{{Short description|Indian Tamil actress}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}} {{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = Akshaya Rao | birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|df=yes|||}} --> | birth_place = Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India | other_names = | occupation = Actress, model | years_active = 2003–present | spouse = | partner = | website = }}
'''Akshaya Rao''' is an Indian actress who has appeared in Tamil and Hindi films.
==Career== Akshaya Rao began her career as a supporting artiste alongside Simran in ''Kovilpatti Veeralakshmi'' (2003), before going on to appear in leading roles in Tamil films. Her most high-profile Tamil film till date is ''Kalabhak Kadhalan'' (2006), where she portrayed a negative role as the sister-in-law of Arya's character, who wants to seduce him. She continued to feature in low-budget Tamil films throughout the late 2000s, notably starring in ''Uliyin Osai'' (2008) written by Karunanidhi and the Vijayakanth-starrer ''Engal Aasan''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jointscene.com/artists/Kollywood/Akshaya/2650 |title=Archived copy |access-date=17 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027181328/http://www.jointscene.com/artists/Kollywood/Akshaya/2650 |archive-date=27 October 2010 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> By 2012, several of her other proposed films including ''Imbathukkum Aasai Varum'', ''Manmadha Rajyam'', ''Pattikattu Mappillai'', ''Thasaiyinai Thee Sudinum'' and the Telugu film, ''Nakantu Okaru'', were started but left incomplete.<ref name="N">{{Cite web | url=http://www.nettv4u.com/celebrity/tamil/movie-actress/akshaya-rao | title=Kollywood Movie Actress Akshaya Rao Biography, News, Photos, Videos | access-date=25 January 2024 | archive-date=6 November 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106102215/https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/tamil/movie-actress/akshaya-rao | url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2014, she featured in Sudeep Ranjan Sarkar's experimental Hindi film ''Umformung: The Transformation'' (2014), portraying the leading role. The film opened to critical acclaim and was shown at various film festivals internationally.<ref name="N"/><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/Criminal-psychologists-directorial-stars-Akshaya-Rao/articleshow/37120156.cms | title=Criminal psychologist's directorial stars Akshaya Rao | website=The Times of India | access-date=25 January 2024 | archive-date=7 November 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107050754/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/criminal-psychologists-directorial-stars-akshaya-rao/articleshow/37120156.cms | url-status=live }}</ref> She also worked as a director for the unreleased film ''Yaali'' (2018) co-starring Thaman Kumar.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/080518/actress-akshayas-new-avatar.html|title=Actress Akshaya's new avatar|first=Anupama|last=Subramanian|date=8 May 2018|website=Deccan Chronicle}}</ref>
== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Role !! Notes |- | rowspan="2"| 2003 || ''Kovilpatti Veeralakshmi'' || || |- | ''Parthiban Kanavu'' || Mekala || |- | 2004 || ''Saga'' || || |- | rowspan="3"| 2006 || ''Manasukkule'' || Viji || |- | ''Madrasi'' || Geetha || |- | ''Kalabha Kadhalan'' || Kanmani || |- | rowspan="2"|2008 || ''Pazhaniappa Kalloori'' || Madonna || |- | ''Uliyin Osai'' || Muthunagai || |- | rowspan="2"|2009 || ''Gaja'' || Pooja || |- | ''Engal Aasan'' || Viji || |- | 2011 || ''Uyarthiru 420'' || Savithri || |- | 2016 || ''Umformung: The Transformation'' || Kasthuri || Hindi film |- | {{TBA}} || ''Yaali'' || || Also director |}
==Television== ;Partial list of Television Serials {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Channel !! Ref |- |2023 || ''Sandhya Raagam'' || Sandhya || Zee Tamil || <ref>{{Cite web|title=Popular actress Antara Swarnakar to play the titular role in upcoming show 'Sandhya Raagam'|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/tamil/popular-actress-antara-swarnakar-to-play-the-titular-role-in-upcoming-show-sandhya-raagam/articleshow/103656310.cms|access-date=14 September 2023|website=The Times of India|date=14 September 2023 |language=en|archive-date=14 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914090837/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/tamil/popular-actress-antara-swarnakar-to-play-the-titular-role-in-upcoming-show-sandhya-raagam/articleshow/103656310.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Akshaya}} Category:Indian film actresses Category:21st-century Indian actresses Category:Tamil actresses Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Actresses from Chennai