No Malayali can forget the iconic teacher ‘Malar’ miss in Nivin Pauly’s ‘Premam’. Before becoming one of the most popular actors in Indian cinema, Sai Pallavi experienced a childhood moment that nearly ended his love of performing. What began as an emotional dance competition has turned into an inspiring journey that has now led him to portray the goddess Sita in Nitesh Tiwari‘Ramayana’.
The dance performance that changed everything
Sai Pallavi’s passion for dance developed at a young age. Growing up in Coimbatore with her family roots in Kotagiri in the Nilgiris she was inspired by her mother Radha Kannan who was a trained dancer. Inspired by performers like Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai, Sai spent countless hours watching dance performances and learning through observation.However, his first-ever performance turned out to be an unforgettable experience for a different reason.Years ago, recalling the Nijam incident with Smita, Sai Pallavi said, “I think I was in the first pattern. I cut the boy. It was a song from Shah Rukh Khan, Karisma Kapoor’s Dil To Pagal Hai! Yes. That was my first dance.”She then described how a costume mishap left her embarrassed in front of the audience.She shared, “It wasn’t a stage like that. It was like how we made it to the podium here. It was an inter school competition. I don’t know why my mother took me there but I went with her. They put a dupatta with a clip on my hair to make it look like long hair. It fell off in the middle of the performance and I felt uncomfortable. I remember I fell on my mother and started crying.“Despite the incident, his mother continued to encourage him, helping him regain confidence and continue to pursue dance.
Balancing medicine and a film career
Born on May 9, 1992, Sai Pallavi followed an unconventional route before entering films. With his passion for performing, he completed his MBBS from Tbilisi State Medical University in Georgia. During those years, she also appeared in dance reality shows and smaller acting assignments before she made her breakthrough.Her career took a dramatic turn with Alphonse Puthren’s ‘Premam’ in 2015. Playing Malar, she won widespread appreciation for her small and realistic performance. It is safe to say that the ‘Malar’ miss was indeed a strong opening for Sai.Instead of opting for conventional commercial roles, Sai Pallavi built her filmography around strong characters. Films like Dulquer Salmaan’s ‘Kali’, ‘Fidaa’, ‘Love Story’, Nani’s ‘Shyam Singha Roy’, ‘Gargi’ and ‘Amaran’ showcased his versatility and acting range.His popularity also grew through dance. Songs like “Rowdy Baby” became nationwide sensations and introduced him to audiences across India. Even though Dhanush’s ‘Maari 2’ turned out poorly, the song ‘Rowdy Baby’ was a superhit.
Stepping into the world of ‘Ramayana’
Sai Pallavi is now gearing up for one of the biggest projects of her career in Ramayana. He played Sita, while Ranbir Kapoor depicting Lord Rama.During the Ramayana. Pratham Sankalp event in New Delhi, Sai Pallavi spoke publicly about the film for the first time. He thanked for being chosen for that role and revealed that he spent almost three years on the ambitious project. The ensemble cast also includes Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravi Dubey as Lakshman.