Dimple Hayathi
Dimple Hayathi (born 21 August 1998) is an Indian actress and model who predominantly works in Telugu and Tamil cinema, with select roles in Hindi films.[1][2][3] Born in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, to a Tamil father who is a businessman and a Telugu mother who is a dance teacher, Hayathi was raised in Hyderabad, where she developed an early passion for performing arts, particularly Kuchipudi dance.[4][5][6] A trained Kuchipudi exponent, she began learning the dance form in her childhood. Hayathi began her career as a model after completing her secondary education and transitioned to acting with her debut in the 2017 Telugu film Gulf, portraying the role of Lakshmi at the age of 19.[6][7] She gained recognition for her supporting roles in Telugu films such as Eureka (2020) and Khiladi (2022), Tamil projects including Devi 2 (2019) alongside Prabhu Deva and Veerame Vaagai Soodum (2022), and her Hindi breakthrough in Atrangi Re (2021) as Mandakini "Mandy" Rao opposite Sara Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar.[2][8][6] Her recent works include the Telugu action drama Ramabanam (2023); as of 2025, she has several upcoming projects including Dilmaar. She continues to balance glamorous and character-driven roles across South Indian and Bollywood industries.[8][1] In her personal life, Hayathi is married to businessman Victor David.[9]Personal background
Early life
Dimple Hayathi was born on 21 August 1998 in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India, to a Tamil father and a Telugu mother.[10][11] Her mixed heritage reflected the cultural diversity of South India, blending Tamil and Telugu influences from an early age.[10] Following her birth, Hayathi's family relocated to Hyderabad, Telangana, where she was raised.[11] This move exposed her to the vibrant Telugu film industry hub, shaping her early environment in a bustling urban setting. Originally named Dimple at birth, she later adopted the surname "Hayathi" during her formative years aspiring toward a career in entertainment, influenced by numerological beliefs to enhance her prospects.[7][12] From a young age, Hayathi displayed an interest in the performing arts, particularly through her training in Kuchipudi, a classical Indian dance form originating from Andhra Pradesh.[6] Hayathi is a trained Kuchipudi exponent and claims to hold a Guinness World Record for her skills in the classical dance form.[13] This early exposure to dance fostered her passion for expressive performance, laying the groundwork for her later pursuits in acting.[14]Family and marriage
Dimple Hayathi's father is a businessman of Tamil ethnicity, while her mother is a Telugu dance teacher, which has shaped her bilingual proficiency and career in both Telugu and Tamil cinema.[4][15] This mixed heritage has allowed her to navigate cultural nuances effectively in her roles across regional industries.[4] Hayathi is married to Victor David, a businessman based in Hyderabad.[16] The couple wed in the early 2020s, though specific details of the ceremony remain private.[16] As of 2025, they have no reported children.[16] The family resides in Shaikpet, Hyderabad, a location that serves as Hayathi's primary base for her work in the Telugu film industry.[17] This urban setting in Telangana facilitates her professional engagements while maintaining proximity to her roots.[17]Professional career
Film debut and early work
Dimple Hayathi made her acting debut in the Telugu film Gulf (2017), directed by P. Sunil Kumar Reddy, where she portrayed the lead female character Lakshmi, a simple village woman who migrates to Dubai as a housemaid to fund her mother's chemotherapy treatment, only to endure abuse from her employers.[18] The film marked her entry into Telugu cinema at the age of 19, focusing on the hardships faced by Indian migrant workers in the Gulf countries.[19] Her performance as Lakshmi received positive feedback for its emotional depth and authenticity, with critics noting that she effectively conveyed the character's vulnerability and resilience, standing out as one of the film's stronger elements despite its mixed overall reception.[18] Described as a "beautiful and perfect damsel in distress," Hayathi's portrayal tugged at the audience's emotions, showcasing her potential as a newcomer in an industry dominated by established stars.[19] Following her debut, Hayathi continued with early roles in Telugu projects, including the role of Shobitha, the love interest to the protagonist Yuva, in the thriller Eureka (shot in 2018 and released in 2020), a college-based murder mystery with romantic elements, helping her gain initial footing in Hyderabad's film circles.[20] Raised in Hyderabad, she leveraged local opportunities to focus on Telugu cinema, navigating the competitive landscape as a fresh face often limited to emotive or supporting parts in low-budget productions during her initial years from 2017 to 2018.[6] These early endeavors highlighted her transition from amateur aspirations to professional commitments in the Telugu industry, though opportunities remained sparse and centered on character-driven narratives rather than glamorous leads.[21]Breakthrough and recent projects
