Foreign actresses make a splash in Tollywood

Tollywood���s fascination for foreign-born actresses seems to have hit a new high. Since Puri Jagannadh launched Brazilian model, Gabriela Bertante as a second lead in Cameraman Ganga Tho Rambabu, in 2012, as many as 11 foreign actresses have followed suit. And they are coming from far and wide ��� UK, USA, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Thailand...everywhere. What���s even more interesting is the lengths that our filmmakers go to find these firang babes!
Canadian model Nora Fatehi seems to be Tollywood���s favourite item girl at the moment. After grooving with NTR in Temper, the actress has done special songs in Baahubali and Kick 2 already. It was a chance meeting with Puri Jagannadh that landed her in T-Town. ���Impressed with the intense training I had undergone for my Hindi film, Roar, director Puri offered me a song in Temper. Choreographer Sekhar and Puri quite liked my belly dancing skills and it has been an incredible ride in Tollywood for me since then,��� says Nora.
Three years ago, when filmmaker Chandra Siddhartha was in Thailand, he came across hoardings featuring a popular Thai actress, Pinky Savika. He cast her in the lead role in Sumanth starrer Emo Gurram Egaravachu. Another Thai actress Chatcha Patumthip, also landed the lead role in the upcoming Telugu film Love Boom, by chance. ���Director Nagesh found my profile with a casting agent in Bangkok and I was offered the role of a Thai girl, who falls in love with a Telugu boy. I���ve acted in few Thai films, but acting in a Telugu film was quite a different experience. There���s a lot more emphasis on facial expressions and body language. It���s difficult to adapt myself to it instantly, and honestly, I don���t know if I have done a good job (laughs),��� shares Chatcha, a qualified architect.
South Africa born Nikita Diah Nicolas was holidaying in Mumbai with mum and sister in tow when she was spotted on the streets. Recalling how she landed the chance to act in SV Krishna Reddy���s Yamaleela 2, Diah says, ���It happened all of a sudden. I had no interest in acting back then, but my family nudged me to take up the offer. I took a huge leap of faith as I had to take a break from my studies to act in a Telugu film. It took me a while to get a hang of the language and get over my fear of facing the camera, but it was a big learning experience.���
A year after Australian actress Kristina Akheeva debuted with Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, she forayed into Telugu cinema with Aadi���s Gaalipatam. Afghan-American actress, Khatera Hakimi is set to debut in Tollywood with Praneeth Babu���s Womaniya.The biggest success story has to be the Liverpool (UK) born actress, Amy Jackson. After making her debut with AL Vijay���s Madarasipattinam, she appeared in Ram Charan���s Yevadu and shocked everyone by bagging the lead role in Shankar���s I. Brazilian bombshell, Nathalia Kaur, who rose to fame as RGV���s muse, did an item number in Dalam and also landed a role in Rudhramadevi, only to opt out later.
British model, Scarlett Wilson who recently shot for a special song in Baahubali believes there is no dearth of offers in Telugu cinema. ���I have always admired the Telugu film industry and Hyderabad is one of my favourite cities in India. Choreography in Telugu and Tamil films is so different and fast compared to what we see in Hindi films. The pay is good and the shooting is completed in a jiffy. More importantly, everyone in Tollywood is a dream to work with. Recently, while shooting for Baahubali, I fell very sick mid-way through the shoot, but everyone on the sets took good care of me and made sure that I recovered quickly. I���ll never forget the kindess and love that Srivalli, wife of MM Keeravaani, showered on me,��� says Scarlett.