Priya Prakash Varrier: From viral ‘Wink Girl’ to Tamil cinema’s rising star in ‘Good Bad Ugly’

Priya Prakash Varrier, often dubbed the "Wink Girl," skyrocketed to fame in 2018 with a single clip from her debut film Oru Adaar Love. Now, in 2025, she’s stealing the spotlight again with her captivating performance in the Tamil action-comedy Good Bad Ugly, starring alongside Ajith Kumar.

Born on October 28, 1999, in Punkunnam, Thrissur, Kerala, Priya grew up in a middle-class family with her father, Prakash Varrier, a Central Excise Department employee, and her mother, Preetha, a homemaker. Her life changed overnight in 2018 when a 28-second clip from Oru Adaar Love’s song Maanikya Malaraya Poovi—featuring her now-iconic wink—went viral, making her the most Googled personality in India that year.

Priya’s acting career began with Oru Adaar Love (2019), a Malayalam romantic drama, but she didn’t stop there. She ventured into Telugu cinema with Check (2021), playing a honey trapper, and appeared in films like Ishq: Not a Love Story and 4 Years. Her Tamil debut came with Nilavukku En Mel Ennadi Kobam, followed by her standout role as Nithya in Good Bad Ugly (2025), where her dance in the recreated Thottu Thottu Pesum Sultana drew comparisons to veteran actress Simran.

Although Priya Prakash Varrier was unable to set any mark after the ‘Viral Wink’ as majority of her films turned out to be undwerwhelming, the recently released Ajith starrer ‘Good Bad Ugly’ is surely a breakout in her career. Sharing her excitement, the actress shared a post about Ajith on Instagram that read, “Phewww…where do I even start?!I’ve held this in for too long. Anything I write isn’t enough to express the kind of admiration I have for you Sir. From the very first conversation to the last day of shoot,you made me feel like I belong.You made sure that nobody felt left out. You always went that extra mile to check on all of us whenever you were on set. I cannot stop mentioning all those meals we had together on the cruise as a team,cracking jokes and having the best time.I’ve not met someone with such curiosity and passion for things. I have utmost respect and love for the little “Pinocchio” in you.The way your eyes light up when you talk about family,cars,traveling and racing is such a sight for sore eyes.”