Asin Thottumkal

The buzz in the industry is that Asin has got too big for her boots. Apparently, she has been throwing tantrums on the sets of Vipul Shah’s London Dreams, but that has not stopped Kollywood and Bollywood from clamoring after her. Asin, though, has been turning down Bollywood offers till the release of Ghajini, in December 2008.

Salman Khan and Asin on the sets of London Dreams

Reportedly, Asin is been paid Rs 1.5 crores for London Dreams, and has been offered Rs 2 crores for Vettaikaran, opposite Vijay.

Asin

The 23-year old Asin made her debut in Sathyan Anthikkad’s Narendra Makan Jayakanthan Vaka in 2001. Then came the 2003 Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi, for which she won the Filmfare Best Telugu Actress award. In 2005, Asin won the South Filmfare best actress award for Ghajini.

Asin is now one of the hottest actresses in South India apart from Meera Jasmine and Nayanthara.

Before entering movies, Asin was a model and entrepreneur in Chennai.

Asin and Kamal Hassan in Dasavatharam

The year 2008 has been very lucky for the South Indian actress. Asin’s last movie, the Kamal Hassan starrer Dasavatharam, was one of the biggest hits in South Indian movies ever. In July 2008, Asin featured on the cover of Vogue India.

Asin on Vogue India cover

Rumors say that Asin will star with Kamal Hassan in a $50-million Walt Disney and Bharat Bala Productions flick 19 Steps. The movie will be based on Kerala’s traditional martial art Kalaripayattu.

19 Steps will revolve around a veteran Kalaripayattu expert (Kamal Hassan) who trains a young Japanese man (Tadanobu Asano) in the popular martial art form. Asin plays a Malayali princess who falls in love with the Japanese boy.

Her forthcoming movie Ghajini with Aamir Khan is one of the most anticipated movies of 2008.

Asin as Kalpana in Ghajini

The story of Ghajini revolves around a rich tycoon Sanjay (Aamir Khan) who is in love with a model and activist Kalpana (Asin Thottumkal). As part of her activist work, Asin comes across a child trafficking gang, and is bumped off by the gang because she knew too much about them. Sanjay is hit on the head in the scuffle when Asin is killed and subsequently, he suffers from short term memory loss.

He can remember events for only 15 minutes. Sanjay sets out to avenge Kalpana’s death. Ghajini also stars Jiah Khan as a psychology student and Riaz Khan as a cop.