Zareena Moidu, known by her stage name Nadhiya, was at the peak of her career during the eighties. The actor, back then, had been paired with almost all the big heroes, including Rajinikanth and Vijayakanth. However, she never worked with Kamal Haasan. The reason? It is said that the actor was afraid of a liplock scene with Kamal Haasan.
When Nadia entered the film industry in 1984, Kamal Haasan was a well-known actor across India. The actor had already received a National Award by then. In a single year, his films in 5 languages — Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi — ran for a record 100 days. All the leading ladies in India were ready to act with him. But Nadia rejected the opportunity.
Nadhiya was last seen in a Malayalam movie titled Neerali. Helmed by Ajay Verma, Nadhiya played the leading lady opposite Mohanlal.
After her marriage with an investment banker from Maharashtra, Shirish Godbole, Nadhiya moved away from acting. Nadhiya and Shirish have two daughters, Sanam and Jana. The actor currently lives in Mumbai with her family.
Nadhiya predominantly worked in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. She made her acting debut with the Malayalam film Nokketha Doorathu Kannum Nattu, alongside Mohanlal and Padmini. Following the success of the film, Nadhiya won Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam.
In 2004, Nadhiya made a comeback with Mohan Raja’s directorial M Kumaran Son Of Mahalakshmi. Nadhiya played the role of Mahalakshmi. The plot of the movie revolved around Kumaran (played by Jayam Ravi) who is very passionate about kickboxing. His life is shattered when his dying mother asks him to meet his estranged father in Malaysia.
Besides being popular for acting, Nadhiya often used to hit the headlines for her fashion sense. She probably was the first female in Tamil cinema to be famous for her dress, style and looks.
