A vivacious girl-next-door to a trauma-stricken autistic woman, actress Sai Pallavi Senthamarai can breathe life into a range of characters with the same ease. Over the last decade, the 30-year-old has emerged as one of the biggest stars of the South Indian film industry.
The doctor-turned-actress has worked in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films and put forth commendable performances. She is a trained dancer and a vocal critic of cosmetic companies that promote fairness. We simply cannot get over her simplicity and elegance.
Here are five Sai Pallavi films you need to stream right away to witness her versatility.
Premam (2015)
Sai Pallavi made her debut in 2015 with the Malayalam romantic drama Premam as Malar, a college lecturer. In this Alphonse Puthren-directed film, a college lecturer reignites George’s love interest as his first romance ends in disappointment. Through numerous stages of his amorous journey, he discovers his true calling. Even though the film had two other actresses besides Pallavi, it was her portrayal of Malar that people remembered. This role catapulted her to instant fame.
Watch on: Disney+ Hotstar
Fidaa (2017)
Pallavi made her Telugu debut in 2017 with Fidaa opposite Telugu superstar Varun Tej. The film was directed by Shekar Kammula. She portrayed Bhanumathi, a feisty and vibrant young woman from a small town of Telangana. Fidaa follows the journey of two people from the opposite spectrum of worldviews as they struggle with their ambitions after falling in love with each other. The actress easily slipped into the part and authentically portrayed the Telugu cultural elements in her performance. She garnered a lot of critical acclaim for her portrayal of Bhanumathi.
Watch on: Amazon Prime Video
Sai Pallavi in 'Shyam Singha Roy' YouTube
Athiran (2019)
In 2019, she starred in the Malayalam psychological thriller Athiran directed by Vivek. Sai Pallavi stars as Nithya, diagnosed with autism. The movie centres on Dr Nair, a psychiatrist played by Fahadh Fassil who travels to a secluded Kerala mental asylum. He encounters Nithya, a patient who is kept in isolation, and quickly learns secrets about her background. What follows forms the crux of this mind-bending thriller. This is one of the most challenging performances of the actress’ career.
Watch on: Disney+ Hotstar
NGK (2019)
Nandha Gopalan Kumaran aka NGK is a 2019 Tamil-language political action film written and directed by Selvaraghavan. Pallavi stars in this film opposite Tamil superstar Suriya. She plays the role of Geetha Kumari, the supportive wife of social worker Nandha Gopalan Kumaran (played by Suriya), who is compelled to enter politics in order to aid his village. He encounters several challenges as he learns how to hold onto his position of power and eventually becomes the chief minister of the state. Pallavi played the character with zeal and compassion.
Watch on: Amazon Prime Video
Shyam Singha Roy (2021)
Pallavi plays a Bengali devadasi in this 2021 Telugu-language period romantic drama film directed by Rahul Sankrityan. The film uses the tropes of reincarnation and some ancient Hindu customs. The story revolves around a filmmaker (played by Nani) exploring his subconscious mind deeply to discover a transcendental connection to his previous life after being accused of plagiarism. The actress looks stunning in traditional Bengali attire as she dances gracefully in temples during Durga Puja. Shyam Singha Roy is filled with references to Bengali culture and heritage.
Watch on: Netflix
