“I consider myself lucky. I had zilch expectations from Ala Ela . The response for Kumari 21F has also been good so far,” says the twenty- something exuberant Hebah Patel from Mumbai. She was part of a small budget movie that became a hit and happens to be her first film in Telugu. She had earlier worked in a Kannada film that did quite well.
Hebah always wanted to get into films and South was her focus. But her parents imposed a condition that she should at least be a graduate. “I am from a non-filmi background and my parents didn’t want me to take the risk of not finishing my education. I did a ramp show for MTV and I realised how important it is to balance normal life with showbiz.I worked for a big jewellery commercial and got noticed and Ala Ela happened, which lead to Kumari 21F .”
Is she aware of her limitations and plus points and that a career in film means an actor has to come with certain pre-requisites? She observes, “I did think about the body, face and if I fit into the hot looks. No one imagined me to be in the hot category and now they find me to be hot too. I really don’t know if it is a good or a bad thing. If people think I look like a school going girl, then its fine..I will have a better shelf life. I always wanted people to label me hot and sexy but sadly am slotted in the cute category, ” she laughs.
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She adds, “I was totally sold when I heard Devisri Prasad was doing the music. Ratnavelu, the cinematographer made me look so nice. I am a very talkative person in the film and doesn’t think of consequences. These qualities are strikingly similar to me.”