{{short description|Indian film and theatre actress|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}} {{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = Pooja Devariya | image = Pooja Devariya.jpg | birth_date = | birth_place = Chennai, Tamil Nadu<ref name="K">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2018/jul/28/how-pooja-devariyas-kathe-began-7186.html|title=How Pooja Devariya's kathe began|work=Cinema Express|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806193251/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2018/jul/28/how-pooja-devariyas-kathe-began-7186.html|archive-date=6 August 2020}}</ref> | occupation = Actor | spouse = | partner = | parents = | image_size = | birth_name = | years_active = 2011 - present }}
'''Pooja Devariya''' is an Indian film and theatre actress who is known for her works in Tamil and Kannada films. After making her film debut with Selvaraghavan's ''Mayakkam Enna'' (2012), she worked extensively in theatre with the Stray Factory, before returning to films in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2013/jul/02/pooja-balu-stray-factory-492597.html|title=Pooja Balu, Stray Factory|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>
==Career== Pooja made her acting debut in Selvaraghavan's ''Mayakkam Enna'' (2011) portraying Padmini, a friend in Dhanush's gang. Pooja then joined the theatre group Stray Factory and has worked on stage performances and online videos with the company.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/busting-the-madrasi-myth/article6567644.ece|title=Busting the Madrasi myth|date=5 November 2014|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/a-short-and-sweet-debut/article4894784.ece|title=A short and sweet debut|date=8 July 2013|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref> Notably, she starred as Zorro in an interpretation of ''The Three Musketeers'' in December 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/a-laugh-riot/article4213491.ece|title=A laugh riot|date=18 December 2012|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref> in 2013, she made her directorial debut was the play ''Maya from Madurai'' written by Naren Weiss.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/five-years-of-stray-factory-fast-and-furiously-funny/article7470188.ece|title=Five years of Stray Factory: Fast and furiously funny|date=27 July 2015|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref>
In 2015, she worked on the production of four films, including roles in Karthik Subbaraj's ''Iraivi'' and Manikandan's ''Kutramum Thandanaiyum''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-15/iraivi-first-look-will-be-released-well-before-diwali-2015.html|title=Iraivi's first look will be released well before Diwali 2015|date=29 September 2015|website=Behindwoods}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Illayaraja teams up with `Kaaka Muttai` director | url=http://www.sify.com/news/illayaraja-teams-up-with-kaaka-muttai-director-news-others-phqnuseheehcf.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151104125111/http://www.sify.com/news/illayaraja-teams-up-with-kaaka-muttai-director-news-others-phqnuseheehcf.html | access-date=2026-05-30 | archive-date=2015-11-04}}</ref> In 2018, Pooja made her Kannada debut with the film ''Katheyondu Shuruvagide'', directed by Senna Hegde.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/senna-hegde-finds-his-leading-lady-in-pooja-devariya/articleshow/60892338.cms | title=Senna Hegde finds his leading lady in Pooja Devariya | website=The Times of India | date=October 2017 }}</ref> She is half Kannadiga from her mother's side.<ref name="K"/>
Pooja worked with director Bharat Bala as a performance coach on Netflix's anthology, ''Navarasa''.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/bangalore/ace-your-acting-skills-with-actress-pooja-devariya/articleshow/78641951.cms?from=mdr | title=Ace your acting skills with actress Pooja Devariya | website=The Times of India | date=13 October 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://finalnews24.com/meet-pooja-devariya-the-woman-behind-the-emotions-of-netflixs-navarasa/ | title=Meet Pooja Devariya: The Woman Behind the Emotions of Netflix's Navarasa | date=7 August 2021 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/nine-emotions-within-minutes-how-navarasa-teaser-was-made-153046 | title=Nine emotions within minutes: How 'Navarasa' teaser was made | date=28 July 2021 }}</ref> She has worked for Lokesh Kanagaraj's 2022 Kamal Haasan starrer ''Vikram'', in which she was the performance coach for Vijay Sethupathi<ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/vijay-sethupathi-works-with-performance-trainer-for-vikram/articleshow/91593283.cms | title=Vijay Sethupathi works with performance trainer for 'Vikram' | website=The Times of India | date=16 May 2022 }}</ref> with particular emphasis on his body language for this role. Her association with Vijay Sethupathi has been a long one<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/vijay-sethupathi-on-being-the-busiest-lead-tamil-actor-even-during-a-pandemic-9946351.html | title=Vijay Sethupathi on being the busiest lead Tamil actor — even during a pandemic | date=14 September 2021 }}</ref> and she is his performance coach for both the Sriram Raghavan film ''Merry Christmas'' and Kishor Pandurang Belekar's upcoming silent feature ''Gandhi Talks''.
==Filmography== * ''All films are in Tamil, unless otherwise noted.'' {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Film !! Role !! Notes |- | 2011 || ''Mayakkam Enna'' || Padmini || |- | 2015 || ''Maiem'' || || |- | rowspan="4"|2016 || ''Aandavan Kattalai'' || Aarthi || |- | ''Iraivi'' ||Malar|| Won, Edison Award for Best Character Artist Female |- || ''Kuttrame Thandanai'' || Anu || Won, Vikatan Award for Best Supporting Actress<br>Won, Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards for Best Supporting Actress |- | ''Mo'' || Mo (Mohanavadhani) || |- | rowspan="2"|2018 || ''Andhra Mess'' || Arasi || |- | '' Katheyondu Shuruvagide '' || Tanya Mehra || Kannada film |- | 2019 || ''Vellai Pookal'' || Ramya || |- | 2019 || ''Ayogya'' || Santhiya || |- | 2023 || ''Vallavanukkum Vallavan'' || Aandal || |- |}
===Performance coach=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Title !! Actor |- | 2021 || ''Navarasa'' || rowspan="6"|Vijay Sethupathi |- | 2022 || ''Vikram'' |- | 2022 || ''DSP'' |- | 2023|| ''Jawan'' |- | 2024 || ''Merry Christmas'' |- |2026 || ''Gandhi Talks'' |}
==Awards and nominations== {{BLP sources|date=August 2023}} '''Films''' {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Award !! Category !! Title !! Result |- | 2016 || Behindwoods Awards || Best Actress Critics Choice || ''Iraivi'' || {{won}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-16/pooja-devariya-gets-the-best-actress-critics-choice-in-the-bgm-2017.html|title=Pooja Devariya gets the Best Actress - Critics Choice in the BGM 2017|date=11 June 2017|website=Behindwoods}}</ref> |- | 2016 || Edison Awards || Best Supporting Actress || ''Iraivi'' || {{won}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://edisonawards.in/pages/pompous-occasion-details.php?id=32|title=Edison Awards|website=edisonawards.in|access-date=13 August 2023|archive-date=13 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230713062624/https://edisonawards.in/pages/pompous-occasion-details.php?id=32|url-status=dead}}</ref> |- | 2016 || Behindwoods Awards || Best Actress Critics Choice || ''Kuttrame Thandanai'' || {{won}} |- | 2016 || Vikatan Awards || Best Supporting Actress || ''Kuttrame Thandanai'' || {{won}} |- | 2016 || Norway Indian Film Festival || Best Supporting Actress || ''Kuttrame Thandanai'' || {{won}} |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Devariya, Pooja}} Category:Living people Category:Actresses in Tamil cinema Category:Actresses from Chennai Category:Indian film actresses Category:21st-century Indian actresses Category:Year of birth missing (living people)