Her first film was a blockbuster, second had Prithviraj; but Akhila Sasidharan vanished after that: ‘We live in a time where…'

Indian Express

15-06-2025

The chances of anyone making it big in cinema have always been significantly low. Not only is finding success in this field extremely difficult, but surviving and consistently getting work is also a herculean task, and only a few manage to build a truly fruitful career. Among the many actors who managed to break into the Malayalam film industry with a successful debut is Akhila Sasidharan. However, her story is not the same as that of many others who went field-out because of a lack of opportunities or back-to-back setbacks.
Interestingly, her debut film Kaaryasthan (2010), directed by Thomson and penned by the hit screenwriting duo Udaykrishna and Sibi K Thomas, was a major blockbuster. Having made a name for herself in the television dance reality show Vodafone Thakkadhimi and as an anchor on the popular musical reality show Munch Star Singer Junior, Akhila was already a familiar face to Malayalam mini-screen audiences. Hence, her transition to the silver screen only amplified her fame, even though she was paired opposite the significantly older Dileep. However, this was also the era when Dileep reigned supreme at the box office, before he was accused of being the mastermind behind the 2017 actress assault case, and even his mediocre films found commercial success. Kaaryasthan was no exception. It went on to become one of the biggest hits of 2010.
The following year, Akhila got the opportunity to star opposite the then-up-and-coming superstar Prithviraj Sukumaran in director Deepu Karunakaran's Teja Bhai & Family. Although the film was only an average grosser, it helped establish her as a bankable talent with decent acting potential. And then, suddenly, Akhila Sasidharan went MIA (missing in action). So much so that people stopped hearing about her or even thinking of her, until she recently made a return to the public eye by debuting on social media. Where had Akhila been for over a decade? What happened?
The actor-dancer has finally opened up about her life post-Teja Bhai & Family, shedding light on what she's been doing since her brief stint in cinema. 'If you ask where I was, I was always around; engaged in creative activities. Now that I've reappeared on social media, people seem to have taken notice. We live in a time where your existence seems validated only by your presence online, which may be why people kept asking where I had disappeared to,' she shared during a recent chat with a Malayalam YouTube channel.
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Addressing the burning question of why she vanished after just two films, she said: 'There are many factors behind why certain films happen or don't. Cinema is a collaborative process, and a lot has to fall into place. Even after my two films, I remained active, appearing on several shows. Perhaps because there wasn't another film release after those two, people assumed I had disappeared.' Akhila also revealed that after her brief foray into films, she spent over five years in Mumbai, continuing her artistic journey. 'Though I started out as a Bharatanatyam dancer, I also trained in Kathak and began performing it extensively.'
During the interview, she also addressed her single status and views on marriage. 'It just didn't happen. That's probably why I haven't got married. And if you ask whether there's any pressure to get married, the answer is no. If marriage is merely to fill some void, then I don't feel that way. But if it's to add something meaningful to life, I would certainly consider it (someday).'