The vivacious young actress Divya Spandana celebrated her birth day on November 29. Born in Bangalore, on 29th Nov 1981, Divya entered into film world in 2003 through Kannada films. Now she has completed around 18 films in both Tamil and Kannada and has many in her kitty.

The rising star is basking under the glory of her success in Dhanush starrer Polladhavan. The once relegated artiste is now getting plump offers. She has been signed up for Goutham Menon’s next film Vaaranam Aayiram. She acts opposite the young heart throb Suriya, as one of the two heroines. She is also cast in an important role opposite Shaam in Adhiyaman's 'Thoondil'. She is clearly on the road to stardom.

It was not a path of roses for the bubbly girl with chubby cheeks. It took four long years for her to be recognized as an actor to be paired with top stars. Her first film in Tamil happened with ‘Kuthu’ opposite Silambarasan in 2003. The movie was anything but a hit but Ramya (it was the name with which she acted in ‘Kuthu’) got noticed for her glamour appeal in the movie.

However, offers were not coming her way in Tamil. She continued acting in Kannada films, where she got success. She has acted around 15 films in Kannada in four years while she has acted only in three in Tamil.

Meanwhile she rechristened her name as Divya, after knowing that ‘Kuthu’ has some undesirable meaning attributed to it. The sensitive girl changed her name and insisted the media not to mention her as Kuthu Ramya or Ramya.

When her place in Tamil seemed vanishing, she got the call from Vetri Maaran, a new director. He narrated the story and her role in his first movie. Divya was impressed. This was how Polladhavan happened.

Though she has got a limited role in Polladhavan, she has proved her caliber as an actor. She has shown some nuances in depicting some minute feelings pertaining to love. Her smiles and romantic eyes have cast an enticing spell on Tamil audiences. Hence she has started getting good offers to act in big banners with big stars.

Divya studied at St. Hilda's school, in Ooty, Tamil Nadu. She then earned her collegiate at St. Josephs College of Commerce, Bangalore. She had participated in stage shows and dance rehearsals from her grade school days.

Divya celebrated her birthday on November 29, and flew to Goa to take part in the screening of her film on AIDS 'Prarambha'. She has played a key role with top artists from South India. This documentary film on AIDS produced by Bill Gates Foundation is screened in the documentary section of International Film Festival at Goa.

This birthday must be a special one for Divya, who has at last established herself as a star in both languages. We wish her many more happy returns of the day and we would like to see her in more Tamil films in the coming year.