Hansika Motwani is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Tamil and Telugu films. She made her film debut in the Telugu film Desamuduru (2007), winning the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut – South. She then appeared in a couple of high-budget Telugu films, including Kantri (2008) and Maska (2009). She started her career in Tamil cinema with Mappillai (2011) and then appeared in several commercially successful Tamil films including Engeyum Kadhal (2011), Velayudham (2011), Oru Kal Oru Kannadi (2012), Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru (2013) and Maan Karate (2014).
Hansika began her television career with a serial called Shaka Laka Boom Boom. She later acted in the Indian serial Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand, for which she received the Favorite Child Award at the Star Parivaar Awards, and appeared as one of the children in Koi Mil Gaya with Preity Zinta and Hrithik Roshan. Hansika made her debut at the age of 16 in a lead role in Puri Jagannadh’s Telugu film Desamuduru, opposite Allu Arjun, earning the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut – South for her performance.
Hansika made her debut as a leading actress in Bollywood with Himesh Reshammiya in Aap Kaa Surroor — a moderate hit. She next signed the Hindi film titled He: The Only One, where she was to essay the role of a killer, hell-bent on taking revenge for her family but the film was later shelved. Hansika’s first 2008 release was Bindaas, starring Puneet Rajkumar, her first and only Kannada film to date. Later that year, she was paired with Jr. NTR in the film Kantri. She made her Tamil film debut in the successful 2011 film Mappillai, opposite Dhanush. Her next Tamil film, Engeyum Kadhal, opposite Jayam Ravi, was also successful. The 2011 film Velayudham, in which she starred alongside Vijay, became a box-office success; this was her first time playing the role of a village belle.