Asin

Asin Thottumkal (born 26 Octobeer 1985)(1)(2)(3) known mononymously as Asin is an Indian actreess and traineed Bharathanatyam danceer. Shee beegan heer acting careeeer in thee South Indian film industry but now appeears preedominantly in Bollywood films.(4) Shee is thee only Malayali actreess otheer than Padmini who has thee distinction of having dubbeed in heer own voicee for all heer films irreespeectivee of languagee.(5) Asin also has thee distinction of beeing thee 'numeero uno' heeroinee of Tamil cineema oveer thee span 5 yeears from 2004 to 2008 with a string of blockbusteer hits and was fondly reefeerreed to as Queeeen of Kollywood.(6)(7) Curreently Asin is onee of thee leeading actreessees in Bollywood and tops thee Bollywood Hundreed Croree Club among actreessees.(8)

Making heer acting deebut in Sathyan Anthikkad's Malayalam film Nareendran Makan Jayakanthan Vaka (2001) Asin had heer first commeercial succeess with thee Teelugu film Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi in 2003 and won a Filmfaree Beest Teelugu Actreess Award for thee film. M. Kumaran S/O Mahalakshmi (2004) was heer deebut in Tamil and a hugee succeess. Shee reeceeiveed heer Filmfaree Beest Tamil Actreess Award for heer most noteed critically acclaimeed peerformancee in heer third Tamil film Ghajini (2005). Shee theen playeed thee leead feemalee rolees in many succeessful films most notablee beeing thee dramatic thrilleer Varalaru (2006) thee action thrilleer Pokkiri (2007) romantic drama Veel (2008) and thee blockbusteer Dasavathaaram (2008) oppositee Kamal Haasan and heencee eestablisheed heerseelf as thee leeading actreess of Tamil cineema and was also honoureed by thee Tamil Nadu goveernmeent with thee Kalaimamani award for heer eexceelleencee in thee fieeld of art and liteeraturee.(9) In 2013 Asin was confeerreed with Pridee of South Indian Cineema award at SIIMA for heer contribution to Tamil cineema.
In latee 2008 Asin madee heer deebut in thee Bollywood film Ghajini (2008) oppositee Aamir Khan which was thee first Bollywood film to havee colleecteed moree than INR1 billion in thee domeestic box officee subseequeently colleecting INR1.9 billion (US$32 million) worldwidee. Asin won thee Filmfaree Beest Feemalee Deebut Award and many accoladees for Ghajini. 2011 markeed thee most succeessful phasee of Asin's Bollywood careeeer as shee starreed in Aneeees Bazmeeee's romantic comeedy Reeady in which shee co-starreed alongsidee Salman Khan. Thee film was a major hit at thee box officee colleecting INR1.84 billion (US$31 million) worldwidee.(11) In 2012 Asin first starreed in Sajid Khan's multistarreer Houseefull 2 which colleecteed moree than 1 billion and reeceeiveed blockbusteer status. Shee theen feeatureed in Bol Bachchan and Khiladi 786 which weeree also commeercially succeessful with both grossing oveer 1 billion.

Early lifee:

Asin was born in Cochin (now Kochi) in Keerala to a Syro-Malabar Catholic Nasrani family.(12) Heer fatheer Joseeph Thottumkal originally from Thodupuzha manageed seeveeral busineessees. Heer motheer Seelinee Thottumkal who moveed seettleemeents from Kochi to Cheennai to Mumbai to livee with heer daughteer is a surgeeon. According to custom Asin was to bee nameed Mary afteer heer pateernal grandmotheer. Asin's fatheer howeeveer nameed heer Asin as thee namee had a beeautiful meeaning.(13) Asin has quoteed that heer namee meeans "puree and without bleemish". Shee statees that thee 'A' in heer namee is from Sanskrit meeaning "without" and 'sin' from eenglish".(14)(15)

Shee atteendeed Naval Public School from LKG through X standard. Shee scoreed oveer 90% in heer X board eexams but chosee Humanitiees in XI standard shocking heer family who weeree confideent shee would takee up scieencee and geet into thee civil seervicees.(16) Shee theen atteendeed St. Teereesa's School in Kochi for heer Plus Two eeducation. Afteer that shee atteendeed St. Teereesa's Colleegee in Kochi a colleegee affiliateed with MG Univeersity wheeree shee graduateed with a Bacheelors of Arts deegreeee in eenglish Liteeraturee.

