Neeta Pillai – Malayalam film actress of ‘Poomaram’ and ‘The Kung Fu Master’ fame

Neeta Pillai is a newcomer actress associated with Mollywood, best known for her debut film Poomaram, costarring Kalidas Jayaram, and 2020 release, The Kung Fu Master, based on martial arts. She received rave reviews for both these movies. She received Asianet Film Award for Best New Face of the Year (Female) for her debut role in Poomaram, which had a delayed theatre release in 2018.

Neeta Pillai’s ancestral home is in Thodupuzha, and she spent her childhood days in Kochi. Her parents – Manjula and Vijayan, and a sister – Maneesha together form her small family. Her father, an engineer also spent a few years in Dubai. When he returned the family settled in their hometown Thodupuzha. By that time she completed her Plus-two studies in Kochi. Her mother is a banker at Kochi, and branch manager of Federal bank.

A brilliant student in academics she took B. Tech from Amrita University of Bangalore and later earned a scholarship to do master’s degree in petroleum engineering from US. It was during those days she won a beauty contest for the first time. She planned for doing MBA and was on a vacation in her hometown, when she attended the audition of Poomaram. She was one among that bunch of newcomers who got selected for the campus oriented film. Her role as powerful captain who leads women’s college gang was well appreciated.

Her second film in a lead role, The Kung Fu Master was entirely different from her debut flick. For the action packed film, she took rigorous training in martial arts. The movie also marked her comeback after a short interval. Her first two films were directed by Abrid Shine of ‘1983’ fame. During the initial days of shooting of Poomaram, Abrid Shine asked her if she is interested in doing the lead role for his next action flick, and she nodded yes. She was interested in adventurous sports, and hence the role fascinated her, though she was unfamiliar to Kung Fu. She started training in martial arts in late 2017, soon after finishing the shooting of Poomaram.

Neeta Pillai – Some interesting and less-known facts

1. She never got opportunity to study in any college campus of Kerala. However her debut film Poomaram was all about campus. Similarly she didn’t know anything about martial arts till she did The Kung Fu Master.

2. She was introduced to big screen aside another newcomers – Kalidas Jayaram and Irin George through the movie, Poomaram.

3. She won a beauty contest while during higher studies in US. Till then she never became a part of modeling industry or any cultural events.

4. She began with kick boxing as a part of training for the movie, The Kung Fu Master. As she was not familiar with it, it was very much difficult for her. Later she took training in Taekwondo, Judo and Karate three months each. After that she fully concentrated on Kung Fu.

5. While shooting for The Kung Fu Master in Uttarakhand, because of snowfall her team had to travel on foot for 5-6 kms to reach the shooting locations. They had to carry their equipment too. During shooting too, they also faced a lot of hardships due to frequent and intense snowfalls, which was not usual. It took 170 days to complete the shooting.

6. She is not interested in shopping and makeup. She loves singing and driving.

7. She is craze about sports since childhood especially door-out games, and loves adventurous sports too.

8. She has always enjoyed watching action films, and felt that she should do The Kung Fu Master with sincerity, as there are fewer movies based on martial arts made in Malayalam.

9. She loves styling her hair to get a refreshing feel. In her opinion, a new hair style gives positive energy and takes away her gloomy attitude.