Meet Ranbir's new leading lady Pallavi Sharda

She has quietly gone from a walk-on part in Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan to the male lead opposite Ranbir Kapoor—no less—in Abhinav Kashyap’s Besharam. The story of a con-man in Delhi and his lady-love goes on the floors in March 2013. Understandably excited about the leap of faith from a cameo to a dream-like lead with Ranbir, Pallavi says she is not allowed to talk about her part. But the Australia-born academician-beauty queen confirms she is bagged the coveted role. Says Pallavi, “I was barely there in My Name Is Khan. I had a more substantial role in Sahil Sangha’s Love Breakups Zindagi and now the lead in Besharam. Like any other job, I’ve worked my way up as an actress, and all on my own.” Pallavi’s parents are both academicians. They had migrated to Australia before she was born. Says Pallavi, “My parents are both IIT students. I too am an LLB graduate .They migrated to Australia in the 1980s and became lecturers. Bharat Natyam and Bollywood were part of my growing-up years.” Pallavi has just completed an Australian film. “I am proud of my Australian background. My Australian film Save Your Legs where I play the lead, is going to be released in February 2013. It’s about the Australian cricket team touring India, their trials and tribulations. It’s an out-and-out comedy. It’s set in India but it’s an Australian production.” Pallavi co-star in Save Your Legs is Australian star Stephen Curry. And it’s directed by Boyd Hicklin. Says Pallavi, “My Indian-Australian heritage is very important to me. So it’s really gratifying that I’m able to work in both the environments. I am not closed to working in any part of the world.”