Nyrraa Banerji recalls casting directors calling her face and body ‘perfect' for South Indian films: ‘I was a little voluptuous, yeh log muh par bol dete the'

Indian Express

27-04-2025

Actor Nyrraa Banerji, known for her work in Bollywood and South Indian cinema, has experienced a rollercoaster journey in the film industry. Recently, Nyrraa opened up about her entry into South Indian cinema, how she was labelled 'perfect' for the industry due to her 'voluptuous' figure, and the challenge of balancing her film career with law school.
On SCREEN's The Suvir Saran Show, Nyrraa revealed that she actually joined law school as no one in her family was a lawyer, but her interests lay elsewhere. 'I went to law school in Bombay. I chose that because no one in my family is a lawyer. In college, I used to participate a lot in these inter-college competitions, but not for acting, for dancing and fashion shows. I was inclined towards dancing. I actually wanted to become a dancer apart from law,' she shared.
Talking about her entry into cinema, the actor recalled how casting directors often told her that her face and body were well-suited for South Indian films. 'I always heard casting directors say, 'Tumhaara face and body South Indian films ke lie perfect hai.' I was a little voluptuous and not so skinny at that time. Yeh log bol lete hain muh par ki aapka face and figure South movies wala hai. I said that I don't want to do it. I have never even seen a South film. A casting director took Sridevi and other legendary actor names, explaining how South Indian films are also good,' she said.
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'When I went home and told my parents about the offer, dad said no. My mother also said that forget it because we don't know anybody who we can even consult. But, they also said that if one of them is travelling with me to Mumbai and overlooking, then it's worth giving a shot. Because astrologically, several pandits had already destined that this girl will definitely do something in the creative field, she is very good at fine arts. That's how I did Kadambari, a Sanskrit TV show,' the actor added, explaining how fate worked for her eventually.
However, the journey came with its own ups and downs as she shared that South cinema is highly competitive, making it difficult for her to manage with studies. 'Then I started doing movies. I was getting huge film offers and lead roles. But, I was turning them down for studying because I had to do that alongside. Many people said that people leave studying for acting and you are leaving acting for studies. What nonsense? And in the South industry, when you take films continuously and do them non-stop, it takes you to a very different level. But otherwise, every day a new girl is being launched because it is a highly competitive industry,' she expressed.
Nyrraa continued, 'But, at that time, neither did I understand the depth of this nor did I have a decent manager who would make me understand that manage your career somehow, focus on your career and you could be a big star. My mom's point was also right that I need to have a backup, and nothing better than education.'