Elli AvrRam
{{Short description|Swedish-Greek film actress}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Elli AvrRam
| image = Elli Avram graces the Elle Beauty Awards 2016 (15).jpg
| caption = Elli AvrRam at Elle Beauty Awards 2016
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|07|29|df=y}}
| birth_place = Stockholm, Sweden
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 2008–present
| known_for =
}}
Elisabet Avramidou Granlund ({{langx|el|Ελισάβετ Αβραμίδου Γκράνλουντ}}; born 1990{{cite web |title=You are hereBiggboss 7 > Housemates > Elli Avram |url=http://colors.in.com/in/biggboss/housemates/elli-avram-358.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130918045013/http://colors.in.com/in/biggboss/housemates/elli-avram-358.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 September 2013 |publisher=In.com India – A web18 Venture |access-date=14 October 2013}}), known professionally as Elli AvrRam, is a Swedish-Greek actress{{cite web |last=De Villiers |first=Pierre |title=Swedish actress Elli AvrRam is breaking new ground – by starring in an upcoming Bollywood film |url=http://www.norwegian.com/magazine/features/2013/03/bombay-dreams |publisher=Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA |access-date=29 September 2013}} and is now based in Mumbai, India.{{cite web |url=https://photogallery.indiatimes.com/celebs/bollywood/these-pictures-of-elli-avrram-in-printed-monokini-will-leave-you-stunned/articleshow/93404247.cms |title=These pictures of Elli AvrRam in printed monokini will leave you stunned!}} She is known for her Hindi film Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon.{{cite web |url=https://www.cinestaan.com/movies/kis-kisko-pyaar-karoon-12517/box-office |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181221184516/https://www.cinestaan.com/movies/kis-kisko-pyaar-karoon-12517/box-office |url-status=live |archive-date=21 December 2018 |title=Do you know how Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon did at the Box Office? |website=Cinestaan |access-date=14 June 2019}} AvrRam came to prominence after participating in the Indian reality TV show Bigg Boss in 2013.{{Cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv/news/Elli-Avram-meets-her-parents-on-Bigg-Boss-7/articleshow/24828644.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103185413/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-28/news/43461351_1_bigg-boss-house-pratyusha-armaan |url-status=live |archive-date=3 November 2013 |work=The Times of India |title=Elli Avram meets her parents on Bigg Boss 7}} Elli along with Aamir Khan had a special appearance in the Koi Jaane Na film song "Har Funn Maula".{{Cite news |date=2021-03-10 |title=Har Funn Maula song out: Aamir Khan hopes Elli Avram's charm will conceal his 'dancing flaws'. Watch |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/har-funn-maula-song-out-aamir-khan-hopes-elli-avram-s-charm-will-conceal-his-dancing-flaws-watch-101615360609893.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20220821085502/https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/har-funn-maula-song-out-aamir-khan-hopes-elli-avram-s-charm-will-conceal-his-dancing-flaws-watch-101615360609893.html |archive-date=2022-08-21 |access-date=2025-06-11 |work=Hindustan Times |language=en-us}}
Early life
Elli was born in Stockholm, Sweden. She grew up in Tyresö kommun, Stockholm. Her Greek father, Jannis Avramidis, is a musician who is now settled in Sweden; and her Swede mother, Maria Granlund, is an actress who had a part in Ingmar Bergman's Fanny and Alexander. AvrRam took an interest in figure skating, singing and dancing from her initial years. AvrRam received training in acting from her mother and aunt who runs a theatre in Skåne County, Sweden. AvrRam felt a connection to India since her childhood. In an interview with the local Stockholm newspaper Mitt i, she said, "Even when I was five, I was fascinated by Indian dance and the colourful clothes." Since her father is a Greek musician, she found some Greek songs are related to Indian melodies. AvrRam dreamt of being a Bollywood actress since her adolescence.{{cite web |last=Carlsson |first=Anders |title=Från Tyresö till Bollywood |url=http://mitti.se/?p=46607 |publisher=Mitt i Stockholm AB |access-date=26 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029194813/http://mitti.se/?p=46607 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |url-status=dead}} She would go to a video store in Stockholm that used to sell Hindi movies and she would buy Bollywood films from there. She also used to watch Hindi films on YouTube.
