Paayal Kapoor Nair Wiki, Age, Husband, Family, Biography & More

Paayal Kapoor Nair is an Indian TV and film actress. She is well known for playing the titular role in the soap opera Meher (2004-2006) on DD National.  She is also known for starring in the TV series Do Saheliyaan… Kismat Ki Kathputaliyaan (2010), Saat Phere: Saloni Ka Safar (2005), and Chand Chupa Badal Mein (2010).

Wiki/Biography

Paayal Kapoor was born in New Delhi, India.

She did her schooling at The Frank Anthony Public School in New Delhi. It was Paayal’s cinephile mother who recognised her inclinations towards drama and theatre. She grew up participating in school plays. She pursued a Bachelor of Arts in European History at Jesus and Mary College in New Delhi. During her college days, she was the president of the dramatics society. Later, she pursued a part-time course in mass communication at the YMCA in New Delhi. There, her journey as a professional theatre artist began attending theatre workshops after her part-time classes. After completing her mass communication course, she worked as a copywriter in an advertisement agency for a while. Towards the end of 1999, she moved to Mumbai to become an actress. In 2014, she studied drama & theatre at Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre. She has received training in theatre by stalwarts like Amal Allana and Ranjit Kapoor.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 5″

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family

Parents & Siblings

Not much is known about her parents. She is an only child.

Husband & Children

Her husband’s name is Mahesh Nair, a writer and director.

Religion/Religious Views

She follows Hinduism. She is an adherent follower of Sadhguru.

Career

Television

In 1996, Payal made her television debut with the thriller show Agwaah, sharing the screen with Tom Alter and Vishal Thakkar. In 1998, she starred in two episodes of the police procedural TV series C.I.D. in which she played the role of Kuber’s Wife. She appeared in the cop thriller TV show Dial 100 as Padma Raj Dev Singh in 2001 and Star Plus’ horror thriller show Ssshhhh… Koi Hai 2002. Her first show as a lead actress was Goonj Ateet Ki (2002) on Sony in which she played the role of a doctor named Revathi. In 2004, she became a household name with DD National’s soap opera Meher in which she played the titular role. In the show, she also played the double of Meher, Shabana.

She played a negative role in Saat Phere: Saloni Ka Safar (2005). From 2005 to 2007, she appeared in Star Plus’ soap opera Bhabhi, playing the roles of Manju Chatterjee (after plastic surgery), Meenakshi Chatterjee, and Meenakshi Tilak Chopra. After that, she was seen playing supporting roles in the TV shows Parrivaar (2007), STAR One’s Chhoona Hai Aasmaan (2007 – 2008), and Zee TV’s Do Saheliyaan… Kismat Ki Kathputaliyaan (2010). In 2010, she gained popularity for playing the negative role of Chanchal Jawahar Sood in Chand Chupa Badal Mein on Star Plus. She played the role of Shefali Varun Singh, Ammu’s daughter-in-law in Imagine TV’s Radhaa Ki Betiyaan Kuch Kar Dikhayengi (2008), Devki Purohit in Star Plus’ Phir Bhi Na Maane Badtameez Dil (2015), Damo in Rishton Ka Chakravyuh (2017).

Other TV shows under her belt include Zee TV’s Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (2004), Star Plus’ Rishton Ka Chakravyuh (2017), Kahani Hamari… Dil Dosti Deewanepan Ki (2016), and Sony TV’s Ek Deewana Tha (2018). In 2018, she played Matron in the miniseries Next of Kin. In 2019, she appeared in an episode of the horror show Parchhayee: Ghost Stories by Ruskin Bond in which she played Mrs. Singh. In 2019, played the role of Advocate Damini Mishra in Star Plus’ popular TV show Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai.

In 2019, she starred in Tata Sky Theatre’s teleplay Seven as Warden Liza. The play was about seven retired freedom fighters who try to fulfil their dying friend’s last wish.

She appeared in the hit TV show Anupamaa on Star Plus in which she played Parul Sharma, the principal of the school Anupamaa’s daughter goes to.

Film

Paayal Kapoor Nair debuted with the Hindi survival thriller film Jungle (2000).

In the same year, she appeared in the film Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar!!, starring Manoj Bajpayee and Tabu. In the film, she played the role of Lilly. In 2008, she played the role of Sandy in Sorry Bhai.

She also starred in the films Kuch Tum Kaho Kuch Hum Kahein (2002) and Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai (2010). In 2019, she played Rukhsana in the telefilm Love. In 2020, she appeared in the popular biographical drama film Chhapaak in which she portrayed the role of Shiraz Jamshedji. The film revolves around the difficulties faced by an acid attack victim named Malti. In the film, Malti’s parents work as domestic help in Shiraz’s house.

In 2024, she portrayed the role of Indira Gandhi in Main Atal Hoon, a biographical film which follows the life and career of well-known Indian politician Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Theatre

In 2009, she played the role of Meera in the theatrical production Jaise Kitabon Mein Mile. Later, she performed Chidi Ki Dukki, a collection of five short stories by Ismat Chughtai. In 2019, she portrayed Mengoubi, in the play Mengoubi-The Fair One written by Shanta Gokhale.

In 2023, he starred in Salima Raza’s theatrical production Majaz Zinda Hai, a musical dramatization of the life and works of the legendary Urdu poet, Asrar-ul-Haq Maz, popularly known as Majaz Lakhnavi.

In December 2023, she collaborated with storytellers Chandan Anand and Vikas Tiwari for a Qissagoi performance at The Box, featuring short stories by Ismat Chughtai about man-woman relationships. Qissagoi is a traditional form of storytelling that used to happen in the courts of the Nawabs of Lucknow and the Mughals.

Web series

In 2019, she appeared in the web series Parchhayee on ZEE5.

Other

In 2020, she was featured in Philips India’s ‘Khushiyon ki Ladi’ Campaign for Diwali.

Apart from that, she has been a creative producer at Soul Curry Movies since 2010.

Favourites

• Actress(es): Jaya Bachchan, Rekha

• Film: Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… (2001)

Facts/Trivia

• She is also referred to as Payal Nair.

• In an interview, she revealed that her maternal grandfather used to call her “nautanki” (dramatic) when she was a kid.

• She has a pet parrot named Mithu.

  Paayal Kapoor Nair with her parrot Mithu

• Once, while talking about appearing in the TV show Anupamaa, she said that she had a long working relationship with Rajan Shahi (producer of the show). Her association with Rajan Shahi goes back to the popular show Bidaai in which she played the role of a South Indian woman. Then, Shahi cast her in the role of an antagonist in Chand Chhupa Badal Mein, which was also a successful show. After that, he cast her in the role of a lawyer in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai.

• She is fond of writing poetry. She performed at the Bol Baby Bol poetry event in 2019.

  Paayal Kapoor Nair performing poetry at the Bol Baby Bol poetry event in 2019

• She has a blazing sun tattoo inked near her collarbones.

  Paayal Kapoor Nair’s blazing sun tattoo

• She occasionally consumes alcoholic beverages.

  A snip of Paayal Kapoor Nair’s Instagram post, showing her drinking habits

• She is a non-vegetarian.

  A snip of Paayal Kapoor Nair’s Instagram post, showing her food habits

• She can speak four languages, English, Hindi, Urdu, and Malayalam.