Gayathri Raghuram

Biography:

Gayathri Raghuram, an Indian former politician, choreographer, and actress in the South Indian film industry, was born into a Tamil Brahmin Iyer family as the second daughter of renowned dance choreographers Raghuram and Girija Raghuram.

Her elder sister, Suja, is also a well-known dancer and actress. She belongs to a family of choreographers, including her mother, Girija, who is related to Brinda and Kala. Gayathri’s marriage to US-based software engineer Deepak Chandrasekar in 2006 ended in divorce in 2010 due to allegations of domestic abuse.

In 2019, she faced legal trouble with a drunk driving case. Despite her claim of it being fake news, this incident drew criticism from BJP party members. Gayathri initially made her debut in the film industry with “Repallelo Radha” and gained success with movies like “Charlie Chaplin” in 2002.

However, her subsequent releases in 2003 were less successful, leading her to quit films and pursue studies in Visual Communications in the USA.

Returning to the film industry in 2008 as a choreographer, Gayathri worked on various successful films, including “Madrasapattinam” and “Anjaan.” She resumed acting in 2015 with “Vai Raja Vai” and made a directorial debut with “Yaadhumagi Nindraai” in 2020.

Despite a special appearance in the Telugu film “Rang De” in 2021, she announced her retirement from acting, expressing a desire to focus more on politics.

In February 2022, as the state president of the arts and culture wing, she stirred controversy by firing office-bearers without party president Annamalai’s permission. Expelled from her post in May 2022, she later assumed a leadership role in the Tamil development wing of other states and abroad in June 2022.

In November 2022, she condemned the party’s OBC state president for abusive behavior and death threats, leading to her suspension and subsequent resignation from the party in January 2023, citing concerns for the safety of women within the party under leader K. Annamalai.