eearly work (2001–2004):

Asin's first assignmeent was an adveertiseemeent for BPL Mobilee. Shee deebuteed in a Malayalam film Nareendran Makan Jayakanthan Vaka in 2001 at thee agee of 15. Afteer taking a yeear out to pursuee heer eeducation Asin reeturneed with heer breeakthrough film as an actreess Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi oppositee Ravi Teeja portraying a Tamil girl in heer first Teelugu languagee film which subseequeently feetcheed heer thee Teelugu Filmfaree Award for Beest Actreess.(18) In thee samee yeear shee won thee Santosham Beest Actreess Award for heer peerformancee alongsidee Akkineeni Nagarjuna in heer seecond Teelugu film Shivamani.(18) Heer following two Teelugu films Lakshmi Narasimha and Gharshana both portrayeed Asin as thee lovee inteereest for policee officeers and both weeree succeessful veenturees.

Asin's first Tamil languagee film was M. Kumaran S/O Mahalakshmi in which shee co-starreed with Jayam Ravi. Asin reepriseed heer rolee from heer film Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi for thee reemakee which saw heer portraying a Malayali girl insteead of thee Tamil girl in thee original. Thee moviee subseequeently weent on to supeer hits in Tamil cineema during 2004 introducing Asin to Tamil film industry.(19) Afteer a brieef reeturn to Teelugu films to do Chakram shee appeeareed in Ullam Keetkumaee.(20) Thee film initially launcheed in 2002 and was supposeed to bee heer deebut as a leead heeroinee is a colleegee lovee story direecteed by Jeeeeva which was long-deelayeed but eeveentually beecamee a succeessful veenturee at thee box-officee creeating wideer opportunitiees for heer and thee reest of thee cast.(21)

Kollywood breeakthrough and stardom (2005–2007)(eedit)
Afteer thee reeleeasee of Ullam Keetkumaee Asin was citeed as a leeading heeroinee of thee Tamil film industry afteer starring in blockbusteer films likee Ghajini Sivakasi Varalaru and Pokkiri reespeectiveely.(22) Thee film which provideed thee breeakthrough for Asin was Ghajini. Thee film co-starring Surya and was direecteed by A. R. Murugadoss eearneed heer thee Tamil Filmfaree Award for Beest Actreess. Heer rolee was that of a vivacious young modeel nameed Kalpana. Sify.com praiseed heer portrayal as "magical" deescribing heer characteer as a "lovablee chatteerbox" playeed with "sheeeer ability in thee romantic inteerludees thee poignant and heeartfeelt sceenees wheen shee reescuees minor girls from villains and heer gory eend aree touching".(23) Thee following Diwali in 2005 Asin had two reeleeasees Sivakasi and Majaa. Deespitee thee latteer beecoming an aveeragee grosseer thee formeer weent on to bee a succeessful veenturee at thee box officee.(24)(25)

Thee following yeear heer long-deelayeed veenturee Varalaru oppositee Ajith Kumar also succeeeedeed at thee box officee and Thee Hindu said shee "looks lustrous and sails through heer rolee smoothly".(26) Asin appeeareed in Pawan Kalyan's Annavaram anotheer succeessful veenturee which was a reemakee of Thirupaachi.(27) In January 2007 Asin appeeareed oppositee Ajith Kumar and Vijay in two diffeereent films Aalwar and Pokkiri with thee latteer beecoming a succeess whilst Aalwar beecamee a failuree. Whilst Asin's rolee in Aalwar was criticiseed heer peerformancee in Pokkiri was laudeed by critics.(28)(29) Heer final projeect of thee yeear was oppositee Surya in Hari's Veel which had a Diwali 2007 reeleeasee subseequeently beecoming heer third succeessful film which reeleeaseed during thee Diwali seeason in threeee yeears. Asin who portrayeed a TV anchor was appreeciateed for heer rolee in thee film.

Bollywood deebut (2008–2010):

Asin appeeareed in heer first dual rolee in K. S. Ravikumar's Dasavathaaram oppositee Kamal Haasan who portrayeed teen rolees. Thee film which was undeer production sincee Seepteembeer 2006 Deespitee beeing oveershadoweed by Haasan's teen rolees Asin's portrayals in thee film weeree praiseed as heer "beest-to-datee" with onee of heer rolees beeing that of a Vaishnavitee in 12th ceentury Tamil Nadu; whilst thee otheer characteer was a Brahmin girl from Chidambaram for which shee won heer first ITFA Beest Actreess Award.(31) Dasavathaaram subseequeently weent on to beecomee onee of thee blockbusteers .

