Trisha Krishnan, one of South Indian cinema's most popular and sought-after heroines, turns 37 today.

The actress who is often fondly called ''Jessie'' and ''Jannu'' thanks to characters that left an impression in the hearts and minds of her fans, may be an in-demand star today, but she didn't attain that stature overnight. Trisha has come a long way was crowned. From her debut in the Tamil film ''Mounam Pesiyadhe'' (2002) to her award-winning role in ''96'' (2018) and beyond, there is no stopping Trisha.

IANS has some lesser known facts about Trisha:

SHE WAS IN FALGUNI PATHAK'S VIDEO

For those of you who aren't aware of the nineties pop music scene, before she became a star, Trisha appeared in the music video of Falguni Pathak's hit song, ''Meri chunar udd udd jayee''. Dressed in white saree, Trisha carried fairy vibes straight out of a painting. Incidentally, her co-star in the video was actress Ayesha Takia.

BLINK-AND-MISS ROLE

Trisha had a minor role in the1999 film ''Jodi'', which starred Simran and. With minimal make-up and lovely frizz in the hair, Trisha looked very different back then.

SHE IS AN ANIMAL LOVER

One look at Trisha's Instagram Stories, and you would find at least one pic with her furry friends at any given time. An ardent animal lover, Trisha has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for Angels For Animals campaign by PETA. Videos of her with her dogs during the COVID-19 pandemic would win everybody's heart.

IF NOT AN ACTRESS…

Before she became an actress, Trisha aspired to become a criminal psychologist. However, her ambition came to a halt when she began receiving acting offers. The decision has paid off for sure. Besides being a huge star today, she has won many awards, notably the Tamil Nadu State film award and the Andhra Pradesh Nandi Award.

COMING UP

Trisha is working on Mani Ratnam's ambitious film ''Ponniyin Selvan'' and director Saravanan's ''Raangi''. She will also be seen in the Malayalam film ''Ram'' directed by Jeethu Joseph, and starring Mohanlal in the lead.