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Avantika (actress)

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Avantika Vandanapu
Born (2005-01-25) January 25, 2005 (age 19)[1]
Union City, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
EducationColumbia University
OccupationActress
Years active2015–present
Websiteiamavantika.com

Avantika Vandanapu (born January 25, 2005[2]), known mononymously as Avantika,[3] is an American actress. Starting with Brahmotsavam (2016), she worked in several films in India's Telugu film industry. She had her first lead role in the Disney Channel original movie Spin (2021) and subsequently starred in Netflix’s Senior Year (2022). She is best known for her portrayal of Karen Shetty in the musical comedy Mean Girls (2024).

Early life

Avantika Vandanapu was born to a Telugu-speaking family in Union City, California, part of the San Francisco Bay Area.[4][5] Her family originally hails from Hyderabad in India before they emigrated to the United States. She took drama lessons at the American Conservatory Theater.[6]

Career

In 2014, Avantika won second place in the Zee TV dance competition reality series Dance India Dance L'il Masters (North America Edition).[7]

Avantika entered Telugu cinema in 2015 and was signed for two movies. She was selected to play the role of Chutki in 14 Reels Entertainment's Krishna Gaadi Veera Prema Gaadha, which was released in February 2016. However, due to the scheduling conflicts, she could not continue with the movie. Avantika officially debuted as a child artist in Brahmotsavam starring Mahesh Babu, Kajal Aggarwal, Samantha and Pranitha Subhash which started shooting on September 16, 2015. She then appeared in Chandra Shekhar Yeleti's film Manamantha. Later, she signed on for Premam starring Naga Chaitanya and Shruti Hassan, in which she portrays the younger version of Madonna Sebastian.[8] Avantika revealed that the key reason for her departure from Telugu cinema was the lack of variety in the roles she was offered which mainly consisted of playing the "heroine" or a "small supporting role".[9]

In 2021, Avantika played the lead role of Rhea Kumar in the Disney Channel Original Movie, Spin alongside Meera Syal, Abhay Deol and Aryan Simhadri.[10] The film, along with her performance, received positive reception from critics with Udita Jhunjhunwala of Firstpost describing her as a "delight'' further praising "[her] sparkling eyes, [as] she glides through the restaurant with as much ease as she finds her groove behind the mixing console".[11]

In 2024, Avantika portrayed Karen Shetty in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Mean Girls, based on the 2004 movie of the same name.[12] The movie received mixed reviews from critics, however, her performance was praised.[13] Writing for The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw lauded Avantika as the highlight "among the mean girls," adding that "she gets the movie’s best song".[14] Speaking about the change in Karen's ethnicity from the original film, Avantika thought "playing that kind of character, especially as an Indian American woman is really, really crazy," adding that she was "excited to finally play a South Asian character that wasn’t reduced to being a stereotype".[15] Following this, she returned to Indian projects with the Amazon Prime series Big Girls Don't Cry (2024) as a closeted lesbian who struggles to balance her passion for basketball and personal relationships.[16] In a mixed review for Film Companion, Rahul Desai criticised that "it feels like every character is fighting to be the protagonist. Nobody is willing to cede the stage," but added that the series is "built on a good ensemble cast. The young actors share a natural relationship with the camera. Each of them is sharp and perceptive; their dialogue delivery and facial expressions are calibrated to fit the whims of everyday energy".[2]

Avantika will next be seen amongst an ensemble in the Anna Halberg and Spenser Cohen-helmed Tarot and is set to headline the Disney+ original series A Crown of Wishes, based on the 2017 novel of the same name.[17][18] [19]

Personal life

Avantika currently resides in New York City.[20] She attends Columbia University as a member of the class of 2027.[20][21]

Filmography

Film

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Film Role Notes Ref.
2016 Brahmotsavam Babu's cousin
Manamantha Swathi
Premam Young Sindhu
2017 Rarandoi Veduka Chudham Young Bhramarambha
Balakrishnudu Young Aadhya
Oxygen Avanthika
2018 Agnyaathavaasi Sampath's daughter
2021 Spin Rhea Kumar Lead role [22]
Boomika Boomika Tamil film [23]
Moxie Chem Class Girl Minor role; credited as Avantika Vandanapu
2022 Senior Year Janet Singh [24]
2024 Mean Girls Karen Shetty [12][25][26]
Tarot Paige

Television

Key
† Denotes series that have not yet been released
Year Series Role Notes Ref.
2014 Dance India Dance L'il Masters (North America Edition) Herself Contestant
2019 Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures Sareena Tapoor, additional voice Recurring voice role
2020 Diary of a Future President Monyca Recurring role (season one)
Mira, Royal Detective Kamala Recurring voice role
2022 The Sex Lives of College Girls Priya Guest role
2023 Hell's Kitchen Herself Guest diner/Teen Cancer America contributor; Episode: A Hellish Food Fight
2024 Big Girls Don’t Cry Ludo Lead role [27]
TBA A Crown of Wishes† Princess Gauri Lead role; also executive producer [28]

