THE PEAK OF BEAUTY–Famous Indian actresses on Hollywood’s radar

The premiere of ‘Monkey Man’ at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas last month was the first time Dhulipala, 31, had set foot in the United States.

Sobhita Dhulipala grew up in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, making her an outsider in the country’s financial and fashion capital Mumbai. Her mother tongue is Telugu, making her an outsider in predominantly Hindi-speaking Bollywood.

Sobhita Dhulipala, star of the new movie “Monkey Man” in Los Angeles

With the release of the high-octane film on Friday, the Jordan Peele-produced “Monkey Man,” in which she stars opposite Dev Patel, she is thrust into the Hollywood limelight again. The film’s premiere at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, last month was the first time Dhulipala, 31, had set foot in the United States.

“It was surprising that I came to this country to act in movies. It was like I brought a gift.” she said

In the Amazon Prime series “Made in Heaven,” Dhulipala’s character is a low-income earner who plots his way into the upper class. In Monkey Man, she plays Sita, a call girl whose job is to entertain powerful but despicable men.

For her, being able to make a career out of playing marginalized characters who defy easy categorization is a point of pride. “These are really complicated people,” she said. “To be seen as relatable to such characters is truly an honor.”

Acting was never Dhulipala’s career plan. Her family was full of academics, including her mother, a teacher, so she thought she would do something similar. “I didn’t grow up thinking I was going to be an artist or anything like that; That’s an irresponsible thought,” she said. “Creativity is like a fun hobby.”

She was studying for a master’s in corporate law in Mumbai when she first entered the entertainment industry by taking on a series of modeling gigs and television commercials.

In 2013, she participated and won the Miss Earth India contest. When she started getting more work, she dropped out of her master’s program and in 2016, she starred in her first Bollywood film, the psychological thriller “Raman Raghav 2.0.”

She then starred in several Tollywood films (Telugu films produced in south India) before being cast in “Made in Heaven”, which was released in 2019.

Sobhita Dhulipala on early struggles: Was told I am not fair and pretty enough

But before she achieved any success in India, even before the release of her first film there, she auditioned for the role of Sita in Monkey Man, she said. It took a few years for the group to get back to her — she had assumed they had moved on and found someone else — and when the call finally came, in 2019, Patel told her he had decided. determined that she would be perfect for the role.

Dhulipala said she was drawn to “Made in Heaven” in part because the show tackles issues including gay rights, colorism and the caste system that are often not addressed in television shows. Traditional Bollywood movies.

“Monkey Man” has all kinds of attractions for Dhulipala: an enclave of militant transgender women, an anti-government prostitute and a plot to protest the police. Working with Patel in his directorial debut could have been a risky move for an unknown star in Hollywood, but Dhulipala said the dynamic felt especially collaborative.

“There was a certain purity and passion there, working with a filmmaker for the first time,” she added. “So I got on the train; I jumped on board.”

Sobhita Dhulipala of India in the Miss Earth 2013 pageant

DietSabya, a celebrity and fashion influencer-focused Instagram account with over 400,000 followers, named Dhulipala one of its top picks for the best outfits of 2023. Her style He also impressed fans. Sabyasachi’s bodycon dress, which she wore in the second season of “Made in Heaven,” had the show’s audience calling it India’s “revenge dress.”

Likewise, in what she said seemed like another small act of rebellion, Dhulipala took care of her naturally curly hair: “In India, you always want to look more uniform. That’s why people constantly try to dry and straighten their hair. I went through that journey too.” Now, she adds: “I’m the same way, I like my hair, the texture. Hair is history, right? It’s part of your identity.”

In keeping with his unique choices, Dhulipala has his eyes on sci-fi or more action movies. But in her next film, she wants to do more action scenes herself, she said. And maybe also talk a little more.