Krisha Kurup on playing Dinanath's Anu in 'Ronth' and her acting journey
You remember that viral song "En Pondate Nee, Pondate Nee…' from Goli Soda 2, then you'll surely recall the expressive, curly-haired Madhi who stole hearts on screen. That young girl, Krisha Kurup, is no longer just a face from a Tamil hit she's now making waves in Malayalam cinema with her recent performance in Ronth. But behind that confident on-screen presence lies a story stitched together with dreams, detours, and quiet determination.
A Mumbai Girl with Kerala roots
Though she speaks fluent Malayalam today, Krisha was born and raised in Chembur, Mumbai. 'We're a Malayali joint family, but our entire life was in Mumbai. My parents too were raised there,' she says. Her childhood was modest and grounded in middle-class values, with school days spent juggling textbooks, dance classes, and Hindustani music lessons.
'I took up classical dance and Hindustani music so I wouldn't lose touch with my roots,' she shares. Her grandmother played a pivotal role in teaching her Malayalam, a language she picked up at home, rather than from any formal school curriculum.
Krisha's first brush with performance came when she was in Class 8, through a unique opportunity a voice test for the BBC-owned CBeebies channel. Her father's friend had suggested her name for dubbing the cartoon, 3rd and Bird from English to Hindi. 'That was my first creative breakthrough,' she recalls. Not only did she land the dubbing role, but she was soon writing Hindi translations for TLC shows all before she turned 15.
Soon, she found herself performing classical dance at Rotary Club and Lions Club events, slowly stepping into public view. That's when a call came for a short film audition and changed everything.
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