Raai Laxmi


Lakshmi Rai, professionally credited as Raai Laxmi, is an Indian actress and model who predominantly works in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi languages.

Early life

Raai Laxmi was born in Bangalore, Karnataka to Ram Rai and Manjula Rai. Her family relocated to Belgaum.

Acting career

Early career (2005–2010)

In 2005, Laxmi made her film debut in the Tamil-language film Karka Kasadara. Subsequently, she appeared in a number of Tamil films, including the comedy film Kundakka Mandakka opposite R. Parthiban, Perarasu's action-masala flick Dharmapuri and the romance film Nenjai Thodu. Valmiki, opposite Shiva Rajkumar, marked her maiden film in Kannada.
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 sizzles even as she is supposed to play the court professional who is caught in the web of smuggling drugs". She won her first Filmfare Award nomination in the Best Supporting Actress Award (Tamil)|Best Supporting Actress] category.
She made her debut in Malayalam in 2007, starring in Rock n' Roll, opposite Mohanlal. She followed it up with several successful films such as Annan Thampi, 2 Harihar Nagar, Evidam Swargamanu opposite Mohanlal, and Chattambinadu opposite Mammootty. She appeared in three Tamil films in 2009, Muthirai, Vaamanan and Naan Avanillai 2.
In Vaamanan, she played a glamorous supermodel. 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.

Public recognition and success (2011–2014)

Laxmi's first 2011 release was Christian Brothers. 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. Following Kanchana success, she was signed on to reprise the role in its Kannada remake, Kalpana. Her 2014 films were Irumbu Kuthirai, Aranmanai in Tamil and RajadhiRaja in Malayalam.

Recent work (2016–present)

In 2016, she signed two Tamil films, Bangalore Naatkal and Sowkarpettai. After a brief gap, she performed her second item number opposite Pawan Kalyan in his Telugu film Sardaar Gabbar Singh. She debuted in Hindi with the movie Hindi film)|Akira] directed by AR Murugadoss.
She signed to perform her fourth item number with Chiranjeevi in his 150th film Khaidi No. 150, and later in Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva in Tamil with Raghava Lawrence. Raai Laxmi portrayed the lead role in her second Hindi film Julie 2.
In 2018, she made her comeback to Malayalam cinema with the Mammootty starrer Oru Kuttanadan Blog.
In 2019, she starred in horror movies Where Is the Venkatalakshmi in Telugu and Neeya 2 in Tamil; both were box office failures. She also starred in the Bollywood film, Officer [Arjun Singh IPS Batch 2000].
In 2021, she starred in the Tamil horror movie Cinderella.

Filmography

Film

  • Note: She was credited as Lakshmi Rai until 2014.
YearTitleRoleLanguageNotes
2005Karka KasadaraAnjaliTamilTamil debut
2005Kanchanamala Cable TVSireesha / KanchanamalaTeluguTelugu debut
2005Kundakka MandakkaRoopaTamil
2005ValmikiLakshmi DeshpandeKannadaKannada debut
2006Neeku NaakuSaranyaTelugu
2006DharmapuriValarmathyTamil
2007Nenjai ThoduAishwaryaTamil
2007Rock n' RollDaya SreenivasMalayalamMalayalam debut
2007Snehana PreethinaLakshmiKannada
2008Velli ThiraiHerselfTamilCameo
2008Annan ThampiThenmozhiMalayalam
2008Minchina OtaLakshmiKannada
2008ParunthuRakhiMalayalam
2008Ragasiya SnehithaneJenniferTamil
2008Dhaam DhoomAarthi ChinappaTamil
20092 Harihar NagarMaya / Christina Honai / SerinaMalayalam
2009MuthiraiKavyanjali "Kavya"Tamil
2009VaamananPoojaTamil
2009Naan Avanillai 2DeepaTamil
2009Oru Kadhalan Oru KadhaliCharanyaTamil
2009ChattambinaduGouriMalayalam
2009Ividam SwargamanuAdv. SunithaMalayalam
2010In Ghost House InnSerinaMalayalamSpecial appearance in the song "Ole Ole"
2010Irumbukkottai Murattu SingamPakkiTamil
2010Pen SingamHerselfTamilSpecial appearance in the song "Adi Aadi Asaiyum Edupu"
2011Christian BrothersSofiaMalayalam
2011KanchanaPriyaTamil
2011MankathaSonaTamil
2011Oru MarubhoomikkadhaMeenakshy Thampuran,
Manasi Thampuran		MalayalamDouble role
2012CasanovvaHanaMalayalam
2012MayamohiniMaya / KatrinaMalayalam
2012AdhinayakuduDeepthiTelugu
2012KalpanaPriyaKannada
2012ThaandavamGeethaTamil
2013AttahasaVijetha VasishtKannadaGuest appearance
2013Onbadhule GuruSanjanaTamil
2013Aaru Sundarimaarude KathaFouzia Hassan IPSMalayalam
2013BalupuHerselfTeluguSpecial appearance in the song "Lucky Lucky Rai"
2014Irumbu KuthiraiChristinaTamil
2014RajadhiRajaRadhaMalayalam
2014AranmanaiMayaTamil
2016Bangalore NaatkalLakshmiTamil
2016SowkarpettaiMayaTamil
2016Sardaar Gabbar SinghHerselfTeluguSpecial appearance in the song "Tauba Tauba"
2016AkiraMaya AminHindiHindi debut
2017Khaidi No. 150HerselfTeluguSpecial appearance in the song "Ratthaalu"
2017Motta Shiva Ketta ShivaHerselfTamilSpecial appearance in the song "Hara Hara Mahadevaki"
2017Julie 2Julie / Sumitra DeviHindi
2018Oru Kuttanadan BlogSreejayaMalayalam
2019Where Is the VenkatalakshmiVenkatalakshmiTelugu
2019Neeya 2Malar / NagaraniTamil
2019Officer Arjun Singh IPS Batch 2000Durga Dayal SinghHindi
2021MirugaaLakshmiTamil
2021Jhansi I.P.SJhansi I.P.SKannada
2021CinderellaThulasi / AkiraTamilDual role
2022The LegendHerselfTamilSpecial appearance in the song "Vaadi Vaasal"
2023BholaaHerselfHindiSpecial appearance in the song "Paan Dukaniya"
2024DNARachel Punnoose IPSMalayalam

Television

Awards and nominations