Things are changing in the south Indian films as far as heroines are concerned. With Ileana, Kajal and Tamannaah being lured by the big bad Bollywood, good girls from God’s Own Country like Samantha, Amala Paul and Karthika Nair are being pushed to the top willy nilly. Yet another Malayali kutty, Parvathy Omanakuttan, is fast inching forward to reach for the stars.
Her forgettable Bollywood debut in 'United Six' sank without a trace. For somebody who had won the Miss India title in 2008 like a breeze, it was a huge downer. But luckily for her, 'Billa 2' opposite south superstar Ajith happened. Some say she’s hot and will go a long way, others say she has a long way to go before she makes waves. Either way, there is a buzz that she's here to stay.
So let’s hear it from the superhot star in the making.
What kind of a kid was she? Any interesting stories?
“I was very mischievous as a kid. But I was never a problem child. My parents always got the best of everything I needed but they made sure I was not spoilt. That reminds me of a freak accident when I was two and half years old. I was riding a tricycle in the foyer outside my house and I fell off the stairs along with the cycle, breaking two of my front teeth. I got seven stitches inside my mouth!”
And how were the growing up years?
“I was a complete tomboy in school and college. My most cherished memories as a teenager are sneaking out of the window and going out to play with friends while my mom thought I was studying, bunking classes, hiding in the science lab when I had not done the homework, pranks on classmates, picking up fights with boys… There are so many! I want to go back to school now!”
Talking about the Miss India title, Parvathy says, “I grew up with the dream of winning Miss India. I had participated and won a lot of regional pageants and in December 2007, I won Miss India South which gave me a direct entry to the top 10 of Miss India in April 2008. I went on to win the title and Miss Asia Pacific crown at The Miss World.”
Where did films figure in her life?
“I remember when I used to watch black and white Malayalam and Hindi films with my grandmother and extended family on video cassettes. I have always been charmed by the extravaganza of films.”
Though 'United Six', Parvathy’s Bollywood debut with a female-centric role, was a box office debacle, she has no regrets about it.
“After I won Miss India, the exposure was tremendous. When I got the offer to act, obviously I jumped at it. The story seemed interesting to me. I was new and there was no one to guide me. Even the biggest stars have acted in movies which haven’t done well. Everyone makes mistakes, but the point is to learn from them.”
Then 'Billa 2' happened.
“I was in Chennai for a bridal fashion show on the insistence of my choreographer-friend Achala Sachdev. One of the film’s producers Sunir Khetarpal saw me and asked director Chakri Toleti to meet me. I did a test shoot and before I knew it, I was aboard 'Billa 2'.”
A self-confessed die-hard romantic, Parvathy’s all-time favourite films are 'Love Story', 'The Notebook', 'P.S. I Love You', 'Wuthering Heights', 'Gone with the Wind', 'Casablanca,' 'Parineeta' and 'Dil Se'.
And no, she hasn’t met her man yet. “For me it’s very important to be in love with the man I want to spend my life with and for that the man needs to be original. I am very filmy when it comes to this and the best example I can think of is from the movie Main Hoon Na where when Shahrukh sees Sushmita, violins start to play, everything around pauses or moves in high speed, you hear all your favourite romantic songs playing all at one go. I am waiting for that day,” she says giggling like a giddy-headed teenager.
Parvathy Omanakuttan in one sentence is, “A dreamer who dreams with her eyes open and who will realise her dreams with persistence and perseverance.”