Elli AvrRam recently spoke about her experience working in different film industries in India. After spending more than a decade in the entertainment world, she shared how she sees a clear difference between Bollywood and South film industries, especially in terms of work environment.
Talking about her time on sets, Elli said that she finds South film sets calmer and more organised. She explained, “I have found it more peaceful on set in the South. In Bollywood, it’s more…” and indicated that Hindi film sets can sometimes feel rushed and chaotic. She added, “They prefer to use walkie talkies instead of shouting and screaming.”
She also spoke about some difficult experiences in Bollywood. According to her, there were times when basic needs were ignored during shoots. She said, “My experience in Bollywood has been more like, even if you are eating, but you are told your shot is ready. We don’t care if you have eaten, if you faint, but the shot is ready.” At the same time, she made it clear that this does not happen everywhere and depends on the team. She mentioned that on a recent Netflix project, the team ensured everyone was comfortable and well taken care of.
Elli also talked about how actors can be typecast in Bollywood. She explained, “Like, if you are cast in pretty girl roles, you stick to that,” pointing out that it can limit opportunities. She said this mindset often affects how actors are seen and the roles they are offered.
Speaking about her role in Malang, Elli shared that many people were surprised to see her in a serious character. She said, “When I was cast for Malang, when I was portrayed in a different way, nobody expected that I would do a role like this. I was told that filmmakers were shocked that Elli is a serious actor,”
She also recalled working with Aamir Khan in the film Koi Jaane Na and described him as “extremely down to earth”. Talking about Shah Rukh Khan, she said his film Devdas was her first introduction to Bollywood. “Devdas was the first full-fledged Bollywood film that I saw, and I made all my friends watch it. I fell in love with that film,”
Elli started her career with the reality show Bigg Boss 7 in 2013 and made her film debut with Mickey Virus. Over the years, she has worked in both Hindi and South films, building a varied career.