Priya Prakash Varrier became a national sensation in 2018 after one wink from a Malayalam song clip turned her into India’s “National Crush” before her debut film even released. Seven years later, the actor is trying to move past that viral image with work across Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi cinema. Her recent projects include 'Good Bad Ugly', 'Nilavuku En Mel Ennadi Kobam', 'Vishnu Priya', 'Cousins and Kalyanams,' and a cameo in 'Sarvam Maya'.
Priya Prakash Varrier after viral wink
According to The Statesman, Priya first became famous after a clip from the song in 'Oru Adaar Love' went viral in early 2018. The Malayalam film marked her debut in 2019. The short video brought her memes, brand deals, magazine covers, and millions of social media followers in a few days.
The report said Priya did not wait only for Bollywood offers after the viral moment. She worked across South Indian cinema and built her filmography in different languages. In 2025, she made her Tamil debut with 'Nilavuku En Mel Ennadi Kobam', directed by Dhanush. She played Preethi in the film.
She also appeared in Ajith Kumar’s Tamil action comedy 'Good Bad Ugly' as Nithya. Her recreation of the classic song 'Thottu Thottu Pesum Sultana' went viral and received a positive response from the audience.
Priya Prakash Varrier 2026 projects
Priya’s first Kannada film, 'Vishnu Priya', was released in February 2025. The romantic drama, directed by VK Prakash, was set in the 1990s. Her latest release, 'Cousins and Kalyanams', has also arrived on OTT.
After 'Good Bad Ugly', Priya met Ajith Kumar at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, where he was competing in the Asian Le Mans Series 2026 season. She posted a video from the meeting and praised his “pure passion, discipline and fearless dedication.” She also called her 'Good Bad Ugly' song experience “memorable and special.”
The report also mentioned the controversy around 'Param Sundari', starring Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor. Priya appeared in a background role but later said she had quit the project after one day of filming in February 2026 due to a dispute over the role.
She was last seen in a cameo in Akhil Sathyan’s 'Sarvam Maya', starring Nivin Pauly, Riya Shibu, and Aju Varghese. The blockbuster is streaming on JioHotstar. The Statesmen also reports that Priya is also reportedly set for a special appearance in Nitesh Tiwari’s 'Ramayana', starring Ranbir Kapoor. The first part is slated for Diwali 2026, followed by the second part in Diwali 2027.