Career
At 17, AvrRam became a member of the Stockholm-based Pardesi Dance Group, and gave dance performances, primarily on Bollywood songs.{{cite web |title=Pardesi Dance Group |url=https://www.youtube.com/user/Pardesidancegroup?feature=watch |publisher=Pardesi Dance Group on Youtube |access-date=25 October 2013}}
AvrRam has done some acting projects in Sweden, the most noticeable of them is the December 2008 crime drama romance film, Förbjuden Frukt, where she played the role of Selen – the lead character's teen girlfriend. The film is set against the backdrop of violent crime, where she falls in love with a boy with a criminal past.{{cite web |title=Förbjuden Frukt (2008) Official trailer. starring Elli AvrRam, Gguveli, Haisem Ali, Arif Karadeniz |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XihTaNe7KGk |publisher=Ali Gohari |access-date=29 September 2013}}
In 2010, AvrRam participated in Miss Greece beauty contest.{{cite web |title=Katrina Kaif has a twin in Bigg Boss 7 contestant Elli AvrRam! |url=http://www.filmsofindia.com/viewnews-2807 |publisher=FILMS OF INDIA |access-date=29 September 2013 |archive-date=23 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923212825/http://www.filmsofindia.com/viewnews-2807 |url-status=dead}} She also appeared on the Swedish TV-show Gomorron Sverige.{{cite news |title=Bollywood goes crazy over actress Elisabet Avramidou Granlund {{!}} Neos Kosmos |url=https://neoskosmos.com/en/137844/bollywood-goes-crazy-over-actress-elisabet-avramidou-granlund/ |access-date=29 September 2019 |work=Neos Kosmos |date=28 May 2019 |language=en}}
In September 2012,{{cite web |title=Spot the difference: Elli AvrRam and Katrina Kaif |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/spot-the-difference-elli-avram-and-katrina-kaif/1/310066.html |publisher=Living Media India Limited |access-date=29 September 2013}} AvrRam moved to Mumbai on a tourist visa to pursue an acting career in Bollywood. About the decision of acting in Hindi movies, she expressed in an interview with N Magazine, "[When] I was 14, I had a TV in my room and watched Devdas which is almost four hours long. I didn't move the entire time. I thought, 'Wow, I want to act and dance like that. I have to do Bollywood movies.'" She signed up with a modelling agency and soon got a work visa. The agency helped her getting auditions. The first considerable project she managed to get was a TV commercial for Eveready Industries India with the leading Indian actor Akshay Kumar.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}
She eventually got her first major breakthrough by bagging a lead role in Saurabh Varma's comedy thriller film Mickey Virus.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}} AvrRam recollected, "The photographer who took pictures of me knew a director who was looking for a girl for a lead role. I called him and had come to audition for his film." She disclosed, "Before I auditioned for Mickey Virus, I asked director to send me the script so I could memorize the words, because I didn't know Hindi yet. I was sent four pages of dialogue and there was no one who could tell me how to pronounce certain words. At the audition they liked my acting but the accent wasn't right." She was shortlisted along with 200 other hopefuls and managed to beat others. AvrRam revealed in an interview, "When I told the director that mum worked with Ingmar Bergman, he gave a strong reaction: 'What!? Has she worked with Bergman?' They were incredibly impressed." For her Bollywood launch, AvrRam has taken formal training in dance form and Hindi pronunciation.{{cite web |last=Mankermi |first=Shivani |title=Bollywood gets ready to unleash a new stock of hotties |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bollywood-gets-ready-to-unleash-pallavi-sharda-vaani-kapoor-sana-khan-elli-avram-to/1/304758.html |publisher=Living Media India Limited/Mail Today |access-date=29 September 2013 |date=31 August 2013}} In this film she plays the role of Kamayani George,{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} the love interest of the character Mickey Virus, played Manish Paul, who is a popular TV host and is making his debut in film industry. The film, shot in Delhi, released on 25 October 2013.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}
File:Elli Avram on Monogram collection.jpg
The first Swedish actress to act in Bollywood, AvrRam has been noted for looks very similar to the actress Katrina Kaif.{{Cite web |url=https://businessofcinema.com/bollywood_hollywood_photos/bigg-boss-7-elli-reminds-salman-khan-katrina-kaif/109329 |title=Bigg Boss 7: Elli Reminds Salman Khan of Katrina Kaif! |date=9 October 2013 |access-date=30 September 2019}}
In 2013, AvrRam participated as a contestant on an Indian reality TV show, Bigg Boss 7, where celebrities from various walks of life live together in a large house, completely cut off from the outside world. They try to avoid being evicted every week by public votes, with the aim of prize money at the end. The show, based on Dutch-based Endemol's Big Brother, went on air in September 2013 and is hosted by the actor Salman Khan.{{cite news |last=Goyal |first=Divya |title='Bigg Boss 7' complete list of contestants |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bigg-boss-7-complete-list-of-contestants/1169462/ |access-date=1 October 2013 |newspaper=The Indian Express |date=17 September 2013}} After spending ten weeks on the show, she got evicted in November 2013. AvrRam said in an interview with PTI, "I did not come to Bigg Boss for money or fame but with the agenda to have fun. This show has helped me become a household name. I am very humbled by the appreciation I have received from audiences and will cherish this experience for years to come."