Hayathi's breakthrough arrived in 2019 with her energetic performance in the item song "Jarra Jarra" from the Telugu action comedy Gaddalakonda Ganesh, directed by Harish Shankar, which featured her alongside Nani and quickly elevated her profile in South Indian cinema. That same year, she secured one of the leading roles as Eesha in the bilingual horror-comedy Devi 2, marking her entry into Tamil films opposite Prabhu Deva and Tamannaah Bhatia, where her character contributed to the film's supernatural ensemble narrative.[22] These roles showcased her dance prowess and screen presence, transitioning her from minor appearances to more central positions. Building on this momentum, Hayathi ventured into multiple languages, with her Hindi debut in Atrangi Re (2021), directed by Aanand L. Rai, in which she played Mandakini "Mandy" Rao, a supporting character in the unconventional love triangle involving Sara Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar, and Dhanush, highlighting her adaptability to Bollywood's quirky storytelling. In 2022, she starred as Mythili in the Tamil action thriller Veerame Vaagai Soodum, collaborating with Vishal in a role that involved emotional depth amid family conflicts and revenge themes, and took on dual roles as Chitra and Aditi in the Telugu mystery thriller Khiladi opposite Ravi Teja, blending suspense with romantic elements. Her recent projects continued this trajectory with the 2023 Telugu family action drama Ramabanam, where she enacted Bhairavi, the love interest to Gopichand's character Vicky, focusing on themes of brotherhood and redemption in a rural setting.[23] By 2025, Hayathi had diversified further into Kannada cinema with Dilmaar, released in October, portraying a key female lead opposite Ram Gowda in a romantic drama exploring pursuit and mystery.[24] She is set to appear in the Tamil thriller Train, directed by Mysskin and scheduled for release on November 28, 2025, in a role that delves into psychological tension.[25] As of November 2025, she is shooting for the untitled Telugu film tentatively titled Anarkali (RT 76), directed by Kishore Tirumala, reuniting with Ravi Teja in a family-oriented entertainer slated for a Sankranti 2026 release,[26] as well as the period action drama Bhogi (Sharwanand's 38th film), directed by Sampath Nandi.[27] This phase of her career reflects a deliberate shift from glamorous item numbers toward versatile lead and supporting roles across genres, particularly action-thrillers and family dramas, with notable collaborations like those with Vishal in Veerame Vaagai Soodum and Ravi Teja in Khiladi and the upcoming project, underscoring her growing industry recognition and preference for character-driven narratives over mere visual appeal.[28]Filmography
Feature films
Dimple Hayathi has appeared in several feature films across Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Kannada languages, primarily in lead or supporting roles. The following table lists her credited acting roles in chronological order, including details on the film, her character, the director, and a brief context for her involvement.| Year | Title | Language | Role | Director | Brief plot/role context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Gulf | Telugu | Lead (Lakshmi) | P. Sunil Kumar Reddy | Hayathi debuted as the female lead Lakshmi, a young immigrant facing challenges in the Gulf, in this romantic drama exploring migrant life struggles.[29] |
| 2019 | Devi 2 | Telugu/Tamil | Supporting (Eesha) | A.L. Vijay | In this bilingual horror-comedy sequel, Hayathi plays Eesha, a close friend of the protagonist, aiding in the supernatural conflict involving possession.[30] |
| 2020 | Eureka | Telugu | Lead (Shobitha) | Karteek Anand | Hayathi portrays Shobitha, the love interest and a key figure in the campus intrigue, in this sci-fi thriller about college students uncovering a mystery.[31] |
| 2021 | Atrangi Re | Hindi | Lead (Mandakini "Mandy" Rao) | Aanand L. Rai | She plays Mandy, a free-spirited woman entangled in a complex love triangle, in this romantic comedy-drama blending humor and emotional turmoil.[32] |
| 2022 | Khiladi | Telugu | Lead (Chitra) | Ramesh Varma | Hayathi stars as Chitra, the female lead opposite the protagonist in a high-stakes game of deception, in this action thriller.[33] |
| 2022 | Veerame Vaagai Soodum | Tamil | Lead (Mythili) | Thu Pa Saravanan | In this action drama centered on family and revenge, Hayathi plays Mythili, the supportive love interest driving emotional depth for the lead character.[34] |
| 2023 | Rama Banam | Telugu | Lead (Bhairavi) | Sriwass | Hayathi appears as Bhairavi, the female lead in a tale of brotherhood and conflict, providing romantic and emotional support to the central narrative. |
| 2025 | Dilmaar | Kannada | Supporting (Maya) | M. Chandramouli | She portrays Maya, a figure from the protagonist's past revealed in a flashback, in this romantic drama about obsessive love and personal growth.[24] |
| 2025 | Train | Tamil | Supporting | Mysskin | Hayathi takes on a significant supporting role in this psychological thriller, contributing to the intense narrative surrounding the lead's journey.[35] |