‘Moving to India from Abu Dhabi was hard’

Parvatii Nair, who makes her B-Town debut with ’83, says she would have been a cricketer, if she wasn’t an actor

Actor Parvatii Nair forayed into the Kannada film industry with ‘Story Kathe’ and went on to play roles in ‘Vascodigama’ and ‘Uttama Villain’. The actor, who is now prominently seen in the Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu film industries, says she would love to work in a Kannada project again, provided the role is interesting. In the city to promote the T10 cricket series, Parvatii took time off to chat with Metrolife about her love for cricket, films and more.

You have been associated with sports since your childhood. Has that helped you face tough situations in life?

Being a sportsperson teaches you why it is important to stay determined. It also makes you a stronger person. I grew up in Abu Dhabi and lived there for the most part of my life. My association with sports began after I won the squash-junior world cup in Abu Dhabi. I didn’t consciously decide to be a part of any sport, but I have always had a passion for it. I remember most of the vacations spent in India would be playing cricket with the boys in my neighbourhood.

When did acting happen?

Acting happened much later. If I hadn’t become an actor, I would have joined the Indian women’s cricket team. The project I am currently working on is related to cricket and this is my first sports film.

’83 will be your debut film in Bollywood. What did you like about it?

I bagged a role in ’83 because the director wanted someone who looked like the character he had in mind. And I perfectly fit the bill. I was initially a bit apprehensive because the film has a big star cast and I didn’t know whether this would work out for me. But I realised that it would be a great learning experience. To be out there, associated with a sport that I loved, was an exciting proposition.

How do you handle the competition in the film industry?

Over the years, I have realised that the competition is not with the people around you, it is with yourself. I am always trying to be a better version of myself with each passing day. If you grow as a person, then everything else will fall in place.

Why did you choose to associate with T10?

I grew up in Abu Dhabi, where T10 is being hosted, and I played cricket all my life. There are people from across the globe settled here and each one is appreciative and respectful of one another culture. This series will also do well to promote this place. Moving from here to India has been a hard decision for me.