The Mumbai- based model Freida Pinto is the female lead in the film Slumdog Millionaire.The movie won four awards in the 2009 Golden Globe Award.The film has won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival.

Freida Pinto is the daughter of Sylvia, a principal of St. John’s High School, and Frederick Pinto, a senior branch manager at the Bank of Baroda. Her parents hail from the coastal city of Mangalore. She is of Mangalorean Catholic descent.

Frieda says , right from school,I have been actively taking part in all dramatic events. I modelled for a good two-and-a-half years and after I bagged the role I learnt most of what was required from Danny Boyle himself!! Post the film shoot I was really keen on joining a film school for the experience! So I attended the 3-month acting workshop of none other than acting guru Barry John!

My first shot was at Dariya Mahal in Versova! It was way back in November 2007. I was so nervous that I couldn’t sleep all night because of the anticipation. I wont reveal the scene but I can tell you that it was pretty intense and though. I had just three or four lines on that day but I was worried I would forget those as well!! However Danny warmed me up to the scene with rehearsals and some solid director-actor chat. From then on it was smooth sailing.

Frieda says Danny (has made films like The Beach, Trainspotting and 28 Days Later) is a fine teacher. “The most important thing that he taught me is never to over express in front of camera. We Indians are very expressive and we tend to do the same on camera, which is bad,” she says.
Frieda and Dev Patel, who plays the male lead Jamal in the film, received some wonderful compliments in Toronto. “In one of the after parties people were calling us by our screen names and even said, You guys are the next Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Some even compared us to Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. It was nice hearing such statements,” she reveals.

But Frieda knows that compliments come with responsibilities. “After doing a Danny Boyle film, you wonder what you will do next since youve already worked with the best. I want to outdo myself the next time I face the camera. I am really looking forward to working with perfectionist Aamir Khan,” she ends.

Slumdog Millionaire is a Hollywood comedy that revolves around the concept of a reality show and how a contestant uses this medium to contact a girl. Frieda play the role of this 18-year-old feisty girl, Latika who is orphaned during childhood and finds a new family with two brothers Jamal and Salim. Together they become the 3 musketeers and start on life’s beautiful and ugly journey!! Somehow her life takes an uncertain and dangerous diversion and from then on her ultimate quest in life is to reunite herself with the one she truly loves.

Pinto was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards.