Anupama Parameswaran's bold show for Tillu Square: Why suddenly now?

What’s behind the sudden transformation of Anupama Parameswaran from a coy, cute girl to a bold, hot heroine? This is what everyone who has seen the trailer of “Tillu Square” is asking. From being seen as a good heroine who acted with top heroes like Nani, Ram and Sharwanand in good, family-oriented subject films, Anupama has become bolder than ever before in picking up movies that cross the line. One of the first films was a Dil Raju production called “Rowdy Boys” where Dil Raju’s nephew debuted opposite Anupama.

The film was a disaster at the box office but Anupama’s steamy look made a talking point about the film. After that, Anupama got roped into the much-awaited sequel of Siddhu Jonnalagadda called “Tillu Square”. The trailer and the promos start with a scantily dressed Anupama smooching the hero Siddhu. Family audiences who were used to a tight-lipped conservative and homely girl were shocked to find a new version of a sexy and bold heroine.

Normally, this kind of transformation occurs when the heroine’s career hits a plateau. Anupama’s career had all the makings of a good career – a movie with Naga Chaitanya’s “Premam” remake and a good number of hit movies with Ram Pothaneni, Nani and Sharwanand etc was setting up a great career path. And then her offers dwindled. There were films where she did star in hit films like “Rakshasudu” and “Kartikeya-2” but she didn’t get the meaty role in those films or the film’s success didn’t get apportioned to her credit.

This must have truly frustrated Anupama as her choices then became compulsions and she was losing out in the race with other heroines like Srileela and others grabbing good roles. In that sense, she is one of the few heroines from the Malayalam film industry whose career plummeted after an initial good start – just like Malvika Nair. Malvika also started off well but didn’t get meaty roles suiting her traditional looks. Nowadays, she has been seen as bold and beautiful in some of the urban films starring Naga Shaurya but it didn’t strike gold.

And then she spoiled her conservative image by going for kissing scenes in her last Srinivas Avasarala film. Perhaps the heroines want to break a stereotype or experiment with new themes but things could have been planned better in building more consistency. The problem with being seen as bold is that it narrows your chances in most Tollywood films which are still suited to drawing family audiences.

Take the case of heroines like Shalini Pandey or Payal Rajput. If you get typecast as a bold and provocative heroine early enough, offers will either dwindle or mostly come in the same mould, as happened in the case of Payal Rajput. She is unable to shake off the effects of being a provocative and sexually awakened girl in “Rx 100”. This dilemma will always hunt heroines in search of the perfect career. Anupama Parameswaran, for one, is at the crossroads of her sagging career and must be realising the follies of not planning her career perfectly well.

She could do better with an Image Consultant who would have built her screen personality better without bordering on boldness and promiscuity. Doing it now as her career gears change will harm her image more than ever. On the whole, another lesson for starlets to think twice before signing on a makeover to bolder roles. You can be subtle and sexy without overtly coming across as bold. Hope Anupama is listening.