Models make it big on Kannada screen

Bangalore, Dec 4 (IANS): Models-turned-actresses seem to be making it big on the Kannada screen with Bangalore-based model-cum-actress Maanya, who is fluent in the local language, setting the tone.

The Kannada film, for which she has been booked, is a remake of Malayalam hit "Hitler" in which Mammootty had played the lead. Maanya has acted in many Malayalam and Telugu films.

She will be paired with Vishnuvardhan in "Varsha", to be directed by S. Narayan and produced by Rockline Venkatesh.

Maanya got her break in Telugu cinema with "Deva" directed by Y.V.S. Chaudhary which turned out to be a big hit. She acted in films like "College", "Ganapathy", "Sivanna", "Love" and "Bachelors". Her Malayalam films include "Joker" with Dileep.

The other model-cum-actress to make a mark in South Indian cinema is Yanaa Gupta. Recently, she was in Bangalore to do an item number in Ashwini Ram Prasad production "Jogi" directed by Prem.

Yanaa Gupta danced with the film's hero Shivaraj Kumar to the tunes of music director Guru Kiran.

Earlier, Yanaa did an item number in Tamil film "Manmathan", released during Diwali in Chennai.

Yanaa cannot remember the names of all the films that she has done item numbers for. She says that performing item numbers is more satisfying than doing the heroine's role.