’"
    26. "Raai Laxmi will sport a bikini in Julie 2"
    27. "Bold and beautiful 'Julie 2' poster: Raai Laxmi sets temperature soaring!"
    28. "'SANKSAARI' PAHLAJ NIHALANI TURNS DISTRIBUTOR FOR JULIE 2".
    29. "Raai Laxmi to shake a leg with Lawrence"
    30. "Laxmi Raai starts shooting for Khaidi No 150"
    31. "Raai Laxmi to shake a leg with Chiru"
    32. "SIIMA Awards 2012: Winners List". The Times Of India. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
    33. "The Chennai Times Film Awards 2011". The Times Of India. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
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