Shalini Ajith to Aditi Rao Hydari: 8 heroines who played doctors in Kollywood

July 1 is celebrated as National Doctor's Day. Owing to the current times we live in, everyone has taken to social media to thank doctors who are relentlessly working round the clock. We also take a look at the number of times Kollywood actresses have portrayed doctors on-screen. From playing serious doctors to fun medical professionals, the actresses have aced their roles. Here's taking a look at some of the actresses who played the role of a doctor with perfection.

Shakti Selvaraj (Shalini Ajith) in Alaipauthey: Shakti plays a medical student when she first meets Karthik (played by Madhavan). Both Karthik and Shakti are visibly attracted to each other. When Karthik proposes to Shakti, she says that she doesn't believe in love. But slowly, they both fall in love. Karthik comes with his family to meet Shakti's parents. However, they don't get along and Shakti calls off her relationship with Karthik. She then goes to an extended medical camp in Kerala. Owing to the distance, she realises she misses Karthik. And he, too, comes in search of her. They get married secretly, which then paves for a beautiful romantic drama.

Subhashini (Tamannaah) in Dharma Durai: This coming of age drama had both Vijay Sethupathi (as Dharmadurai) and Tamannaah essay the role of doctors in the film. Dharmadurai, Subhashini and Stella (played by Srushti Dange) were classmates in Madurai Medical College. Both Stella and Subhashini are in love with Dharmadurai, but Stella is open about her feelings towards him. Situation is such that he parts his friends and becomes an alcoholic. He crosses path with Subhashini again (now a doctor), who is now married. He reveals why he has become a drunkard, and Subhashini, too, reveals that she is on the verge of divorcing her husband. They both bury their pasts, fall in love and get married.

Dr Janaki aka Paapu (Sneha) in Vasool Raja MBBS: Incidentally, Sneha's character in the fun ‘Vasool Raja MBBS’ is also named Janaki, too. She plays a doctor in the film, and also the daughter of Dr Vishwanathan (played by Prakash Raj). Rajaraman (a local don) goes to a medical college to obtain an MBBS degree owing to certain reasons. He meets Dr Janaki there but doesn't know that she is his childhood friend Paapu. Janaki helps Rajaraman in his antics, eventually winning the trust of her father and him. It is only during the climax Kamal learns that Paapu is Janaki.

Mithra (Samantha) in Theri: Samantha plays a medical student/doctor in Theri. She meets honest and sincere DCP Vijay Kumar (played by Vijay) at the hospital where she is on duty. She treats a bunch of rogues and learns that a cop thrashed them. She is first angry with the cop, but when she meets Vijay, she realises why he had thrashed them. Slowly, they meet up and fall in love. They eventually get married and are parents to a baby girl. But things turn upside down when Samantha’s character gets killed in the film.

Kavya (Keerthy Suresh) in Remo: This romantic drama had Keerthy Suresh in the role of a doctor and Sivakarthikeyan (as Remo) as a nurse in the film. Siva happens to see Keerthy and falls in love with her. He goes to her house to propose and realises she is engaged to a doctor. Siva tries to win her anyways and disguises himself as a nurse and takes up a job in the hospital in which she is working. Siva befriends kids in the children's ward. Once while revealing a magic trick to a child, Siva reveals his true identity. Keerthy feels betrayed and promises to never meet him again. But of course, things end on a happy note.

Dr Janaki (Simran) in Pammal K Sambandam: In this fun romantic comedy, Simran essays the role of Dr Janaki. Her life crosses path with Sambandham (played by Kamal Haasan). Both of them have similar opinions on marriage and for the opposite gender. Janaki wears a watch given by her well-wisher at all times. Samabadam gets severely injured while performing a stunt sequence and comes to Janaki's hospital for treatment. While performing the surgery, her watch accidentally ends up in Samabandam's stomach. And from there on, the story unfolds, making this comedy an all-time classic.

Meenakshi Shivakumar (Anushka Shetty) in Thandavam: This action thriller has Anushka Shetty play the role of Meenakshi, an ophthalmologist (an eye doctor) in the film. She falls in love with Shivakumar (played by Vikram), a RAW agent. Both Meenakshi and Shivakumar have the same views on marriage – that two people must become friends, fall in love and then get married. Since they both got married in a hurry, they still follow the route of becoming friends first. As they eventually fall in love, due to certain unforeseen incidents, Meenakshi dies in a bomb blast.

Leela Abraham (Aditi Rao Hydari) in Kaatru Veliyidai: Aditi Rao Hydari plays a doctor in this film, which has Karthi (Varun Chakrapani) as an Air Force fighter jet pilot. She comes to Srinagar to work as a doctor at a hospital. An injured Varun comes to the hospital, and since no doctor was available at that time, Leela treats him. But he leaves the hospital without her knowledge and that irks her. She eventually meets him at an Air Force ball. They develop a liking for each other and fall in love. But Leela realises Varun has a dark side to his personality. Stuck between treated like a Queen and a doormat at different times, they both go through tough times in a relationship. After many struggles, Varun meets Leela at a medical camp in the film's climax.