Nikhila Vimal is a prominent Indian actress who has carved a niche for herself across the Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu film industries. Known for her expressive performances and natural acting style, she has transitioned from a bright-eyed child artist to one of the most dependable leading ladies in South Indian cinema.
Early Life and Artistic Roots
Born in Taliparamba, Kannur (Kerala), Nikhila grew up in a family that valued education and the arts. Her mother, Kalamandalam Vimaladevi, is a dancer, which influenced Nikhila to master classical dance forms like Bharathanatyam, Kuchipudi, and Kerala Natanam.
While pursuing her passion for acting, she remained dedicated to her studies, graduating with a B.Sc. in Botany from Sir Syed College in 2016.
The Journey: From Child Artist to Lead Actress
Nikhila’s first brush with the camera happened in 8th grade when she appeared as a child artist in Sathyan Anthikkad’s Bhagyadevatha (2009). However, her true breakthrough came years later:
- Malayalam Debut: She debuted as a lead in Love 24×7 (2015) opposite Dileep, playing the role of Kabini, a trainee reporter.
- Tamil Success: She gained significant attention in the Tamil industry with Vetrivel (2016) and later Kidaari (2016). Her performance as “Chemba” in Kidaari earned her a nomination for Best Debut Actress at the SIIMA Awards.
- Telugu Debut: She entered the Telugu market with Meda Meeda Abbayi alongside Allari Naresh.
Read More : Kalyani Priyadarshan
Notable Career Highlights
Nikhila has been part of several critically acclaimed and commercially successful projects:
- Aravindante Athidhikal: This film won her the Most Popular Actress Award (Kerala Kaumudi Flash Movies) and Best Star Pair (Vanitha Film Awards).
- Njan Prakashan: She starred in this 2018 hit alongside Fahadh Faasil, which remains a favorite among Malayalam audiences.
- Thambi (2019): A successful Tamil thriller where she shared the screen with Karthi and Jyothika.
- Por Thozhil (2023): Recently, she received praise for her role in this critically acclaimed investigative thriller.
Nikhila Vimal Height Weight Age Boyfriend Biography & More
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Profession | Actress |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 170 cm in meters- 1.70 m in feet & inches- 5’ 7” |
| Weight (approx.) | in kilograms- 55 kg in pounds- 121 lbs |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | Film (Malayalam): Bhagyadevatha (2009) as Sali Film (Tamil): Vetrivel (2016) as Latha  Film (Telugu): Meda Meeda Abbayi (2017) as Sindhu  TV (Malayalam): St. Alphonsa-The Passion Flower (2008) on Shalom TV as Saint Alphonsa  |
| Awards | • Nominated for Best Debut Actress at the 6th South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) in 2017 for the film 'Kidaari' • Won the Most Popular Actress Award at the Kerala Kaumudi Flash Movies Awards 2018 for the film 'Aravindante Athidhikal' • Won an award for Best Star Pair (shared with Vineeth Sreenivasan) at the Vanitha Film Awards 2019 for the film 'Aravindante Athidhikal' • Nominated for Best Actress at the 8th South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) in 2019 for the film 'Aravindante Athidhikal' |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 10 March 1994 (Thursday) |
| Age (as of 2026) | 32 Years |
| Birthplace | Alakode, Kannur, Kerala |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Taliparamba, Kannur, Kerala |
| College/University | Sir Syed College, Taliparamba |
| Educational Qualification | B.Sc. (Botany) from Sir Syed College in Taliparamba, Kerala |
| Hobby | Travelling |
