When Sai Pallavi spilled beans on her marriage plans
In 2020, Sai Pallavi opened up about her family traditions related to marriage, offering a rare glimpse into her personal life. The actress, known for her reserved nature regarding personal matters, shared her thoughts during an interview with The News Minute. Belonging to the Badaga community, a small ethnic group from the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu, Sai Pallavi explained the expectations and customs that her family upholds concerning marriage.
Growing up, Sai Pallavi was always told that she should marry someone from the Badaga community. She explained that the Badagas, like many traditional communities, prefer that marriages happen within their own group. In her words, she stated, “I’ve been told that when I grow older, I have to marry a Badaga. A lot of people have chosen to marry outside the community, but then they are not living in the hatti in Kotagiri.” The Badaga community holds on to this tradition, especially in their native villages, also known as “hattis.”
Sai Pallavi noted that while cross-community marriages are not entirely forbidden, they come with their own set of consequences. In some cases, families that choose to marry outside the Badaga community often live away from their traditional villages. This can lead to the couple being alienated from communal activities, such as weddings and other social events. She highlighted how her own parents, who reside in Coimbatore, faced less societal pressure as they live away from their village.
The actress also shared a candid conversation she had with her father about the topic. She expressed her discomfort with these rigid cultural expectations, explaining that she felt it was unfair for parents to pressure their children into following such traditions strictly. She recounted telling her father that, while he believed in preserving culture, it should not come at the expense of an individual’s freedom to choose their life partner. “I told him that for the sake of culture or whatever, you can’t blackmail a child into choosing what you want. I find this disturbing,” she said.
On the professional front, Sai Pallavi has continued to impress audiences with her performances. She is set to appear in high-profile projects such as Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, alongside Ranbir Kapoor, and the Tamil biographical film Amaran with Sivakarthikeyan. Fans continue to admire her not only for her acting skills but also for her candid and grounded approach to life.
