Avantika (actress)

Avantika
Avantika in 2017
Born
Avantika Vandanapu

(2005-01-25) January 25, 2005
Union City, California, United States
EducationColumbia University
OccupationActress
Years active2015–present
Websiteiamavantika.com

Avantika Vandanapu (/əˈvɑːntɪkə/ ə-VAHN-ti-kə; Telugu: [avan̪t̪ika ʋan̪d̪anapu]; born January 25, 2005), known mononymously as Avantika, is an American actress. She began her career with the 2016 Telugu film Brahmotsavam and later took on several other projects within Telugu cinema. She then transitioned to American cinema and had her first lead role in the Disney Channel original movie Spin (2021) and subsequently starred in Netflix's Senior Year (2022). She gained recognition with supporting roles in the musical comedy Mean Girls and horror film Tarot (both 2024).

Early and personal life

Avantika Vandanapu was born to a Telugu family in Union City, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area, on January 25, 2005.[1][2][3] Her family originally hailed from Hyderabad, Telangana, India before they emigrated to the United States. She took drama lessons at the American Conservatory Theater.[4]

Avantika currently resides in New York City.[5] She attends Columbia University as a member of the class of 2027.[5][6]

Career

Early work in Indian cinema (2014–2016)

In 2014, Avantika won second place in the Zee TV dance competition reality series Dance India Dance L'il Masters (North America Edition).[7]

Avantika entered Telugu cinema in 2015 and was signed for two movies. She was selected to play the role of Chutki in 14 Reels Entertainment's Krishna Gaadi Veera Prema Gaadha (2016), however, scheduling conflicts forced her to leave during production. Avantika officially debuted as a child artist in Brahmotsavam (2016) starring Mahesh Babu. She then appeared in Chandra Shekhar Yeleti's film Manamantha. Later, she signed on for Premam starring Naga Chaitanya and Shruti Hassan, in which she portrayed the younger version of Madonna Sebastian's character.[8] Avantika revealed that the key reason for her departure from Telugu cinema was the lack of variety in the roles she was offered which mainly consisted of playing the younger character of the female lead or a supporting role.[9]

Transition to American cinema (2021–present)

In 2021, Avantika debuted into American cinema by playing the lead role of Rhea Kumar, a headstrong high school student with aspirations of becoming a DJ in the Disney Channel Original Movie Spin.[10] The film, along with her performance, had a positive reception from Udita Jhunjhunwala of Firstpost who took note of her "sparkling eyes, as she glides through the restaurant with as much ease as she finds her groove behind the mixing console".[11] She followed this with supporting roles in the Netflix original films Moxie (2021) and Senior Year (2022).[12]

In 2024, Avantika portrayed Karen Shetty in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Mean Girls, based on the 2004 movie of the same name.[13] She had to take a "temporary leave of absence" from university to accommodate the timings required for shooting.[14] Avantika discussed the change in Karen's ethnicity from the original film, stating that "playing that kind of character, especially as an Indian American woman, is really, really crazy". She added that she was "excited to finally play a South Asian character that wasn’t reduced to being a stereotype".[15] The film received mixed reviews from critics, however, her performance was well received.[16] Writing for The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw commended Avantika as "the standout amongst the mean girls".[17] Mean Girls emerged as a commercial success, which led to The Times of India crediting the film with helping establish her presence in American cinema.[18][19]

She returned to Indian projects with the Amazon Prime Video original series Big Girls Don't Cry. She portrayed Ludo, a closeted lesbian struggling to retain her basketball captaincy whilst coming to terms with her sexuality.[20] In a mixed review for Film Companion, Rahul Desai criticised the number of characters in the series making it difficult to maintain focus to the nuances of each one's storyline, but praised the chemistry and performances of the cast.[21] The following month, Avantika appeared amongst an ensemble in the Anna Halberg and Spenser Cohen-helmed horror film Tarot.[22] Her decision to take on the role was influenced by her mother's belief in astrology and her own early interest in the occult, as the film combined both themes.[23] Reception to the film was generally negative;[24] in her review for Collider, Emma Kiely felt that Avantika's performance had been constrained as she "isn't given enough to do".[25] Made on a shoestring-budget, Tarot emerged as a major commercial success.[26]

Following a special appearance in the song "I Am A Champion" for the Telugu film Champion (2025), Avantika starred amongst an ensemble in Vicky Jewson's action thriller film Pretty Lethal about a ballet troupe that are held captive by a Hungarian gang.[27] It was poorly-received by critics.[28][29] She next featured as an aspiring celebrity stylist in Mindy Kaling's comedy series Not Suitable for Work, for Hulu. In a negative review of the series for RogerEbert.com, Nick Allen found that the actress was "practically gasping for more to do" in a thinly-written role and considered it a downgrade from her work in Mean Girls.[30] Avantika is next set to headline the Disney+ original series A Crown of Wishes, based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Roshani Chokshi.[31]

