The Greek goddess: Elli Avram
She entered our lives like a virus which cannot be quarantined. But, would you wanna delete her anyway?
Hi Elli, how is the Indian summer treating you?
It’s actually treating me very well. It sure is really hot, but I’m not complaining since I’ve seen my fair share of extreme cold. Back home, the temperatures drop to as low as -18 degree Celsius and winters last extremely long. As compared to that, I’m quite enjoying the Indian weather.
Where does your Greek connection come from?
My father is Greek; however, he hasn’t just connected me to Greece but also to India. He is a musician and played a lot of Greek songs that had Indian tunes and melodies when I was a little girl. He worked as a catalyst in drawing me closer to Indian culture. In fact, on sets, a lot of people call me the ‘Greek-Punjabi girl’.
So, can we call you the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite?
Oh, it’s very sweet of you to call me that. But I truly believe that each person represents love and beauty in their own way.
We have come to know that you are taking acrobatics classes? Why?
A dance number in my upcoming film Kis Kis Ko Pyaar Karoon required me to learn acrobatics. I decided I would take this up since I’m not only a fitness enthusiast but also enjoy new challenges. Sadly, I injured myself on the day before the shoot due to which we had to change the choreography sequence. But I’m glad to have received formal training in this area and I just can’t wait to put it to use.
Are you a trained dancer? When are the new moves coming onscreen?
I do have some training in Kathak and Bharatanatyam, but it isn’t really my area of specialisation. I do, however, have a knack for dance since I’ve been a professional figure skater, which requires one to know ballet and a few other dance forms too. My mother, who is an actress, had performed belly-dance as part of her play when she was pregnant with me. There is a joke in our home that it’s because of this reason that I have this connect with dance (chuckles).
Tell us about the fondest memory of your childhood?
It’s from an oriental festival that my parents had taken me to at the age of six. The festival had a face painting booth, where I got mine painted like an Indian princess. I pranced around pretending to be Indian royalty without any care! I was in love with my paint-caked face like I had never been! It has been such a long time since then, but that day was so special and the memory is so clear that it feels as if it happened only yesterday.
Any bad ones as well?
I think it was the day I cried a river over ice cream. I was craving for my favourite ice cream throughout my day at school and my mother refused to get it for me on our way back home. So I cried throughout the ride back and continued wailing for hours until my father came back home in the evening. I was a very stubborn kid so when my mother denied my ice cream I decided I wouldn’t move from my seat. I was so angry with my mother that I didn’t allow her to touch me; so it was only when my father returned, he carried me into the house. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the ice cream despite all the effort!
Do you have a college degree?
Yes, I hold a degree in Society Economics.
So, were you one of the most sought-after girls in the college?
As bashful as I feel about this, I will admit that the case was really so. One of my nick names used to be the ‘Greek Goddess’.
How did all the attention feel?
While it was really flattering, it was also something that made me extremely self-conscious. I am a tough person, but when it came to such attention, at that age, I got very shy.
Tell us one secret of yours that you haven’t told anybody yet?
Hey, if I haven’t told anyone, isn’t that supposed to remain a secret? My lips are sealed!
How did you land up in India?
I had always been charmed by India and wanted to be a part of Bollywood since I saw my first Bollywood song at the age of five! I thought it was magical and I wanted it for myself. I made my first trip to India with my mother when I was 21 and on the second trip, I made it my home! Since then the love has only grown fonder for this beautiful place and there hasn’t been any looking back.
Sweden, Greece and India. Rate the men from each country.
It would be extremely superficial for me to do so! For me, a person’s heart and values are what truly matter regardless of where he is from. So rating them isn’t possible.
If we barge into your home without notice, what (embarrassing) things will be lying on the floor?
Fortunately for me, I love cleanliness and never leave my belongings lying on outside. You probably walk in to a few pairs of shoes; but that’s about it.
Have you ever drunk so much to not remember what happened the night before?
(Laughs) No! Thank God, I have never faced any such situation. It’s not that I haven’t tried it, but I didn’t like the taste. My alcohol consumption is nil, so don’t let your thoughts fly high (Laughs)!
If you had to date somebody from Bollywood for a week, who would it be?
For me, dating is all about getting to know the other person, spending quality time and building a stable relationship.
I don’t think anything of these can be achieved by dating someone for such a short span. I wouldn’t date anyone, whether or not from Bollywood, for a week.
If you had to describe yourself in one line?
The mysterious girl who loves to sit back and observe the world.
From the June 2015 issue of FHM India.
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