Nivetha Pethuraj (born 30 November 1991) is an Indian actress who appears in
Telugu and
Tamil films. She made her acting debut with the Tamil film Oru Naal Koothu (2016). She then made her Telugu debut with Mental Madhilo (2017).[1][2][3] Her notable productions include Chitralahari (2019), Paagal (2020), Das Ka Dhamki (2023) and the crime thriller television series Paruvu.
Early life
Nivetha was born on 30 November 1991[4][5] in
Madurai,
Tamil Nadu and has
Tamil ancestry from her mother while a shared
Telugu ancestry from her father. Her mother tongue is Tamil.[6][7] After her birth, her family moved to
Kovilpatti, where she did completed her early schooling.[8] At the age of 11, she relocated to
Dubai with her parents and studied in Crescent English High School. She lived in Dubai for about 10 years. She obtained her management degree from
Heriot-Watt University,
Edinburgh.[8][9]
Nivetha made her acting debut with the Tamil film Oru Naal Koothu in 2016, where she portrayed an IT professional opposite
Dinesh.[12]Hindustan Times termed her performance as "engaging",[13] while Times of India noted, "Nivetha is impressive in her debut."[14]
In 2017, she appeared in two films. First she starred in Podhuvaga Emmanasu Thangam opposite
Udhayanidhi Stalin.[15]Deccan Chronicle commented that, "Nivetha Pethuraj looks good, but hardly makes an impact in a poorly etched character."[16] She then made her Telugu debut with Mental Madhilo, where she portrayed a straight forward girl opposite
Sree Vishnu, a successful venture.[17][18]Firstpost noted, "A terrific actress, Nivetha Pethuraj easily gives one of the best performances of the year. She becomes the voice of reason in the film and anchors the whole film with her verve."[19]
Nivetha had two releases in 2018. She first portrayed an army official alongside
Jayam Ravi in Tik Tik Tik, which was a commercial success at the box office.[20][21]Hindustan Times said, "Nivetha Pethuraj as Captain Swathi is one positive in the film".[22] She then appeared as a Sub-Inspector opposite
Vijay Antony in Thimiru Pudichavan.[23]Cinema Express said, "Nivetha Pethuraj pulls off the Madras slang and seems to handle comedy well."[24] However her next film Party, despite having completed filming, remains unreleased.[25][26]
In 2019, Nivetha had three releases. She portrayed a corporate executive alongside
Sai Dharam Tej in Chitralahari, which was a commercial success.[27]Deccan Chronicle said that she "performs well" among the two female leads.[28]Times of India stated, "Nivetha Pethuraj plays her unapologetic stone-cold corporate honcho role with perfection."[29] Nivetha was also the part of Tamil film Sangathamizhan starring
Vijay Sethupathi directed by Vijay Chander, which opened to mixed reviews from critics.[30]
In 2022, Nivetha had continuous releases in Telugu films including
Bloody Mary as lead, Virata Parvam where she made a special appearance. Her major 2023 release was
Das Ka Damki where she acted alongside Vishwak Sen for the second time after Paagal.[34] She then starred in the crime thriller television series Paruvu, which premiered on
ZEE5 in June 2024. Her performance was praised by the critics.[35][36]