Hansika Motwani is an Indian actress who mainly appears in Tamil films. She also acts in Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi films. She made her film debut in the Telugu film Desamuduru (2007), winning the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut – South. She then appeared in a couple of high-budget Telugu films, including Kantri (2008) and Maska (2009) . She started her career in Tamil cinema with Mappillai (2011) and then appeared in several commercially successful Tamil films including Engeyum Kadhal (2011), Velayudham (2011), Oru Kal Oru Kannadi (2012), Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru (2013), Maan Karate (2014), Aranmanai (2014), Manithan (2016), Bogan (2017). She made her Malayalam debut with Villain (2017).
Hansika Motwani was born to Pradeep Motwani, a businessman, and Mona Motwani, a dermatologist. She has a brother Prashant Motwani. Her mother tongue is Sindhi and she is a Buddhist. She was born in Mumbai.
Hansika attended the Podar International School in Mumbai. She went on to study at the International Curriculum School in Santacruz, Mumbai. As a child, she lived in the same apartment as Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan.
Hansika began her television career with a serial called Shaka Laka Boom Boom. She later acted in the Indian serial Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand, for which she received the Favorite Child Award at the Star Parivaar Awards, and appeared as one of the children in Koi Mil Gaya with Preity Zinta and Hrithik Roshan.
Hansika made her debut at the age of 16 in a lead role in Puri Jagannadh's Telugu film Desamuduru, opposite Allu Arjun, earning the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut – South for her performance. Hansika made her debut as a leading actress in Bollywood with Himesh Reshammiya in Aap Kaa Surroor — a moderate hit. She next signed the Hindi film titled He: The Only One, where she was to essay the role of a killer, hell-bent on taking revenge for her family, but the film was later shelved.
Hansika's first 2008 release was Bindaas, starring Puneet Rajkumar, her first and only Kannada film to date. Later that year, she was paired with Jr. NTR in the film Kantri.
Hansika is involved in many philanthropic activities. She provides monetary support for the education of 25 underprivileged children and also takes care of the medical needs of 10 women affected with breast cancer. She is the brand Ambassador of 'Chennai turns Pink', an awareness program to create breast cancer awareness among urban women.
In 2014, she was featured in Forbes' list of 250 celebrities that make it to the 100 Most Influential Celebrities nominees list.
