Asin Thottumkal is a former Indian actress who primarily worked in Tamil, Telugu, and Bollywood films. Asin is best known for playing the dual role of Kodhai and Andal in Kamal Haasan starter Dasavathaaram. She appeared in the Tamil thriller Ghajini in which she played the role of a struggling model, Kalpana. Asin featured in the Hindi remake of Ghajini starring Aamir Khan.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Asin Thottumkal was born on Saturday, 26 October 1985 (age 36 years; as of 2021) in Cochin, Kerala, India. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio. She did her schooling till matriculation at Naval Public School in Cochin. Asin actively participated in literary competitions during her school days. She went to St. Theresa’s Higher Secondary School and opted for Humanities for higher studies. Asin graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from St. Teresa’s College in Kochi.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 4″
Weight (approx.): 60 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Figure Measurements (approx.): 34-28-34
Family
Asin belongs to a Malayalee Catholic family.
Parents & Siblings
Asin’s father’s name is Joseph Thottumkal, a former CBI officer, who is now a businessman and mainly deals in furniture and antiques.
Her mother’s name is Dr Seline Thottumkal, who is a surgeon.
Husband & Children
On 19 January 2016, Asin Thottumkal got married to Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma in a Christian wedding followed by a Hindu ceremony.
The couple has a daughter, Arin Sharma, who was born on 24 October 2017.
Relationships/Affairs
Reportedly, it was rumoured that Asin and Salman Khan got close while shooting for their film London Dreams. However, Asin denied any romantic relationship with her co-star Salman and revealed in an interview,
Everyone knows that the rumours had no truth in them. These rumours started during ‘London Dreams’. However, I want to clarify that I’m single and not in a relationship and that’s why I think rumours like these get stronger”. [1]The New Indian Express
There were rumours of a link-up between Asin and M.S Dhoni. Both appeared in a commercial for Big Bazaar. The rumours of them being in a relationship surfaced when Dhoni was seen coming out from Asin’s home in Lokhandwala in 2010.
Signature/Autograph
Career
Film
In 2001, at the age of 15, Asin made her acting debut in the Malayalam comedy drama Narendran Makan Jayakanthan Vaka.
In 2003, Asin made her Telugu debut with the film Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi in which she played the role of Chennai.
In 2004, she made her debut in Tamil cinema with the Tamil film M. Kumaran S/O Mahalakshmi in which she played the role of Malabar.
In 2003, Asin appeared in the Telugu film Shivamani in which she played the role of Vasanta alongside Nagarjuna. In 2005, Asin shot to fame with the Tamil film Ghajini in which she played the role of Kalpana alongside Surya.
In the same year, She appeared in two Tamil films, Sivakasi and Majaa.In 2007, Asin appeared in two Tamil films; as Priya in Aalwar and as Shruthi in Pokkiri. Pokkiri was a hit, and her role as a TV anchor was appreciated by the audience. In 2008, Asin appeared in the Tamil film Dasavatharam and played the dual roles of Kodhai and Andal starring Kamal Haasan. Asin made her debut in Bollywood in 2008 with the remake of her blockbuster Tamil film Ghajini by the same name. Ghajini became the first Bollywood film of 2008, which collected more than Rs. 1 billion at the domestic box office.
In 2011, Asin played the role of Sanjana Singh Kapoor in the film Ready opposite Salman Khan. In 2012, Asin was seen in Housefull 2, Bol Bachchan, and Khiladi 786. In 2015, Asin appeared in the film All Is Well starring Abhishek Bachchan after which she retired from her acting career.
Commercial
Asin has featured in several commercial advertisements like Mirinda, Fairever, Colgate, Clinic All Clear, Lux, Tanishq, Tata Sky, Big Bazaar, and Parachute coconut oil.