Filmography

Film

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Film Role Language Notes Ref.
2016BrahmotsavamBabu's cousinTeluguChild artist[32]
ManamanthaSwathi[33]
PremamYoung Sindhu[32]
2017Babu Baga BusyAnitha[34]
Rarandoi Veduka ChudhamYoung Bhramarambha
BalakrishnuduYoung Aadhya
OxygenAvantika [34]
2018AgnyaathavaasiSampath's daughter[32]
2021SpinRhea KumarEnglish[35]
BoomikaBoomikaTamil[36]
Moxie Chem Class Girl English Credited as Avantika Vandanapu [37]
2022Senior YearJanet Singh[38]
2024 Mean GirlsKaren Shetty [13]
Tarot Paige [22]
2025ChampionDayanaTeluguSpecial appearance in the song "I Am A Champion" [39]
2026 Pretty Lethal Grace English [40]

Television

Key
† Denotes television productions that have not yet been released
Year Series Role Notes Ref.
2014 Dance India Dance L'il Masters (North America Edition) Herself Contestant
2018 The Talent Show [41]
2023 Hell's Kitchen Guest diner/Teen Cancer America contributor; Episode: A Hellish Food Fight
2026 Not Suitable for Work Abhinaya 'Abby' Chilukuri Main role [42]
American Horror Story: 13 † TBA Post-production [43]

Web series

Year Series Role Language Network Notes Ref.
2020 Diary of a Future President Monyca English Disney+ season one
2022 The Sex Lives of College Girls Priya HBO Max Guest role
2024 Big Girls Don't Cry Leah "Ludo" Joseph Amazon Prime Video Main cast [44]
TBAA Crown of Wishes Princess Gauri Disney+ Main cast; also executive producer [45]

Voice roles

Year Series Role Language Network Notes Ref.
2019 Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures Sareena Tapoor English Disney Jr
2020 Mira, Royal Detective Kamala
2025 Cartoonified with Phineas and Ferb Herself Disney Channel Episode: "Avantika" [46]

Music videos

Year Title Artist
2026 "2000s Pop Punk Rnb" Whatmore[47]

