Know Your Star: Anushka Shetty

Click through for a pictorial fact file on South Indian actress Anushka Shetty, who was last seen in Telugu film 'Size Zero'.

'Size Zero'.

Anushka Shetty, is currently one of the highest paid actresses in the Telugu film industry. The grapevine has it that she gets around Rs 2.5 crore per film.

The actress had a dream debut in 'Super' (2005) as the leading lady of Akkineni Nagarjuna. It came about when Puri Jagannadh, who was looking for a new face to be cast in his film 'Super', saw Anushka. She signed her first film for Rs. 20 lakhs.

Before entering films, Anushka got a degree in computer application.

Anushka also studied yoga under Bharat Thakur and was an instructor for a while as well.

After her debut in ‘Super’, Anushka acted in 'Mahanandi'.

She followed that up with back-to-back releases in 2006, featuring in Rajamouli’s ‘Vikramarkudu’, which made her a hit with the audience, and ‘Astram’ the Telugu remake of ‘Sarfarosh’.

The same year, Anushka made her debut in the Tamil industry, and was cast opposite Madhavan in ‘Rendu’.

Anushka went on a signing spree after that and starred in films such as ‘Okka Magaadu’, ‘Swagatam’ – which did not fare too well – and Gopichand starrer ‘Souryam’, which went on to become a hit.

It was the 2009 film ‘Arundhati’ that vaulted her to superstardom and she hasn’t looked back since. Anushka played two roles in the heroine-centric film that won critical acclaim and went on to become a box-office winner as well.

Critics described Anushka’s ‘Arundhati’ performance as ‘brilliant and breathtaking’ and she won the Nandi Special Jury Award and the Filmfare Best Actress Award for the film.

Anushka continued to establish her acting credentials in the films that followed and won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for her performance in Telugu film 'Vedam' in 2010.

After ‘Vedam’, Anushka teamed up with top hero Mahesh Babu for the first time in the action-comedy ‘Khaleja’.

While Anushka’s Telugu films in 2010 didn’t quite make waves, she starred in ‘Singam’ with Suriya, a film that went on to become a blockbuster.

Anushka proved her willingness to experiment, playing a commercial sex worker in the 2011 film ‘Vaanam’, a role for which she again won critical acclaim.

Anushka’s performance as an advocate in the Vikram starrer ‘Deiva Thirumagal’, directed by Vijay, also got the thumbs up from audiences and critics.

Anushka worked with Vikram and Vijay again in ‘Thaandavam’.

Anushka, an in-demand heroine for big ticket films, also starred with Nagarjuna in ‘Damarukam’. Their on-screen chemistry was one of the highlights of the film.

In 2013, Anushka was seen first in Karthi starrer ‘Alex Pandian’, which turned out to be a flop show. She also teamed up with Prabhas in ‘Mirchi’. Her role was widely appreciated and the film was a hit as well.

 Her other film in 2013 was the sequel to ‘Singam’. While Anushka did not have much scope to perform in ‘Singam 2’, she was competent in her supporting role and the film was a mega hit. In 2014, she starred opposite Superstar Rajinikanth in 'Lingaa'.

The first-half of 2015 saw her starring in hit films like 'Yennai Arindhaal' and 'Baahubali'.

She was also seen playing a warrior queen in 'Rudhramadevi'.

Her upcoming films are 'Oopiri', 'Thozha', 'Baahubali: The Conclusion' and 'Singam 3'.

Anushka played an obese woman in her latest Telugu release ‘Size Zero''

Anushka Shetty on 'Size Zero': "It's a story that will instantly connect with a majority of Indian women who are always insecure about how they look. It will guide them in the right direction."

The latest buzz in Kollywood is that Anushka may be cast opposite Rajnikanth in a sequel to ‘Padayappa’ to be directed by KS Ravikumar. If that materializes that should be a real treat for all Anushka fans

Anushka says, “I can be loud and vivacious and yet be demure. In fact, when people meet me for the first time they think I am arrogant.”

At 34, this very desirable actress is single. The rumour columns buzz from time to time with link-ups, but even when co-stars have been obviously smitten by her, Anushka has preferred to keep things strictly professional.