Controversies
Asin blacklisted from South Indian Cinema
During the shoot of her film Ready in Sri Lanka, Asin participated in camps to help the Sri Lankan Tamil people who were affected by the Sri Lankan Civil War. However, she was criticised by many netizens in India for helping the Sri Lankan people. Tamil Industry boycotted Sri Lanka because of the inhuman treatment received by Tamil refugees in the country. As a result of it, South Indian Film Artistes Association (SIFAA) issued a statement and warned celebrities against attending IIFA in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Asin was warned to step back from her film Ready because the shoot of the film was scheduled in Sri Lanka. However, Asin decided to continue her shooting due to her professional commitments. Consequently, it was announced that she would not be allowed to shoot in Tamil Nadu and was unofficially blacklisted from South Indian films. In an interview, she said,
The cricketers were going there and no one was objecting, businessmen were going and no one was protesting, tourists were going and no one was criticising but only actors were being threatened with penalties for going to Sri Lanka. Instead of boycotting Sri Lanka, more people from the Tamil Nadu film industry should visit Sri Lanka and express solidarity with the people”.
Asin greeted with a black flag
In 2010, Asin went to Mettupalayam for the shoot of her film Kaavalan. On her arrival at the airport, she was greeted with a black flag by the activists of the Pro-Tamil organisation Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (PDK) who showed deep resentment against Asin’s visit to Sri Lanka for the shoot of her film, Ready. [2]The Times of India
Awards
- 2003: Best Actress Telugu award for Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi at Filmfare Awards South
- 2003: Best Actress for Shivamani at Santosham Film Awards
- 2005: Best Actress Tamil award for Ghajini at Filmfare Awards South
- 2008: Best Actress for Dasavathaaram at International Tamil Film Awards
- 2009: The most prestigious Kalaimamani award by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for excellence in the field of art and literature.
- 2009: Star Debut of the Year-Female for Ghajini at IIFA
- 2009: Superstar of Tomorrow- Female for Ghajini at Stardust Awards
- 2009: GR8! Women Achiever Award in Cinema at Indian Television Academy Awards
- 2009: Most Promising Newcomer -Female for Ghajini at Screen Awards
- 2012: Best Actress for Kaavalan at South Indian International Movie Awards
- 2012: Pride of Kerala award at the Asianet Film Awards
- 2013: GR8! Women Achiever Award in Cinema at Indian Television Academy Awards
- 2013: Pride of South Indian Cinema at South Indian International Movie Awards
- 2014: Youth Icon of South Indian Cinema at South Indian International Movie Awards
- 2015: Most Popular Actress Middle East at South Indian International Movie Awards
Car Collection
Asin owns a Toyota Camry premium saloon and an Audi Q7 SUV.
Favourites
- Food: Appam, prawns, and rice
- Actor(s): Akshay Kumar and Mohanlal
- Colour: Black and Red
- Poet: William Shakespeare
Facts/Trivia
- Asin is fluent in multiple languages like Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, French, English, Italian, German, and Spanish.
- Asin is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer.
- Asin’s father initially named her Mary after her grandmother’s name, but she was later named as Asin, meaning pure.
- In Times 50 Most Desirable Women poll, Asin was listed seventeenth in 2011, and sixteenth in 2012 [3]The Times of India
- In 2009, as per a poll conducted by Shaadi.com, 54% of males voted Asin as the ‘Most Eligible Single.’
- Asin is referred to as the “Queen of Kollywood” by the media after her great success and contribution to Tamil Cinema.
- According to Asin, during the initial days of her acting career, her father would often accompany her on various film sets, which was not liked by many people on the set. In an interview, she talked about it and said,
It’s not that my father’s forever hanging around on the sets. For one of the foreign schedules, he did accompany me, but that was about it. I don’t know why people tend to make out this whole big hullabaloo about bringing my dad. It’s completely fabricated nonsense”. [4]The Hindu
- The very first assignment of Asin was a commercial advertisement for BPL Mobile.
- Asin owns a farmhouse in Kerala and an apartment in Toronto, Canada.
- Asin has been part of the 100-crore club with four of her movies, Ghajini (2008), Ready (2011), Housefull 2 (2012), and Bol Bachchan (2012).
- Reportedly, Asin’s engagement ring cost around Rs 6 crores, and the ring had the initials of her name and her husband’s name engraved on it.
- Asin has featured on the cover of many popular magazines like Vogue, Femina, Cosmopolitan, Filmfare, Verve and many more.
References