- By Tanya Garg
- Tue, 16 Jun 2026 01:25 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Indian cinema is far bigger than Bollywood alone. From Hindi, Tamil and Telugu to Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali and Marathi cinema, the country is home to several flourishing film industries. As artists increasingly work across regions, language has become an important bridge. Many actresses today are fluent in more than two languages, helping them connect with wider audiences and build successful careers across industries. Let’s find out more about the actresses who know more than two languages.
8 Indian Actresses Who Speak More Than Two Languages
| Actress Name | Languages Known |
| Aishwarya Rai Bachchan | Tulu, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, English |
| Pooja Hegde | Kannada, Tulu, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, English |
| Deepika Padukone | Konkani, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, English |
| Taapsee Pannu | Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, English |
| Vidya Balan | Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali, Hindi, English |
| Asin | Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, English |
| Rashmika Mandanna | Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, English |
| Janhvi Kapoor | Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, English |
For some actresses, multilingualism comes naturally because of their upbringing and family backgrounds. For instance, Deepika Padukone, who was raised speaking her mother language Konkani, went on to become one of the biggest stars in Hindi cinema.
Similarly, Janhvi Kapoor has often spoken about understanding Tamil and Telugu because of her family roots. Her mother, the late Sridevi, came from a South Indian family and worked extensively in Tamil and Telugu cinema before becoming a Bollywood legend.
Janhvi Kapoor’s familiarity with South Indian languages and culture has also reflected in her choice of roles. In the last two-three years, she has increasingly ventured into Telugu cinema or while taking on characters rooted in South Indian traditions. In Param Sundari, she portrayed a traditional South Indian woman of mixed Tamil and Malayali heritage living in Kerala.
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She later made her Telugu debut with Devara: Part 1, where she played Thangam, the love interest of Jr. NTR’s character. Most recently, she was seen as Achiyamma opposite Ram Charan in the Telugu sports drama Peddi. Her growing presence in South Indian cinema highlights how language and cultural familiarity can help actors connect with audiences across industries.
Janhvi Kapoor as Achiyamma in Telugu sports drama, Peddi.
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Many have learned new languages while working in different film industries. Over the years, several actresses have comfortably moved between Hindi, English and regional cinema, proving that talent can travel beyond linguistic boundaries.
Vidya Balan claims that she speaks a combination of Malayalam and Tamil at home. She is proficient in Hindi, Marathi, and English despite this. The actress received tutoring to become proficient in particular dialects and accents. She acquired certain Punjabi dialects for Begum Jaan and adopted a distinctive Kolkata Bengali lilt for Kahaani.
Vidya Balan in a still from Begum Jaan in 2017
Priyanka Chopra's journey is another example of an actress stepping beyond linguistic boundaries. While she established herself as one of Bollywood's biggest stars, she has also explored regional cinema and international projects. For the 2013 Telugu movie Toofan, the South Indian adaptation of Zanjeer, Priyanka reportedly learnt Telugu to better understand her role and connect with the audience.
The actress is now set to return to Indian cinema with S.S. Rajamouli's upcoming action-adventure film Varanasi. She will be seen playing Mandakini alongside Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran in the Telugu-language epic.
Priyanka Chopra's first look as Mandakini in Varanasi movie.
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From Deepika Padukone and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to Pooja Hegde and Rashmika Mandanna, several leading actresses have built careers across different film industries and languages. Their ability to speak and work in multiple languages has helped them connect with audiences far beyond their home states.
These actresses are a perfect example of how India's cinema captures the rich cultural diversity. Their versatility and commitment have brought various parts of Indian cinema closer together, regardless of whether they learned new languages for work or grew up speaking more than one language at home.