Nayanthara once quit films due to an ex-boyfriend
In the recently released Netflix documentary, Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale, actor Nayanthara opened up about her past relationships and how they affected her life and career. In the documentary, the 40-year-old sensation confirmed the widely believed rumor that she left films at the height of her career due to her ex-partner. "I quit films because the man asked me to. I trusted easily," she revealed.
'I was told to leave the cinema, and I agreed...'
While Nayanthara confessed that her decision to leave cinema was influenced by a romantic partner, she chose not to reveal his name. The actor stated, "It was the man who told me to quit cinema. It wasn't like I had an option. I was told to leave the cinema, and I agreed." Looking back, her first relationship in the industry was with actor-filmmaker Silambarasan TR, who she met while working on his debut directorial Vallavan (2006).
Nayanthara and Silambarasan's relationship ended on a sour note
Nayanthara and Silambarasan, the erstwhile 'It couple' of Tamil cinema, ended their relationship after a private photo of them kissing leaked without her consent. The fallout wasn't amicable, with actor Akkineni Nagarjuna recalling in the documentary how it was a turbulent time for Nayanthara. "I think it was a turbulent time of her relationship. In fact, we would dread the moment her phone rang because it would turn her off immediately. She became a different person."
Nayanthara's subsequent relationship with Prabhu Deva
After her breakup with Silambarasan, Nayanthara threw herself into work, acting in 10 films in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam cinema. In 2008, she started a much-publicized relationship with actor-choreographer-filmmaker Prabhu Deva while working on Villu. Despite rumors of their impending marriage in 2009, the plans were complicated by Prabhu Deva's existing marriage with Latha who publicly disapproved of their relationship. In 2011, rumors emerged that Nayanthara decided to retire from acting after her role in Sri Rama Rajyam.
Nayanthara faced criticism for the 'Sri Rama Rajyam' role
However, Nayanthara's performance in Sri Rama Rajyam was criticized by some audience members who thought her personal life choices were not suitable for an actor playing Sita from the revered Ramayana. Nevertheless, she won her first Nandi Award for the film. But her marriage with Prabhu Deva was stalled by his wife Latha's refusal to divorce him. This brought Nayanthara back to the industry. She is now happily married to filmmaker Vignesh Shivan and shares two kids with him.
