Amid the criticism, Sai Pallavi’s previous films, her appearance and her views on makeup have once again come into focus. Known for her distinctive roles and preference for performing with little or no makeup, the actress has often spoken about her approach to acting and beauty.
Born and raised in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, Sai Pallavi studied medicine in Georgia. Her father belongs to the Badaga tribe. In an interview, she said her father speaks the Badaga language, while her mother speaks Tamil. She has also said that many people mistakenly assume she is Malayali.
Sai Pallavi first attracted attention in 2008 when she participated in a dance show broadcast on a private Tamil television channel. She also took part in a Telugu dance show. Dance was the primary reason she entered the film industry, and she has spoken about her passion for dancing in several interviews.
Her dance performances continue to be discussed in connection with her films. The song Rowdy Baby, featuring her alongside Dhanush in Maari 2, showcased her dancing skills. Similarly, most of her scenes in the Telugu film Shyam Singha Roy, in which she played a Devadasi, featured dance sequences.
Sai Pallavi has also generally stayed away from the conventional choices associated with films designed to achieve widespread commercial popularity, both in her performances and in the roles she selects.
After appearing in a few smaller roles, she made her major film debut with Alphonse Puthren’s Malayalam film Premam, released in 2015. Playing the character Malar, Sai Pallavi gained considerable popularity despite appearing on screen with facial acne and without makeup.
In a later interview, she said the film had run in Chennai for nearly 300 days. Speaking to journalist Barkha Dutt, she recalled, "When Premam was released, I was afraid people would criticise me because I did not look like Simran and Trisha. But I am happy that people accepted me as I am. Since it was a Malayalam film, people said my hair and face were enough."
Since the film's release, Sai Pallavi has spoken at length in several interviews about acting without makeup or using very little of it.
In a 2022 interview with an online channel, she said, "When people ask me about my makeup, I don't know what to say. I am an ordinary girl. I have acne on my face. I also have my own fears."
She continued, "After Premam, some directors asked me to wear a little makeup. But when I acted with makeup, they said it was obvious that I had not applied makeup. In particular, when I get angry, my cheeks turn red, which they liked. We cannot define beauty based on a person's external appearance. A person's inner beauty is important."
Even today, Sai Pallavi prefers to wear only eyeliner in most cases, saying it makes her "eyes look bigger."
She has also revealed that she did not even apply eyeliner while acting in the film Virata Parvam. She simply washed her face and performed her scenes. She said, "That gave me a lot of freedom."
In another interview, she said, "It was only after my first film, Premam, that I realised it was not about beauty or the clothes I wore, but about the character. That is what has the greatest impact on the audience."
Sai Pallavi has also shared her views on avoiding roles that require her to appear glamorous.
Responding to a question on the subject, she said, "I don't know if I would put myself in an uncomfortable situation."
The host of the programme also asked whether she would turn down an opportunity to act in a film based on the life of actress Sridevi if the role required her to wear glamorous outfits.
In response, Sai Pallavi said, "I don't know if I would reject the offer. But Sridevi is known for her grace and acting. In that case, I would have the freedom to choose the clothes for the character."
The actress has occasionally made critical comments about cosmetics as well.
She said, "Before I entered the film industry, many people only talked about my acne. My sister used to eat fruits and vegetables she did not like to improve her complexion. Why work so hard for your skin colour? Eating healthy is good for your health. But if she is doing things she does not like just to improve her complexion, it has affected her mind. I thought I should support her. Only after Premam did people accept me as I am. That makes me feel comfortable. This is my personal choice."
Sai Pallavi has acted in films such as Gargi and Shyam Singha Roy, which primarily focus on female characters. However, she has also attracted attention through films aimed at achieving widespread popularity.
Her filmography includes Maari 2, Shyam Singha Roy, NGK, Amaran and now Ramayana.
Among the performances that have drawn attention is her role in Gargi. In the film, her character discovers that her father has sexually abused a girl. The decisions she makes following this discovery form an important part of the story.
In another interview, speaking about her acting and the characters she plays, Sai Pallavi said, "I mostly prefer acting without preparation. My acting depends on the kind of expressions the actors in front of me give."
The actress has described herself as a shy person who prefers to remain quiet and does not like talking too much.
Sai Pallavi has also spoken at several events about her current role as Sita.
At an event associated with the film, she said, "Not every actor gets the opportunity to play such characters. Playing the role of a god is not easy because it will become part of history. I consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to play this character. I try to remain as pure as possible in my thoughts."
During a conversation with Amitabh Bachchan, she said, "I have thought a lot about getting into the character in other films. But I have also thought about what I would gain from this character."
Writer Deepa Janakiraman, who has authored several books on cinema, including Story and Screenplay and Light Designers, said Sita was a mythological character whose portrayal could not be restricted to a single interpretation.
"Sita is a mythological character. You cannot say that she is like this or that she should be like this. You cannot satisfy everyone. Actors who play Ram have never faced any problems. The problems always arise with actresses who play Sita. We should only see whether the actress concerned has performed the role well," she said.
Deepa also described Sai Pallavi as an excellent actress who could perform her roles well. She said the actress had established herself as a good performer in India.
Senior entertainment journalist and critic Rohit Gilanani said he was genuinely looking forward to seeing Sai Pallavi as Sita.
"I am really looking forward to seeing Sai Pallavi as Sita. The film should be criticised or praised only after watching it. Whether someone is a celebrity or an ordinary person, making fun of their physical appearance is never acceptable," he said.
He added, "Sai Pallavi is a talented actress. I believe she should be judged on the basis of her acting and given a fair opportunity to showcase her talent."
As debate continues over her casting in Ramayana, Sai Pallavi's career and her approach to acting have brought renewed attention to the question of how an actress portraying a mythological character should be evaluated: through expectations about her appearance or through her performance.
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