Tamil actor Preity Mukhundhan has been named the recipient of IMDb’s “Breakout Star” STARmeter Award, marking another milestone in a year that has seen her emerge as one of South Indian cinema’s fastest-rising talents. The recognition follows the strong audience response to her back-to-back performances in Blast and Idhayam Murali, which helped propel her up IMDb’s Popular Indian Celebrities rankings.
The IMDb “Breakout Star” STARmeter Award recognises performers who experience a significant surge in popularity on the platform, based on page views generated by IMDb’s more than 250 million monthly visitors worldwide. Unlike jury-selected honours, the award reflects audience interest, making it an early indicator of actors capturing widespread public attention.
Mukhundhan’s recent success has been driven by two well-received Tamil releases. Blast, which holds a 7.3/10 rating on IMDb, showcased her in an action-oriented role opposite Arjun and Abhirami, while the coming-of-age romantic drama Idhayam Murali has earned an 8.9/10 user rating. Released within two months of each other, the films propelled Mukhundhan to become the second most popular Indian celebrity on IMDb during one week before she ranked sixth the following week.
The two performances also highlighted her versatility. While Blast required her to step outside her comfort zone with a physically demanding action role, Idhayam Murali saw her play one corner of a romantic triangle opposite Atharvaa, alongside Kayadu Lohar, in director Aakash Baskaran’s debut feature. Mukhundhan has previously revealed that she signed Idhayam Murali before Blast but deliberately chose the latter to challenge herself with an entirely different kind of character.
Reacting to the honour, Mukhundhan said the recognition was especially meaningful because it reflected the support of audiences around the world.
“Receiving the IMDb ‘Breakout Star’ STARmeter Award is incredibly special and a moment I will always cherish. This recognition means a lot to me because it comes directly from the interest and support of audiences around the world. I’m so grateful to my fans for all the love they have showered upon me.”
She added that the award motivates her to continue learning and taking on challenging roles.
“It inspires me to keep learning, push myself further and continue choosing roles that connect with people. As someone who has always been a movie buff, this recognition makes the kid in me incredibly happy.”
Before entering films, Mukhundhan earned a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli. She first gained widespread recognition through modelling and music videos, particularly the viral hit Aasa Kooda, which introduced her to a much broader audience before her transition to cinema.
She made her acting debut in the 2024 Telugu horror-comedy Om Bheem Bush before attracting wider attention opposite Kavin in the Tamil coming-of-age drama Star. She later expanded into Malayalam cinema with Maine Pyar Kiya, quickly establishing a multilingual career across Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films.
Mukhundhan is set to continue that momentum with several upcoming projects, including the Telugu film Emo Emo Idi and an untitled Tamil film opposite Ashok Selvan.
Previous recipients of IMDb’s “Breakout Star” STARmeter Award include Indian actors Ahaan Panday, Sharvari, Nitanshi Goel, Kani Kusruti and Adarsh Gourav, alongside international honourees Ayo Edebiri, Maya Hawke and Regé-Jean Page, placing Mukhundhan among a growing list of performers recognised for rapidly rising audience interest.
The award comes as Mukhundhan prepares for the next phase of her career, with multiple projects across Tamil and Telugu cinema following the success of Blast and Idhayam Murali, reinforcing her growing presence among South India’s emerging stars.
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