Nayanthara says she got paid Rs 2,000-3,000 for first job, felt ‘very left out’ in Kerala

Nayanthara, a prominent actress in India's film industry, revealed on a recent podcast that her first job as a model for a fashion event organized by Vanitha magazine paid her between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000. At the time, she was a 10th standard student in Kerala and felt quite underconfident. She recounted that her family's frequent relocation due to her father's career in the Indian Air Force made it difficult for her to feel at home.

When her father retired and the family moved back to Kerala, Nayanthara felt more out of place. She expressed that her childhood in a more diverse and inclusive environment in Delhi and Gujarat was starkly different from the homogeneous and comfortable upbringing of her classmates in Kerala. This difference led her to feel left out and sad.

Despite her initial struggles, Nayanthara went on to become one of the highest-paid female actors in India today, with her latest project, Kannada action thriller Toxic: A Fairytale for Grownups, promising to pay her between Rs 12 crore and Rs 18 crore.