“Women Should Take Their Time With Key Decisions,” Says 'F3' Actress

Pragathi recalls two of her biggest mistakes in life

Pragathi is one of the most sought-after character artistes in the South film industry today. Ironically, she made her debut as a heroine with the Tamil film ‘Veetla Visheshanga’ at the tender age of 19. and went on to do eight more films as the leading lady. However, an incident on the set of a film upset her so much that she chose to quit acting. She got married and had children. Later on, she made a comeback to acting with television roles and subsequently character roles in films.

In a recent interview given to a leading digital channel, Pragathi spoke on this phase of her life. “My advice to all young women out there is that financial independence is very important. Do not rush into decisions at a tender age because such mistakes can prove to be very costly. Postpone key decisions and do not be impulsive.”

She further added, “My mistake is that I did not show the same focus towards my work as a heroine that I am showing as a character artiste. The other mistake is getting married at such a young age. My husband had proposed to me after I decided to quit acting, and I immediately accepted because I wanted to settle down. You can call it foolishness, arrogance, or immaturity, but I thought I knew the world. Only after I had a kid did I realize the enormity of my mistakes. My husband was not in a position to support us financially and my decision to quit acting all set me back by about a decade. Had I not been so hot-headed, I would have probably been in a different league now.”