Sai Pallavi’s journey: From stage fright to playing Sita in ‘Ramayana’; why it will inspire you
No Malayali can ever forget the iconic teacher ‘Malar’ miss in Nivin Pauly’s ‘Premam’. Before becoming one of the most celebrated actors in Indian cinema, Sai Pallavi experienced a childhood moment that nearly ended her love for performing. What began with an emotional dance competition has evolved into an inspiring journey that has now led her to portray Goddess Sita in Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘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 encouraged by her mother Radha Kannan who is a trained dancer. Inspired by performers like Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai, Sai spent countless hours watching dance performances and learning through observation.However, her very first stage performance became an unforgettable experience for a different reason.Years back, recalling the incident on Nijam with Smita, Sai Pallavi said, “I think I was in first standard. I had the boy cut hair. It was a song from Shah Rukh Khan, Karisma Kapoor’s Dil To Pagal Hai! Yeah. 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 as such. It was like how we have this podium here. It was an inter school competition. I don’t know why did my mother take me there but I went with her. They attached a dupatta with a clip to my hair to make it look like long hair. It fell off midway during the performance and I felt so uncomfortable. I remember I got down and started crying. My mother thought I am talented and interested in dancing.”Despite the incident, her mother continued to encourage her, helping her regain confidence and continue pursuing dance.
Balancing medicine and a film career
Born on May 9, 1992, Sai Pallavi followed an unconventional route before entering films. Alongside her passion for performing she completed her MBBS from Tbilisi State Medical University in Georgia. During those years, she also appeared in dance reality shows and smaller acting assignments before making her breakthrough.Her career changed dramatically with Alphonse Puthren’s ‘Premam’ in 2015. Playing Malar, she won widespread appreciation for her understated and realistic performance. It can be surely said that ‘Malar’ miss was indeed a strong opening for Sai.Instead of choosing conventional commercial roles, Sai Pallavi built her filmography around strong characters. Films such as Dulquer Salmaan’s ‘Kali’, ‘Fidaa’, ‘Love Story’, Nani’s ‘Shyam Singha Roy’, ‘Gargi’ and ‘Amaran’ showed her versatility and acting range.Her popularity also grew through dance. Songs like “Rowdy Baby” became nationwide sensations and introduced her to audiences across India. Even though Dhanush’s ‘Maari 2’ turned out to be underwhelming, ‘Rowdy Baby’ song was a superhit.
Stepping into the world of ‘Ramayana’
Sai Pallavi is now preparing for one of the biggest projects of her career with Ramayana. She plays Sita, while Ranbir Kapoor portrays Lord Rama.During the Ramayana: Pratham Sankalp event in New Delhi, Sai Pallavi spoke publicly about the film for the first time. She expressed gratitude for being chosen for the role and revealed that she devoted nearly three years to the ambitious project. The ensemble cast also includes Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravi Dubey as Lakshman. Go to Source