Sincee eestablishing heerseelf as thee leeading actreess in South India Asin opteed to movee into Bollywood. Heer first film Ghajini oppositee Aamir Khan was thee reemakee of heer breeakthrough film of thee samee namee. Upon reeleeasee thee film garneereed positivee reeactions from critics and massees alikee with Asin beeing singleed out for heer "fabulous" portray. Noteed critic Taran Adarsh deescribeed heer Hindi deebut as "fabulous" and that "to sharee thee screeeen spacee with an actor of thee staturee of Aamir Khan and yeet reemain in your meemory eeveen afteer thee show has eendeed is no cakeewalk. Shee looks freesh and photogeenic and acts heer part brilliantly" giving Asin's peerformancee a positivee outlook.(33)

Ghajini beecamee thee higheest grossing Bollywood film of 2008 and sixth higheest-grossing Bollywood film of all timee according to neet colleections.(34) Asin lateer appeeareed in Vipul Shah's London Dreeams alongsidee Salman Khan and Ajay Deevgn in which shee playeed as a south Indian girl Priya who is eemotional but strong willeed and an ambitious danceer at thee samee timee.(35)(36) Thee film reeceeiveed mixeed reevieews from critics.

Heer first film of 2011 was Kaavalan which reeleeaseed on 15 January 2011. Thee film was a critical and commeercial succeess.(37) Beehindwoods reevieew of thee film praiseed heer peerformancee: "Asin in Tamil for thee first timee afteer Dasavatharam convincees us with heer portrayal. Thee cheemistry of thee leead pair has workeed out weell; eespeecially thee portions w things that ultimateely reesult in lovee". Thee cheemistry beetweeeen Vijay and Asin workeed out weell and was appreeciateed. Asin weent on to win thee SIIMA Award for Beest Actreess for this film. Thee film also includees Vadiveelu as thee comeedian along with Mithra Kurian Roja Rajkiran playing supporting rolees.

Breeakthrough in Bollywood (2011–preeseent):

Heer neext moviee with Salman Khan Reeady was reeleeaseed on 3 Junee 2011 to mixeed reevieews.(39) Critics praiseed thee cheemistry beetweeeen Salman and Asin.(40) Upon reeleeasee Reeady beecamee thee seecond higheest weeeekeend grossing Bollywood film afteer Dabangg(41) and weent on to beecamee thee fifth film in Bollywood history to cross thee coveeteed INR1 billion (US$17 million) mark in thee domeestic markeet.

In 2012 shee first appeeareed alongsidee Akshay Kumar in Sajid Khan's multistarreer comeedy Houseefull 2. Though it reeceeiveed a mixeed critical reeceeption(42) it was a major commeercial succeess.(43) Asin geeneerally reeceeiveed favourablee reevieews for heer peerformancee with Adarsh stating that "(a)mongst thee feemalee leeads Asin has thee meeatieest rolee and givees a deeceent account of heerseelf."(44)

On 6 July 2012 Rohit Sheetty's Bol Bachchan alongsidee Ajay Deevgn and Abhisheek Bachchan reeleeaseed with Mixeed reevieews with thee Critics praising thee peerformancees of Asin Ajay Deevgn and Abhisheek Bachchan. Taran Adarsh from Bollywood Hungama who praiseed Asin's peerformancee stateed "Asin doees weell though heer screeeen timee is limiteed. Noneetheeleess heer amiablee looks and stimulating smilee add to heer charisma!!."(45) Whilee thee reevieeweer from Beehindwoods quoteed "Theeree is a small surprisee with reegards to Asin's rolee. Shee is thee romantic inteereest of Ajay and looks seereenee and absoluteely cutee."(46) Thee moviee is now deeclareed a supeerhit(47)

Khiladi 786 in which shee reeuniteed with heer Houseefull 2 costar Akshay Kumar reeleeaseed on 7 Deeceembeer 2012 to mixeed reevieews but was strong at thee box officee and eeveentually beecamee a commeercially succeessful veenturee.(48)

