Riythvika Panneerselvam, also well known as Riythvika, is an Indian actress who appears in supporting roles in Tamil films. Riythvika is also the winner of the popular reality show Bigg Boss Tamil 2.

Personal life

Riythvika studied at Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed College For Women (SIET) in Teynampet, Chennai. She has stated that she had always dreamt of acting in films and that she used to act out scenes and reel out dialogues from films as a child. While studying at SIET, she acted in a number of short films and sent her photos to film PROs, trying for an entry into the cinema industry.

Career

During that period, director Bala was casting for his next project, ''Paradesi'' (2013), an adaptation of the English novel ''Red Tea'' (1969), which delves into the plight of tea plantation workers in the Madras Presidency during the British Raj. After going through a couple of auditions, she was selected to play the role of Karuthakanni, a young woman who gets tortured and sexually exploited in the plantations. She went on to act in Vikraman's romance film ''Ninaithathu Yaaro'' (2014) before being chosen by Pa. Ranjith for ''Madras'' (2014) to play a pivotal supporting role opposite Kalaiyarasan. Her portrayal of a North Chennai girl was lauded by critics and she won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Tamil besides several other nominations.The success of ''Madras'' prompted Ranjith and other film-makers to often cast her as a girl from a lower socio-economic background. In this trend, she notably appeared as a drug addict in ''Kabali'' (2016), and as a prostitute in ''Iru Mugan'' (2016),''Torchlight'' (2018) and ''Sigai'' (2019). In other assignments during the period, she featured as a liberal radio jockey in ''Oru Naal Koothu'' (2016), and as a ghost in the horror comedy, ''Onaaigal Jakkiradhai'' (2018).In 2018, Riythvika appeared in the reality show ''Bigg Boss Tamil 2'' as a contestant, and later emerged as the winner of the 2nd season in the franchise. She also appeared in the film ''Torchlight'' (2018) playing a crucial role in the film alongside actress Sadha.She is currently working on projects including ''Odavum Mudiyathu Oliyavum Mudiyathu'', and an untitled biopic of actor-politician MGR, where she essays the role of Janaki Ramachandran. For the latter role, Riythvika carefully studied the habits and behaviour of Janaki, including by watching her old films.In 2018, Riythvika appeared in the reality show ''Bigg Boss Tamil 2'' as a contestant, and later emerged as the winner of the 2nd season in the franchise. She also appeared in the film ''Torchlight'' (2018) playing a crucial role in the film alongside actress Sadha.She is currently working on projects including ''Odavum Mudiyathu Oliyavum Mudiyathu'', and an untitled biopic of actor-politician MGR, where she essays the role of Janaki Ramachandran. For the latter role, Riythvika carefully studied the habits and behaviour of Janaki, including by watching her old films.

2013–2014: Early life and career beginnings

Riythvika studied at Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed College For Women (SIET) in Teynampet, Chennai. She has stated that she had always dreamt of acting in films and that she used to act out scenes and reel out dialogues from films as a child. While studying at SIET, she acted in a number of short films and sent her photos to film PROs, trying for an entry into the cinema industry.

2013–2016: Debut and breakthrough with Madras

During that period, director Bala was casting for his next project, ''Paradesi'' (2013), an adaptation of the English novel ''Red Tea'' (1969), which delves into the plight of tea plantation workers in the Madras Presidency during the British Raj. After going through a couple of auditions, she was selected to play the role of Karuthakanni, a young woman who gets tortured and sexually exploited in the plantations. She went on to act in Vikraman's romance film ''Ninaithathu Yaaro'' (2014) before being chosen by Pa. Ranjith for ''Madras'' (2014) to play a pivotal supporting role opposite Kalaiyarasan. Her portrayal of a North Chennai girl was lauded by critics and she won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Tamil besides several other nominations.The success of ''Madras'' prompted Ranjith and other film-makers to often cast her as a girl from a lower socio-economic background. In this trend, she notably appeared as a drug addict in ''Kabali'' (2016), and as a prostitute in ''Iru Mugan'' (2016),''Torchlight'' (2018) and ''Sigai'' (2019). In other assignments during the period, she featured as a liberal radio jockey in ''Oru Naal Koothu'' (2016), and as a ghost in the horror comedy, ''Onaaigal Jakkiradhai'' (2018).

2014–2016: Breakthrough with Madras and widespread success

During that period, director Bala was casting for his next project, ''Paradesi'' (2013), an adaptation of the English novel ''Red Tea'' (1969), which delves into the plight of tea plantation workers in the Madras Presidency during the British Raj. After going through a couple of auditions, she was selected to play the role of Karuthakanni, a young woman who gets tortured and sexually exploited in the plantations. She went on to act in Vikraman's romance film ''Ninaithathu Yaaro'' (2014) before being chosen by Pa. Ranjith for ''Madras'' (2014) to play a pivotal supporting role opposite Kalaiyarasan. Her portrayal of a North Chennai girl was lauded by critics and she won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Tamil besides several other nominations.

The success of ''Madras'' prompted Ranjith and other film-makers to often cast her as a girl from a lower socio-economic background. In this trend, she notably appeared as a drug addict in ''Kabali'' (2016), and as a prostitute in ''Iru Mugan'' (2016),''Torchlight'' (2018) and ''Sigai'' (2019). In other assignments during the period, she featured as a liberal radio jockey in ''Oru Naal Koothu'' (2016), and as a ghost in the horror comedy, ''Onaaigal Jakkiradhai'' (2018).

2018–present: Bigg Boss 2

In 2018, Riythvika appeared in the reality show ''Bigg Boss Tamil 2'' as a contestant, and later emerged as the winner of the 2nd season in the franchise. She also appeared in the film ''Torchlight'' (2018) playing a crucial role in the film alongside actress Sadha.She is currently working on projects including ''Odavum Mudiyathu Oliyavum Mudiyathu'', and an untitled biopic of actor-politician MGR, where she essays the role of Janaki Ramachandran. For the latter role, Riythvika carefully studied the habits and behaviour of Janaki, including by watching her old films.In 2018, Riythvika appeared in the reality show ''Bigg Boss Tamil 2'' as a contestant, and later emerged as the winner of the 2nd season in the franchise. She also appeared in the film ''Torchlight'' (2018) playing a crucial role in the film alongside actress Sadha.She is currently working on projects including ''Odavum Mudiyathu Oliyavum Mudiyathu'', and an untitled biopic of actor-politician MGR, where she essays the role of Janaki Ramachandran. For the latter role, Riythvika carefully studied the habits and behaviour of Janaki, including by watching her old films.

2018: Bigg Boss 2 and Torchlight

In 2018, Riythvika appeared in the reality show ''Bigg Boss Tamil season 2'' as a contestant, She won peoples hearts and emerged as the winner of the 2nd season in the franchise. She is up to the date the only female to ever win Bigg Boss Tamil in history. She also appeared in the film ''Torchlight'' (2018) playing a crucial role in the film alongside actress Sadha.

2019–Present: Film comeback

She is currently working on projects including ''Odavum Mudiyathu Oliyavum Mudiyathu'', and an untitled biopic of actor-politician MGR, where she essays the role of Janaki Ramachandran. For the latter role, Riythvika carefully studied the habits and behaviour of Janaki, including by watching her old films.