Devayani's rise to stardom was anchored in her portrayal of emotionally rich and relatable characters. Her breakthrough came with Kadhal Kottai (1996) , a blockbuster that earned her the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress. This "golden era" saw her starring in over 50 films alongside superstars like Kamal Haasan ( Thenali ), Ajith Kumar ( Kadhal Kottai ), and Vijay ( Friends ).