In October 2013, colleges in Chandigarh reportedly banned the students from possessing or displaying posters of AvrRam in the campus and dormitories as the college authorities considered her images inappropriate.{{cite news |title=Elli AvrRam banned! |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv/news/Elli-Avram-Manish-Paul-Bigg-Boss-Mickey-Virus/articleshow/24246452.cms |access-date=25 October 2013 |newspaper=The Times of India |date=16 October 2013 |agency=TNN}}
In 2014, Elli appeared as a guest contestant in Colors TV's dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa in its seventh season for the teen ka tadka special week along with Sophie Choudry.{{cite web |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/Jhalak-Dikhhla-Jaa-7-Teen-ka-tadka-special/photostory/41243698.cms |title=Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 7 Teen Ka Tadka Week: Krystle, Elli, Dadi and others come |work=The Times of India |date=30 August 2014}}
In 2015, her third film, Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon released in September. The film received good reviews and was a success at the box office. In 2017, she appeared in two films Naam Shabana{{cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/naam-shabana-song-dil-hua-besharam-this-dance-number-in-taapsee-pannu-film-looks-bland-akshay-kumar-anupam-kher-manoj-bajpayee-4575922/ |title=Naam Shabana song Dil Hua Besharam: This dance number in Taapsee Pannu film looks bland. Watch video |date=19 March 2017}} and Poster Boys.{{cite web |url=https://www.india.com/entertainment/poster-boys-song-kudiya-shehar-di-sunny-deol-bobby-deol-shreyas-talpade-shake-a-leg-with-elli-avrram-on-this-peppy-punjabi-number-watch-video-2394715/ |title=Poster Boys Song Kudiya Shehar Di: Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Shreyas Talpade Shake A Leg With Elli AvrRam On This Peppy Punjabi Number – Watch Video |date=11 August 2017}} She later presented the reality show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge.
