Nazriya Nazim

Nazriya Nazim Fahadh (born 20 December 1994) is an Indian actress and film producer who works predominantly in Malayalam and Tamil films. Nazriya is a recipient of several accolades including two Kerala State Film Awards, one Tamil Nadu State Film Award and one Filmfare Award South.

Nazriya started her career as an presenter in 2005. After working as a child artist, she had her lead screen debut in the 2013 Malayalam film Maad Dad. She then went onto appear in successful films such as Neram (2013) and Raja Rani (2013). Nazriya established herself as a leading Malayalam actress with her strong portrayals in Ohm Shanthi Oshaana (2014) and Bangalore Days (2014). Both these films earned her the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress. Following her marriage to actor Fahadh Faasil, she took a break from acting. She made a comeback to films in 2018 with Koode, receiving the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam nomination. Nazriya has since starred in the Telugu film, Ante Sundaraniki (2022), a commercial success which earned her Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu nomination.

In addition to acting, Nazriya also produces films under the banner Fahadh Faasil and Friends, which she co-owns with her husband. Her production Kumbalangi Nights (2019), won her the Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value at the Kerala State Film Awards.

Early life and education
Nazriya was born on 20 December 1994, in a Malayalam speaking Rawther Muslim Family to Nazimuddeen and Begum Beena. She has a brother, Naveen Nazim. Her family lived in Al Ain, UAE, before moving to Trivandrum (now Thiruvananthapuram), where she was born.

Nazriya studied at Our Own English High School, Al Ain, UAE and at Christ Nagar School, Thiruvananthapuram. In 2013, she joined Mar Ivanios College, but reportedly left the college, owing to her tight shooting schedules.

Early work as host and child artist (2005-2012)
Nazriya started her career as an anchor in a Muslim oriented television quiz show named Punyamaasathiloode in 2005 on Kairali TV, following up with various other anchoring roles in singing, quiz and reality shows. She also hosted Asianet's popular music reality show Star Singer.

Nazriya started her acting career in 2006 as a child artist in the Malayalam film Palunku (2006), directed by Blessy, playing Geethu, daughter of Mammootty's character. The Mohanlal-starrer Oru Naal Varum (2010) was her next venture, in which she played Dhanya, the daughter of Sreenivasan's character. In 2012, she was cast in an album titled Yuvvh by Sony Music Entertainment, alongside Nivin Pauly which became very popular among the youth.

Success, critical acclaim and hiatus (2013-2017)
Nazriya made her lead screen debut in the Malayalam film Maad Dad (2013), alongside Lal and Lalu Alex. Times of India said, "Nazriya appears burdened by a badly conceived role that appears too heavy for her." She next appeared in the Malayalam-Tamil bilingual Neram, marking her Tamil debut. She was associated with the team of Yuvvh—director Alphonse Putharen and actor Nivin Pauly again for the film. A major commercial success, the scene where Nivin proposes to Nazriya acquired cult status among the audience. Paresh C Palicha stated that she has a "striking screen presence". The film won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut – South.

Later, Nazriya played an IT professional Keerthana, in the Tamil film Raja Rani, opposite Arya. Gautaman Bhaskaran from Hindustan Times noted, "The he one person who caught my attention was Nazriya Nazim, who as Arya's lover, is absolutely gorgeous with a face that is so expressive that we do not need her to speak". It was another box-office success. Her final release that year was the Tamil film Naiyaandi, in which she played a dentist Vanaroja, opposite Dhanush. The film received negative reviews and was her only failure that year.

Nazriya had five releases in 2014, her most successful year. She first played Shahana in the Malayalam film Salalah Mobiles, opposite Dulquer Salmaan, a box office failure. In her next Malayalam film Ohm Shanthi Oshaana, opposite Nivin Pauly, Nazriya played a medical student Pooja. The film became a blockbuster and one of the highest-grossing films of the year. Her performance was praised by critics with The New Indian Express stating, "The performance by Nazriya is the highlight of the movie. Her acting leaves some bright spots but she lacks some efforts in the emotional scenes." Post this, she appeared in the Malayalam-Tamil bilingual, Vaayai Moodi Pesavum, opposite Dulquer Salmaan, playing a doctor. Subha J. Rao of The Hindu appreciated Nazriya and added that her "eyes speak volumes". It became a box office success.

