Another pretty Malayali, Eden Kuriakose from Kottayam, makes her debut in Telugu cinema. Srirasthu Subhamasthu starring Allu Sirish is fast winding up; it’s a family subject that has Prakash Raj playing a strict father to his two sons Ravi Prakash and Allu Sirish. Eden plays the elder son Ravi Prakash's love interest. She points out, “A lot of people pronounce my name incorrectly. I am just laughing it off and I do respond as I have got used to people calling me in a certain way.”
A visual communications student, the actor holds a PG from media management. She was a stage and theatre artiste in Kerala and won lot of awards at the school and college level. She quips, “Acting was my passion but I didn't want to give up on my studies. I would get the best actress award in school and college level and then it was a natural progression to movies. When I was modelling, I won Miss Kerala and Miss Coimbatore titles. I first got offers from the Tamil industry and did three Tamil and two Malayalam movies. I am a movie buff and watch movies of all languages. I want to explore cinema and that’s why I shifted base to Chennai.”
She adds, “I don’t have a person to push me and don't boast of a filmi background. Moreover when people call me, I should be present; it wouldn’t be appropriate to say I am living in Kerala. I picked up Tamil easily as all Malayalis know a little bit of Tamil.”
Eden admits that she has had a a very slow start and she has a long way to go and her entry in Telugu is an extension of her dream to work in all languages. She avers, “I can’t see myself working in a 9 to 5 job that gives me a fat cheque. I have been working day and night for cinema but never felt the stress and fatigue. I find my happiness here and get to play different roles. If you like something you don't feel you are doing a job. I was shooting for a Malayalam film and I got an offer for this Telugu film. The role was meant for another big actress and she couldn't make it and I was fortunate enough to be considered in her place. I got to work with Sumalatha and other leading artistes in this movie directed by Parasuram. I had zero knowledge of Telugu films and Telugu language. Back in Kerala we look up to the Telugu film industry as a big place to be in. It is like Bollywood for us. Everything about this industry is so good, the treatment, the respect. Since I am here I can see that whatever I heard about the industry is true.”