In 2018, appeared in the film Baazaar in the song "Billionaire" along with Rohan Mehra and Saif Ali Khan. While the film failed at the box office, the song got good reviews.{{cite web |url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/baazaar-box-office-collection-day-4-with-a-decline-saif-ali-khans-film-earns-rs-13-crore-1939900 |title=Baazaar Box Office Collection Day 4: With A 'Decline,' Saif Ali Khan's Film Earns ₹ 13 Crore |date=30 October 2018}}
AvrRam performed a dance act on the song "Chamma Chamma" for the film Fraud Saiyaan. The special song, was released in December 2018 by Tips Industries and gained over 15 million YouTube views in just three days of its release. Despite popularity of song, film was flopped in box-office{{cite web |title=Fraud Saiyyan song Chamma Chamma blatantly objectifies Elli AvrRam in Urmila Matondkar's chartbuster remix |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/fraud-saiyyan-song-chamma-chamma-blatantly-objectifies-elli-avram-in-urmila-matondkars-chartbuster-remix-5730831.html |website=firstpost.com |date=14 December 2018 |publisher=Firstpost |access-date=16 December 2018}}{{cite web |title=Chamma Chamma Official Song – Fraud Saiyaan Elli AvrRam, Arshad Neha Kakkar, Tanishk, Ikka,Romy |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL-Ki0-ASI0 |via=YouTube |publisher=Tips Official on YouTube |access-date=16 December 2018}}{{cite web |title=China Gate song 'Chamma Chamma' to be recreated for Prakash Jha's film, Fraud Saiyyan |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/china-gate-song-chamma-chamma-to-be-recreated-for-prakash-jhas-film-fraud-saiyyan-5266511.html |website=Firstpost |date=26 September 2018 |publisher=Firstpost |access-date=16 December 2018}} At the song launch event, AvrRam said, "I signed up for this dance song because it's such an iconic thing to get to be part of the recreation of it." She appeared in another song "Zila Hilela" along with Sidharth Malhotra in Ekta Kapoor's movie Jabariya Jodi.{{cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/jabariya-jodi-new-song-out-sidharth-malhotra-and-elli-avram-recreate-hit-bhojpuri-song-zilla-hilela-1567024-2019-07-11 |title=Jabariya Jodi new song out: Sidharth Malhotra and Elli AvrRam recreate hit Bhojpuri song Zilla Hilela |date=11 July 2019}}
In March 2019, she appeared in a music video called, Haaye Oye, released by Sony Music India. In 2020, she acted in the film Malang playing the role of Jesse. In 2021, she made her Tamil debut with the film Naane Varuvean opposite Dhanush. Her last special dance number "Har Funn Maula" with Aamir Khan got more than 90 million views on YouTube.{{Cite news |date=10 March 2021 |title=Aamir Khan, Elli AvrRam shatter the screens with their chemistry in cabaret song Har Funn Maula |work=The Indian Express |url=https://www.indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/aamir-khan-elli-avrram-chemistry-shatter-screens-in-har-funn-maula-song-watch-video-7222103 |access-date=10 March 2021}}
Filmography
{{Pending films key}}
=Movies=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Name ! Role ! Language ! Notes |
|---|
| 2013
|Kamayani aka Kate George |{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} |
| rowspan="2" |2014
| rowspan="2" |Vijaylakshmi | rowspan="2" |Unreleased |
| Paris Paris |
| 2015
|Deepika "Deepu" Kothari |Hindi | |
| rowspan="3" |2019
|Chandani (item number "Chamma Chamma") | rowspan="2" |Hindi | |
| Jabariya Jodi
|Dancer in the song 'Zila Hilela' | |
| Perspective
|Beautiful Woman |English |Short film |
| 2020
|Jessabelle a.k.a. Jessie |Hindi | |
| rowspan="2" |2021
|Special appearance in the song "Har Funn Maula" |Hindi | |
| With You - Backar du så backar jag
|Lilly |Short film |
| rowspan="2" | 2022
|Madhuri |Tamil | |
| Goodbye
|Daisy Bhalla | rowspan="2" |Hindi | |
| rowspan="2" |2023
|Dimple Bajwa | |
| Conjuring Kannappan
|Dr. Magdalene Ellis |Tamil | |
| rowspan="2" |2025
|Ms. Pinto |Marathi |
| Be Happy
|herself |Hindi |cameo appearance |
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Name ! Role ! Notes ! Ref. |
| 2013
| rowspan="3" | Contestant | style="text-align:center;" |10th place | |
| 2014
| style="text-align:center;" |Appeared in teen ka tadka special | |
| 2016
| Box Cricket League 2 | | |
| 2017
| The Great Indian Laughter Challenge | Host | style="text-align:center;" | | |
= Web series =
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Name ! Role ! Ref. |
| rowspan="3" | 2019
| The Verdict – State vs Nanavati | Sylvia Nanavati | |
| Typewriter
| Anita | |
| Inside Edge 2
| Sandy | |
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id= 5675978}}
- {{Twitter|ElliAvrRam}}
- {{Commons category-inline}}
{{Bigg Boss 7}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Avram, Elli}}
Category:Actresses from Stockholm
Category:Swedish people of Greek descent
Category:Swedish expatriates in India
Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema
Category:Actresses in Telugu cinema
Category:Actresses in Tamil cinema
Category:Actresses in Kannada cinema