References

  1. ^ Simamora, Diana Aprilia (August 31, 2022). "Analysis of Three Dimensions of Characters in a Teenager Movie: Mean Girls". Humanis. 26 (3): 207. doi:10.24843/jh.2022.v26.i03.p01. ISSN 2302-920X.
  2. ^ a b @iamavantika (January 24, 2021). "literally could not come up with an innovative caption to communicate that i have aged one more year! but enjoy the unnecessary life update :))". Retrieved July 10, 2022 – via Instagram.
  3. ^ "Avantika". Avantika. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  4. ^ Jhunjhunwala, Udita (August 18, 2021). "Spin actor Avantika on Disney Channel film being a win for South Asian community, her acting icons, and career aspirations". Firstpost. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Kalanidhi, Manju Latha (August 22, 2021). "Girl on fire: Telugu ammayi from LA Avantika Vandanapu hailed as breakout star of Disney's 'Spin'". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021.
  6. ^ Belle, Nithin (August 28, 2021). "Dubai is favourite city for Indian-American showbiz star Avantika Vandanapu". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on August 28, 2021.
  7. ^ "Avantika Vandanapu from Union City was selected as one of the top ten finalists out of more than 10,000 contestants". Tri-City Voice. August 13, 2014. Archived from the original on May 21, 2015.
  8. ^ "Avantika Vandanapu Indian American Actress | Tollywood to Hollywood". The Global Indian. Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  9. ^ ""Mahesh Babu is down to earth, great actor": Avantika Vandanapu". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  10. ^ "Spin movie review: Avantika Vandanapu, Abhay Deol film is a welcome deviation from typical high school flicks". www.msn.com. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  11. ^ "Spin movie review: Avantika Vandanapu, Abhay Deol film is a welcome deviation from typical high school flicks-Entertainment News , Firstpost". Firstpost. August 16, 2021. Archived from the original on August 19, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Grobar, Matt (February 8, 2023). "'Mean Girls': Avantika, Christopher Briney & Bebe Wood Board Paramount Film Based On Tony-Nominated Musical Adaptation". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023.
  13. ^ Edwards, Chris (January 12, 2024). "'Mean Girls' musical reboot described as "snappy" yet "culturally irrelevant" in mixed reviews". NME. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  14. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (January 10, 2024). "Mean Girls review – high-school sadism comedy as sugar-rush movie musical". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  15. ^ Kulkarni, Bhargavi (February 4, 2024). "The Desi Mean Girl: A Conversation With Avantika Vandanapu Who Breaks Stereotypes in the New Version of Iconic Film". American Kahani. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  16. ^ "School Series BGDC To Release On OTT On THIS Date. Watch". TimesNow. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  17. ^ Kroll, Justin (June 28, 2022). "Jacob Batalon, Alana Boden, Adain Bradley and Avantika To Star In Screen Gems' 'Horrorscope'". Deadline. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  18. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (November 3, 2022). "Avantika To Headline 'A Crown Of Wishes' Fantasy Series In Works At Disney Branded TV For Disney+". Deadline. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  19. ^ "Rumors of Avantika playing a live-action Rapunzel spark racist backlash online". NBC news.
  20. ^ a b "Get in, loser. A brown Mean Girl is here". Vogue India. January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  21. ^ Shaw, Rachel. "She doesn't even go here!... Oh wait, she does: Meet Avantika Vandanapu from 'Mean Girls'". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  22. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Avantika Vandanapu on her Disney movie SPIN & why her Desi family covers the remote with plastic". Pinkvilla. August 14, 2021. Archived from the original on August 13, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  23. ^ "Aishwarya Rajesh starrer Boomika promises to be a gripping horror movie". The Indian Express. August 10, 2021. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  24. ^ "Girl on fire: Telugu ammayi from LA Avantika Vandanapu hailed as breakout star of Disney's 'Spin'". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  25. ^ Mantilla, Ryan Louis (March 7, 2023). "Get in, Loser: Mean Girls The Musical Has Started Filming". Collider. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  26. ^ "Reneé Rapp as Regina George Is a Must-See in First "Mean Girls" Teaser". Teen Vogue. September 26, 2023. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  27. ^ "Watch the trailer of 'Big Girls Don't Cry,' Prime Video's upcoming Original series". IN About Amazon. March 6, 2024. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  28. ^ "Avantika To Headline 'A Crown Of Wishes' Fantasy Series In Works At Disney Branded TV For Disney+". Deadline. November 3, 2022. Archived from the original on November 3, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
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