Isha Talwar is a noted Malayalam film actress, who also works in Hindi films and web series. She is best known for her debut flick, Thattathin Marayathu, where she played lead role opposite Nivin Pauly. She is also a known face among Hindi-speaking audiences. Her appearance in Hindi web series, Mirzapur (2020-present), Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo (2023) and Indian Police Force (2024) won her praises.
Isha Talwar – A model turned actor
Isha Talwar was born on 22 December 1985 in Mumbai to film director Vinod Talwar and Suman. She graduated in Economics from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. Talwar joined choreographer Terence Lewis’s dance school in 2004, where she learnt different contemporary dance forms. It was a major turning point o her career. Isha Talwar started her professional career as a model, and did more than 40 commercials for leading brands of the country.
Malayalam film Thattathin Marayathu was her first full-length role
In year 2000, as a child artist, she first appeared on big screen for Bollywood film, Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai. It was a brief role playing Aishwarya Rai’s younger sister. Vineeth Sreenivasan’s Thattathin Marayathu (2012) was her first full-length role, where she played female lead opposite Nivin Pauly. She played Aysha Rehman, a Muslim girl, in this iconic film. The movie was a huge success, and many of its scenes and dialogues became a part of Malayali’s popular culture. After that, Isha Talwar was regular in Malayalam cinema for a while.
When she played an innocent girl in her debut flick, she appeared in a grey shaded role for the next release, I love me. The movie released the same year was a flop at box office. By that time, she got offers from other regional industries too.
In 2013, she entered the Tamil and Telugu industries
After two Malayalam releases in 2012, she marked her Telugu debut with Gunde Jaari Gallanthayyinde and Tamil debut with Thillu Mullu, a remake of iconic Tamil movie of 1980s with the same title. Both the films released in 2013 were commercial hits. Thillu Mullu was the Tamil remake of iconic Hindi comedy, Golmaal and Isha Talwar reprised Bindiya Goswami’s role.
In 2014, she appeared in a series of Malayalam movies, Balyakalasakhi, Utsaha Committee, God’s Own Country, and Bangalore Days. In 2015, she appeared in two hit films – Two Countries and Bhaskar the Rascal playing cameo roles, and as her roles in Malayalam cinema started drying up, she moved to other languages. Though she got a magical debut in Mollywood, with a huge fan following crowd, she failed to repeat success, and her roles got reduced to brief appearances.
Her shift to Bollywood with Salman Khan starrer Tubelight in 2017
In 2016 she reprised her role of Thattathin Marayathu in the Tamil film, Meendum Oru Kadhal Kadhai, opposite Walter Phillips. She also played female lead in Telugu action thriller Raja Cheyyi Vesthe, the same year. In 2017, she was a part of Malayalam anthology film, Crossroad, where she played the female protagonist in the segment, Mudra.
Salman Khan starrer Tubelight (2017) marked her re-entry to Bollywood, years after her brief role during her childhood days. After that she played supporting roles in Bollywood films, Kaalakaandi, Article 15, Ginny Weds Sunny, Roam Rome Mein etc. Slowly she gained foot in Bollywood and as time passed by, she got more meaty roles.
She played the lead role in 2018 film, Kaamyaab, which earned rave reviews from critics. Isha Talwar appeared in an important role in Sharmaji Namkeen, the last film of Rishi Kapoor. She played the titular role in 2024 mystery thriller, Ella, which received favourable reviews. In 2025, she appeared in Kaushaljis vs Kaushal.
Some of her noted Malayalam films during this time include – Ranam, Theerppu and Oru Jaathi Jathakam. In 2023, she appeared in Tamil thriller, Run Baby Run. In 2024, she did a Punjabi and Odia film each, titled Shahkot and Durga respectively.
Isha earned appreciation through Hindi web series
She has been regular on TV, with guest appearances. In 2019, she played Madhuri Yadav Tripathi in popular Hindi web series, Mirzapur, which brought her to spot light. Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo, Chamak, Indian Police Force and Single Papa are other works. Her role as Rashmi Malik in Indian Police Force was well received.
Isha Talwar – Some interesting and less-known facts
1. She was featured in a music video with Hrithik Roshan for the Just Dance competition, during her modelling days.
2. She spent two years for her film debut, and for the Malayalam film, Thattathin Marayathu, Isha Talwar learned to play the guitar. Her other preparations include learning Malayalam language and four-month voice training class.
3. Isha Talwar’s debut films in all south Indian industries (Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu) were commercial hits. She played female lead in all these films. Thus, she had a truly magical entry to respective film industries.
4. Her father, Vinod Talwar has been in Bollywood for the past 30 years, directing and producing films. He works with Boney Kapoor.
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