| Controversy | Criticized for controversial comment: In the year 2023, Nikhila Vimal became the subject of controversy due to her comments about Muslim weddings in Malabar. In an interview, she discussed the traditional practice in Kannur where women are typically served food in the kitchen area in the marriage functions of Muslims in Malabar. Vimal pointed out that that the practice had remained largely unchanged. However, her remarks were met with criticism from many online users who found them offensive and accused her of singling out a specific religious community.The actress defended herself by saying that her comments had been distorted and sensationalized by the media. She further said that only a portion of her conversation was shared by the media which should not be taken as a formal statement. She talked about this in an interview and said, "The media made it controversial. I said that during a conversation. How can what someone said during a conversation be considered their statement? No reporter asked me what I said. I know exactly what I said.” The Indian Express |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Family | |
| Husband/Spouse | N/A |
| Parents | Father- M. R. Pavithran (retired officer from the statistical department; died in 2020) Mother- Kalamandalam Vimaladevi (dancer)  |
| Siblings | Brother- None Sister- Akhila Vimal (research scholar in Theatre arts at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi)  |
Filmography
Films
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Language(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Bhagyadevatha | Sali Chacko | Malayalam | Child actress |
| 2015 | Love 24×7 | Kabani (Karthika) | Lead Role | |
| 2016 | Vetrivel | Latha | Tamil | Tamil debut |
| Kidaari | Chemba | |||
| 2017 | Meda Meeda Abbayi | Sindhu | Telugu | Telugu debut |
| 2018 | Gayatri | Gayatri | ||
| Aravindante Athidhikal | Varada | Malayalam | ||
| Njan Prakashan | Salomi | |||
| Panjumittai | Ranji | Tamil | ||
| 2019 | Thambi | Sanjana | ||
| Mera Naam Shaji | Neenu Thomas | Malayalam | ||
| Oru Yamandan Premakadha | Diya Francis | |||
| 2020 | Anjaam Pathiraa | Rebecca Louis | Cameo | |
| Onbathu Kuzhi Sampath | Vasanthi | Tamil | ||
| 2021 | The Priest | Jessy Cherian | Malayalam | |
| Madhuram | Cherry | SonyLIV film | ||
| 2022 | Bro Daddy | Nurse | Guest appearance, Disney+ Hotstar film | |
| Jo & Jo | Jomol | |||
| Kotthu | Hizana (Hizu) | |||
| Ranga | Abinaya | Tamil | ||
| 2023 | Por Thozhil | Veena | ||
| Ayalvaashi | Celine | Malayalam | ||
| Journey of Love 18+ | Sony | |||
| 2024 | Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil | Parvathy | ||
| Nunakuzhi | Rimi | |||
| Vaazhai | Poongodi | Tamil | ||
| Kadha Innuvare | Uma | Malayalam | ||
| 2025 | Oru Jaathi Jathakam | Sinitha | ||
| Get-Set Baby | Swathi | |||
| 2026 | Pennu Case | Rohini | ||
| Ananthan Kaadu † | TBA | Malayalam Tamil | Bilingual film | |
| Dhoomakethu † | TBA | Malayalam |
Dubbing
| Year | Title | Dubbed for | Language(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Karnan | Rajisha Vijayan | Tamil |
| 2022 | Padavettu | Aditi Balan | Malayalam |
Television shows
| Year | Title | Role | Channel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Badai Bungalow | Guest | Asianet | Comedy Reality show |
| St. Alphonsa- The Passion Flower | Saint Alphonsa | Shalom TV | Docu-fiction TV series | |
| Thapaswini Vishudha Euphrasia | Kalyani | Telefilm | ||
| Tharapachakam | Host | Flowers TV | Cookery show | |
| 2019 | Comedy Stars season 2 | Guest | Asianet | Comedy Reality show |
| Badai Bungalow | Promoting Mera Naam Shaji | |||
| Comedy Nights with Suraj | Zee Keralam | |||
| 2022 | Happy Valentine’s Day | Herself | Asianet | Valentine’s Day Special |
| 2024 | Start Music season 5 | Herself | Star Vijay | Tamil reality show |
| 2025 | Star Singer season 10 | Guest | Asianet |
Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Channel | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Mathagam | Vaidegi | Disney+ Hotstar | Tamil |
| 2024 | Perilloor Premier League | Malavika | Malayalam | |
| 2026 | Anali † | TBA | Malayalam |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Debut Actress | Kidaari | Nominated |
| 2018 | Kerala Kaumudi Flash Movies Awards 2018 | Most Popular Actress | Aravindante Athidhikal | Won |
| 2019 | Vanitha Film Awards | Best Star Pair (shared with Vineeth Srinivasan) | Won | |
| South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Actress | Nominated |
