Anuradha Menon

Anuradha Menon is an Indian television actress and theatre artist. Lola Kutty, the popular [Channel V|Channel [V] VJ is her alter ego.

Theatre

Originally from Kerala, Anuradha Menon grew up in Chennai. Her parents Mini and Mohan Menon worked in the advertising industry. Anuradha Menon started taking part in theatre productions in school. She was associated with the "Madras Players" for some years. In 2000, she played Shubra in Madras Players' "Lizard Waltz" (written by Chetan Shah and directed by Bhagirathi Narayanan) [cite web
url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2000/12/01/stories/09010354.htm
title=Rationalism vs mysticism
date=2000-12-01
accessdate=2006-12-05] . She also studied theatre at a school in London for one year. Then, she moved to Mumbai as it was the hub of English theatre in Indiacite web
url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2005/08/01/stories/2005080100500100.htm
title= Zen and the art of storytelling. |date=2005-08-01
accessdate=2006-12-05] .

It was in Mumbai that she got her break into Indian theatre. She acted as a governess in Divya Palat's "The Verdict." In this she was required to act with a heavy Malayali accent and this is what landed her the 'Lola Kutty" role in Television. In 2004, while auditioning for a producer, she was spotted by VJ Gaurav of [Channel V|Channel [V] . Gaurav immediately recommended her to Channel [V] cite web
url=http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=124220
title=From Kutty's Kitty
date=2005-04-08
accessdate=2006-12-05] , where she became popular as "Lola Kutty".

After she became famous as Lola Kutty, Anuradha Menon also got some film offers, but she considers theatre as her prioritycite web
url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/060818/48/66s7g.html
title=In all seriousness
date=2005-08-20
accessdate=2006-12-05] . She has performed in many notable plays including "Zen Katha" and "Sammy!" (both directed by Lillete Dubey). In the two-act award-winning play "Sammy!", she played an ensemble of roles, including Sarojini Naidu [cite web
url=http://www.haftamag.com/content/view/148/45/
title=Piercing the veil
date=2006-07-24
accessdate=2006-12-05] . In "Only Women" (directed by Deesh Mariwala), she played a nurse called Jasmine. The play deals with Jasmine's impending engagement and how it affects her swings in moods, one of which leads to fatal error in the profession, and how things are sorted out.

Lola Kutty

Lola Kutty is a VJ on [Channel V|Channel [V] . Described as "the Channel [V] resident beauty on duty" [cite web
url=http://www.vindia.com/newshows.html
title= New shows on Channel [v] : Lola TV
accessdate=2006-12-05] , she is actually an alter ego of Anuradha Menoncite web
url=http://www.newindpress.com/sunday/sundayitems.asp?id=SEK20051229074749&eTitle=Money&rLink=0
title=My Money : ‘Lola Kutty’, VJ
date=2005-12-29
accessdate=2006-12-05] . Anuradha Menon appears in many of her public dealings as Lola Kutty [cite web
url=http://mobile.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1482952.cms
title=The show must go on, off-screen too
date=2006-04-26
publisher=The Times of India
accessdate=2006-12-05] . When invited for an interview with Pooja Bedi on zOOm with Mona Singh (Jassi of "Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin"), she appeared as "Lola Kutty", unlike Mona Singh (who appeared as her off-screen self).

Lola Kutty is a bespectacled Keralite lady who speaks English with a heavy Malayali accent. Unlike other VJs, she has curly oily hair sporting a "gajra" and wears silk saris. Unlike Jassi of "Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin", Lola has no plans for a makeover. She is a huge fan of Abhishek Bachchan [cite web
url=http://www.therecordmag.com/jan2005/lola.htm
title=Lola Kutty: Beauty on Duty
accessdate=2006-12-05] . Her assistant is Shiny Alex, who wears fluorescent shirts, matching slippers, and white lungi folded up.