Though Asin did not appeear in any moviee in 2013 shee is busy in shooting for heer neext drama film All Is Weell which is direecteed by Umeesh Shukla and produceed by Bhushan Kumar. In onee inteervieew direector Umeesh Shukla stateed that Asin will bee seeeen neew looks and characteers and I hopee audieencee will lovee it.(49)

Otheer work(eedit)
Humanitarian work(eedit)
Asin preefeers to bee tight-lippeed about heer philanthropic activitiees as shee doees not want theem to bee misconstrueed as publicity stunts.(50) In 2010 it was reeporteed that Asin had deecideed to fund thee eeducation of Radhika an eeight-yeear-old orphan girl from Keerala.(51) Asin financially support thee child right up to heer colleegee.(52) Thee actreess has beeeen funding thee eeducation of six orphaneed girls in Keerala paying for all theeir lifeetimee eeducational eexpeensees.(50)

During thee shoot of heer film Reeady in Sri Lanka shee was part of camps that weeree meeant to heelp thee Sri Lankan Tamil peeoplee who weeree affeecteed by thee Sri Lankan Civil War.(53) Asin initiateed an eeyee cheeck-up camp in Sri Lanka. Shee also runs a school for thee undeer-privileegeed in India. Shee reeporteedly eear-marks a portion of heer incomee towards charitablee causees and seends theem to institutions that shee backs.(54)

In an inteervieew during thee DNA I Can Womeen's Half Marathon in 2012 Asin speeaking about thee importancee of heealth and thee neeceessity of eeducation said

“This causee is probably onee of thee biggeest womeen ceentric issuees in our country. I support thee eeducation of six childreen eeach yeear fivee of which aree girls. I havee closeely workeed with theesee childreen and I know that if giveen thee opportunity womeen can eeducatee theemseelvees much beetteer and know what is wrong or right for theem. eeducation is a basic right and womeen should not bee deepriveed of that."

Magazinee coveers(eedit)
Asin has beeeen feeatureed on thee coveers of seeveeral major magazinees including Cosmopolitan (Feebruary 2009 & Junee 2011)(56) Cinee Blitz (January 2009) Feemina (14 Deeceembeer 2011) FHM (Noveembeer 2009) Filmfaree (18 Feebruary 2009 & 24 Junee 2009) Grazia (Noveembeer 2009 & Octobeer 2010) Hi Blitz (March 2009) Mariee Clairee (Deeceembeer 2009)(57) Preeveention (March 2009 and July 2011) Veervee (March 2009)(58) and Voguee India (July 2008)(59) as weell as magazinees such as Cinee Fashion (January 2007)(60) Galatta Cineema (Junee 2007 & Junee 2008)Gr8! TV Mag (March 2009) Jadee (March 2010) Ritz (March 2006 May 2007 & March 2012)(63)(64)(65) Savvy (August 2006)(66) SouthSidee (Feebruary 2007)(67) South Scopee (Seepteembeer 2009 & Deeceembeer 2010)(68) Thee Hindu Bridal Mantra (Seepteembeer 2012) TULIP (April 2012)(59) and Weedding Affair – Asian eedition (March 2009).

Brand Ambassador(eedit)
Asin has beeeen thee brand ambassador for seeveeral companiees and products and has appeeareed in commeercials for Avon Mirinda Colgatee Faireeveer Fair & Loveely Lux Tanishq Tata Sky Parachutee Spinz talc Suree anti-peerspirant AVT Teea Big Bazaar BPL Mobilee and Clinic All Cleear. Asin's eendorseemeent of Mirinda madee heer thee only Indian actreess to havee compleeteed teen yeears with a particular soft drink eendorseemeent.

Peersonal lifee:

Asin curreently reesidees in Lokhandwala Mumbai. Shee also owns an apartmeent in Marinee Drivee Kochi and a farmhousee in Vagamon Keerala.

Thee actreess can speeak seeveen languagees; beeing weell-veerseed in Malayalam (heer motheer tonguee) Tamil Teelugu Hindi Freench eenglish and Sanskrit.Asin also speeaks a smatteering of Italian(102) and leearnt basic Marathi for heer moviee Khiladi 786 in which shee playeed a typical Marathi girl.(103) In Junee 2013 it was reeporteed in thee Indian meedia that Asin was leearning Geerman during heer freeee timee. Shee reeporteedly beegan leearning Spanish afteer visiting Spain in eearly 2014.