Kollywood has embraced actors from other film industries whose characters have turned memorable for the Tamil film audiences. Being close to Tamil Nadu, many Malayalam artistes have set foot in Kollywood. Mammootty and Mohan Lal are two Mollywood superstars who have acted in some Tamil films. 

Mammootty’s notable Tamil films include Anandham, Kandukonden Kandukonden, Peranbu, Karmegham, Thalapathi and Azhagan. Mohanlal has acted in Tamil films such as Iruvar, Siraichalai, Unnai Pol Oruvan, Jilla and Kaapaan. Apart from these two stars, there are other character artistes, who have been successful in Kollywood. 

Take a look at the list of Malayalam actors who have essayed significant characters in notable Tamil films. 

Kalabhavan Mani 

Veerabahu was played by Kalabhavan Mani in the 2004 mass masala film Kuththu, directed by A Venkatesh. His character appealed to the masses. The film marked the debut of actress Ramya as the female lead. 

Kalabhavan Mani’s parallel talent mimicry exploited the bad guy in Veerabahu and turned out to be threatening yet funny. It has to be mentioned that Kalabhavan Mani showcased similar talent in the 2002 blockbuster film Gemini, directed by Charan and starring Chiyaan Vikram in the lead role.

Fahadh Faasil 

Being an established Malayalam actor, Fahadh Faasil made his Tamil debut in the film Velaikaaran (2017). The film stars Sivakarthikeyan in the lead role and was directed by Mohan Raja. Fahadh Faasil essayed the character Adhiban Mani, a shrewd personality whose vile intentions pose serious dangers to society. 

The character served the core purpose of the story and became a memorable one. Velaikaaran also stars Nayanthara, Prakash Raj, Sneha, Thambi Ramaiah, RJ Balaji, Sathish, Vijay Vasanth, Robo Shankar, Rohini, Charle, Ramadoss and many others. 

Nazriya Nazim 

Nazriya Nazim made her Tamil debut in Neram (2013), directed by Alphonse Puthren. She played Keerthana in the blockbuster film Raja Rani (2013) directed by Atlee. 

Nazriya’s role in the film attracted youngsters and became a trendsetter. Her girl-next-door attitude and lively expressions made Keerthana a benchmark character in her career. Raja Rani also stars Jai, Arya, Nayanthara, Sathyan, Sathyaraj, Santhanam and many others in supporting roles. 

Manju Warrier 

Manju Warrier, who is yet another established Malayalam artiste, made her debut with the 2019 film Asuran. The film is directed by Vetri Maaran with Dhanush plays the lead role alongside Teejay Arunachalam, Ken Karunas, Pasupathy, Adukalam Naren and many others. 

Maju Warrier essayed the character Pachaiyammal, a middle-aged mother with a bold and aggressive attitude. Asuran has music by GV Prakash Kumar while Velraj handled the cinematography for the National Award-winning film.