Following these film, Nazriya played a MBA aspirant forced in an arrange marriage, opposite Fahadh Faasil in the Malayalam film Bangalore Days, her career's most notable film. It became a box-office success and one of the highest-grossing films of the year. Aswin J Kumar of The Times of India opined that Nazriya assures she is "one for the future", while Sify termed her act to be "full of life". Her final release that year was the Tamil film, Thirumanam Enum Nikkah, opposite Jai, where she played an Iyengar, who assume fake identity of a Muslim girl. Anupama Subramanian of Deccan Chronicle found her to be "adorable". Both Ohm Shanthi Oshaana and Bangalore Days won her the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress, at the 45th Kerala State Film Awards. This success was followed by her marriage to Fahadh Faasil, after which she took a break from acting.

Comeback and expansion (2018-present)
Nazriya made her comeback to films after a four-year break, with the Malayalam film Koode, starring alongside Prithviraj. She played Jenny, Prithviraj's sister in the film. The film was a commercial success and earned her another Best Actress – Malayalam Filmfare nomination. Anna MM Vetticad opined: "The writing and Nazriya’s acting often cutesify Jenny. Though this sort of hyper-bubbly girl is too familiar a sight in commercial Indian cinema, Nazriya’s charm is hard to resist."

In 2020, she reunited with Fahad, in Trance, playing a model and sex worker Esther. The film became a box-office failure, but Cris from The News Minute found her character to be "charming" and added that she has matured as an actor. That year, she also played a cameo in Maniyarayile Ashokan, as Jacob Gregory's wife. Haricharan Pudipeddi was appreciative of her appearance.

Nazriya expanded to Telugu films in 2022. She played a professional photographer Leela, opposite Nani in Ante Sundaraniki. The film was a major commercial success overseas. Janani K of India Today noted, "Nazriya has once again impressed everyone with her ultimate cuteness. You could see Leela in her and she has done total justice to her character." The film earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu nomination.

Nazriya will next make her comeback to Malayalam films after four years, with Sookshmadarshini, opposite Basil Joseph. She also has Suriya 43, alongside Suriya and Dulquer Salmaan in her kitty, which marks her return to Tamil films after ten years.

Personal life
In January 2014, Malayalam film actor Fahadh Faasil announced to the media that he was set to marry Nazriya. The pair got to know each other more on the sets of Anjali Menon's Bangalore Days (2014), in which they played the roles of husband and wife. The pair was engaged in February 2014, before marrying on 21 August 2014 in Thiruvananthapuram.

In the media
Nikhil Skaria Korah from Onmanorama noted, "Nazriya's cute expressions and the roles of chirpy and happy young women in many movies had earned her the ‘girl-next-door’ status." Shilpa Nair Anand of The Hindu termed Nazriya as "Kerala’s sweetheart". In the Kochi Times Most Desirable Women list, Nazriya was placed 5th in 2013 and 3rd in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Her characters from Ohm Shanthi Oshaana and Bangalore Days, are considered among the strongest female roles in Malayalam films. On Ohm Shanthi Oshaana, ScoopWhoop noted, "Nazriya's Pooja is quite new and refreshing in Malayalam cinema". The film was narrated from a woman’s perspective, which The Hindu found to be a "rarity" in Malayalam films. Parvati Mohan of Film Companion, spoke about Divya from Bangalore Days: "Kunju's is a very realistic empowerment. Despite operating within the bounds of patriarchy, she gets what she wants out of it, in the best way that she can."

Accloades
Nazriya won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut – South and Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize, both for Neram. She then earned two Kerala State Film Awards — Best Actress for Ohm Shanthi Oshaana and Bangalore Days, and Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value for Kumbalangi Nights.