References

  1. ↑ "Avantika". Avantika. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  2. ↑ Jhunjhunwala, Udita (August 18, 2021). "Spin actor Avantika on Disney Channel film being a win for South Asian community, her acting icons, and career aspirations". Firstpost. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  3. ↑ Kalanidhi, Manju Latha (August 22, 2021). "Girl on fire: Telugu ammayi from LA Avantika Vandanapu hailed as breakout star of Disney's 'Spin'". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021.
  4. ↑ Belle, Nithin (August 28, 2021). "Dubai is favourite city for Indian-American showbiz star Avantika Vandanapu". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on August 28, 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Get in, loser. A brown Mean Girl is here". Vogue India. January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  6. ↑ Shaw, Rachel. "She doesn't even go here!... Oh wait, she does: Meet Avantika Vandanapu from 'Mean Girls'". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Avantika Vandanapu from Union City was selected as one of the top ten finalists out of more than 10,000 contestants". Tri-City Voice. August 13, 2014. Archived from the original on May 21, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Avantika Vandanapu Indian American Actress | Tollywood to Hollywood". The Global Indian. Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  9. ↑ ""Mahesh Babu is down to earth, great actor": Avantika Vandanapu". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Spin movie review: Avantika Vandanapu, Abhay Deol film is a welcome deviation from typical high school flicks". www.msn.com. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Spin movie review: Avantika Vandanapu, Abhay Deol film is a welcome deviation from typical high school flicks". Firstpost. August 16, 2021. Archived from the original on August 19, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  12. ↑ Jackson, Angelique (July 16, 2021). "Jade Bender, Michael Cimino, Jeremy Ray Taylor and Avantika Join Paramount Players' 'Senior Year'(EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  13. 1 2 Grobar, Matt (February 8, 2023). "'Mean Girls': Avantika, Christopher Briney & Bebe Wood Board Paramount Film Based On Tony-Nominated Musical Adaptation". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023.
  14. ↑ Ray, Chandreyee (April 8, 2024). ""It's a shock for any brown parent": 'Mean Girls' actress Avantika Vandanapu on the driving forces behind her rise to stardom". Vogue Singapore. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  15. ↑ Kulkarni, Bhargavi (February 4, 2024). "The Desi Mean Girl: A Conversation With Avantika Vandanapu Who Breaks Stereotypes in the New Version of Iconic Film". American Kahani. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  16. ↑ Edwards, Chris (January 12, 2024). "'Mean Girls' musical reboot described as "snappy" yet "culturally irrelevant" in mixed reviews". NME. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  17. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (January 10, 2024). "Mean Girls review – high-school sadism comedy as sugar-rush movie musical". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  18. ↑ Sperling, Nicole (January 14, 2024). "'Mean Girls' Musical Triumphs at Box Office, With a TikTok Assist". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  19. ↑ "From child actor to global star: Avantika Vandanapu is on a roll". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  20. ↑ Chatterjee, Saibal (March 15, 2024). "Big Girls Don't Cry Review: Boarding School Adventure Is Frothy, Flimsy And Fun". NDTV. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  21. ↑ @iamavantika; (January 24, 2021). "literally could not come up with an innovative caption to communicate that i have aged one more year! but enjoy the unnecessary life update :))". Retrieved July 10, 2022 – via Instagram.
  22. 1 2 Kroll, Justin (June 28, 2022). "Jacob Batalon, Alana Boden, Adain Bradley and Avantika To Star In Screen Gems' 'Horrorscope'". Deadline. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  23. ↑ Morrow, Brendan. "Avantika talks 'Tarot' and that racist 'Tangled' backlash: 'Media literacy is a dying art'". USA Today. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  24. ↑ "Tarot". Metacritic. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  25. ↑ Kiely, Emma (May 2, 2024). "'Tarot' Review: A Surprisingly Scary But Ultimately Forgettable PG-13 Horror". Collider. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  26. ↑ Lammers, Tim. "'Tarot' Movie Makes Debut On Digital Streaming". Forbes. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  27. ↑ Gomez, Dessi (August 28, 2024). "Everything We Know About 'Ballerina Overdrive' So Far". Deadline. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  28. ↑ "Pretty Lethal review: Prime Video action movie stumbles". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Pretty Lethal review: Prime Video action movie stumbles". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Hulu's Limp Sitcom "Not Suitable for Work" Is Hardly Suitable for Primetime". RogerEbert.com. June 2, 2026. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
  31. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (November 3, 2022). "Avantika To Headline 'A Crown Of Wishes' Fantasy Series In Works At Disney Branded TV For Disney+". Deadline. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  32. 1 2 3 "From 'Brahmotsavam' to 'Mean Girls': Avantika Vandanapu is the talk of the town". The Hindu. January 17, 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  33. ↑ "Amazing that Indian women are able to shine their light in Hollywood: 'Mean Girls' actor Avantika". The New Indian Express. March 4, 2024. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  34. 1 2 Mageni, Rodah (October 19, 2024). "Avantika Vandanapu's age, height, movies, family, net worth, and more". Briefly.co.za. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  35. ↑ "EXCLUSIVE: Avantika Vandanapu on her Disney movie SPIN & why her Desi family covers the remote with plastic". Pinkvilla. August 14, 2021. Archived from the original on August 13, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  36. ↑ "Aishwarya Rajesh starrer Boomika promises to be a gripping horror movie". The Indian Express. August 10, 2021. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  37. ↑ Bruce, Amanda (September 17, 2024). "Avantika: 10 Best Movies & TV Shows". Screen Rant. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  38. ↑ "Girl on fire: Telugu ammayi from LA Avantika Vandanapu hailed as breakout star of Disney's 'Spin'". The New Indian Express. August 21, 2021. Archived from the original on August 23, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  39. ↑ "'Champion' box office collection day 3: Roshan Meka and Anaswara Rajan starrer collects Rs 6 crore". The Times of India. December 28, 2025.
  40. ↑ Cordero, Rosy (August 27, 2024). "Maddie Ziegler & Avantika Cast In 'Ballerina Overdrive' From 87North & Gulfstream Pictures".
  41. ↑ "Watch The Talent Show S1:E4 Final Group Auditions". therokuchannel.roku.com. August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  42. ↑ "Mindy Kaling's 'Not Suitable For Work' Trailer Watches Avantika, Ella Hunt & More Struggle For Work-Life Balance". Deadline. May 8, 2026. Archived from the original on May 8, 2026. Retrieved June 2, 2026.
  43. ↑ Sharf, Zack (July 9, 2026). "The Coven Is Back! 'American Horror Story' Season 13 Set Photos Reveal Sarah Paulson, Emma Roberts and More as Witches". Variety. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
  44. ↑ "Watch the trailer of 'Big Girls Don't Cry,' Prime Video's upcoming Original series". IN About Amazon. March 6, 2024. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  45. ↑ Gomez, Dessi (March 8, 2024). "'Mean Girls' 2024 Cast and Character Guide: Who Plays Who?". thewarp.com. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  46. ↑ "The next "Cartoonified! with Phineas And Ferb" short will feature Avantika (Sony Pictures "Tarot", Paramount Pictures "Mean Girls", Disney Channel Original Movie "Spin") is slated for Saturday September 20 on Disney Channel Animation's Youtube. via EIDR". Tumblr. August 22, 2025. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  47. ↑ "Sean Kaufman, Avantika Film Music Video For WHATMORE". TMZ. March 17, 2026. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
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