Darshana Rajendran

Darshana was born on 17 June^[6] to Rajendran and Neeraja in Thiruvananthapuram.^[7] She studied Mathematics at the Lady Shri Ram College and Financial Economics at City, University of London, and worked for the Institute for Financial Management and Research in Chennai.^[8]

Darshana made her acting debut in 2014 with John Paul Vaathil Thurakkunnu. She went onto appear in supporting parts in films such as Mayaanadhi (2017), Koode (2018) and Virus (2019).^[9][10][11] She had her first major role in the 2020 film C U Soon, where she appeared opposite Fahadh Faasil.^[12] Saibal Chatterjee was appreciative of her "moving portrayal".^[13]

Darshana achieved her career breakthrough in 2022 with Hridayam and Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey. In Hridayam, she played an engineering student opposite Pranav Mohanlal.^[14] Sajin Shrijith stated, "Darshana is aptly cast in her role."^[15] A major commercial success, it was one of the highest grossing film of the year.^[16] She then played a domestic violence abuse opposite Basil Joseph in Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey.^[17] The film emerged a commercial success and earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam.^[18] Anna M. M. Vetticad noted, "Darshana chews up every scene in which the writing gives Jaya an inner presence. She is also undoubtedly congenitally attuned to action."^[19]