In her show Celebrity Forum/Lola TV, Lola Kutty plays interviewer to celebrities esp. Bollywood personalitiescite web
url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2005/02/21/stories/2005022101660100.htm
title=Fun, Lola, fun
date=2005-02-21
accessdate=2006-12-05] . Lola's shows don't involve vulgar, corny or spicy humor; rather, they rely on witty asides and straight-faced questions for humor [cite web
url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2005/05/28/stories/2005052801680300.htm
title='Zimbly' Lola
date=2005-05-28
accessdate=2006-12-05] .

In 2006, a Limited Edition Deluxe Official 2006 Notebook "Chronicle of Lola— the VJ, the Woman and the Wisecrack" was released. The Notebook features various facets of Lola -- modelling her "LolaWay products", giving "gyaan" (knowledge) and discussing movies [cite web
url=http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/feb102006/she174851200629.asp
title=Now, she’s an open book!
date=2006-02-10
publisher=Deccan Herald
accessdate=2006-12-05] . The first edition received a very good response [cite web
url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/09/04/stories/2006090402120200.htm
title=In festive spirit
date=2006-09-24
accessdate=2006-12-05] . Lola Kutty has also worked as agony aunt for The Record Music Magazine [cite web
url=http://www.therecordmag.com/feb2006/lolafeb.htm
title=Lola Kutty: Love, Life & Lola
accessdate=2006-12-05] .

Lola Kutty boosted Channel [V] 's TRP ratings considerably. Apart from India, she has a fan following among Indian diaspora in Bahrain and the UK [cite web
url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/09/11/stories/2006091100750100.htm
title= Lola speak: Lola Kutty now hits the road
date=2006-02-10
publisher=Deccan Herald
accessdate=2006-12-05] .

In real life (i.e. aside from her Lola Kutty alter ego), she speaks English with a tinge of UK accent. She is fluent in her mother-tongue, Malayalam, as well. She is engaged and expected to be married in December 2008 to a "shippie".

Awards and nominations

Lola TV won three Golds and one Silver at the PROMAX & BDA India Awards [cite web
url=http://www.promaxasia.tv/india05-awards.html
title="Channel [V] should pay me more!" - Lola Kutty
date=2005-05-18
accessdate=2006-12-05]
* Gold - Best comedy Promo (Lola TV)
* Gold - Funniest Spot (Lola TV)
* Gold - Best On-Air Branding (Lola - Matchbox ID/Lola TV/Lola Kutty)
* Silver - Best Entertainment Promo (Lola TV Promo)

At The Indian Telly Awards 2006, Lola Kutty was nominated for "Best Anchor Award - Talk Show" for Lola T [v] [cite web
url=http://www.businessworld.in/issue/show.asp?id=3340
title=NDTV Sweeps the Television Awards of 2006
date=2006-11-27
publisher=The Times of India
accessdate=2006-12-05] .

Criticism

Lola's character was criticized by some for being offensive to Malayali people. However, in an interview, Anuradha Menon asserted that "Lola is funny as a person, not as a region". She has also stated that, as a Keralite herself, she was in no way insulting her own people, but only using the peculiar accent for the entertainment of her viewers: "Earlier in Mumbai, anyone from the south was called a Madrasi, and I wanted to change that. Though in a very distinct way, I have pointed out the existence of a state called Kerala on the map of India!". She also said "Lola is special, for I've created the character and it's quite touching when people love you in the role and appreciate you for it, and the self-deprecatory humour is so much".

Quotes

* "One man's beard is another man's velcro." (in an interview with Pooja Bedi on zOOm)
* "Men just have to make a pass at a woman in spectacles." [cite web
url=http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=181649
title=NIGHTOUT Run Lola
accessdate=2006-12-05]
* "You can never be too rich or too thin!".
* "Always remember that fish in the curry is worth 2 in the sea!" [cite web
url=http://www.indiantelevisionacademy.com/publications/gr8/cover_story_details.php?id=21
title=C O M E D E L I C I O U S E X Y !
accessdate=2006-12-05]

* "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want" (Interview for JAM Magazine)

References

External links

* [http://www.therecordmag.com/jan2005/lola.htm Lola Kutty: Beauty on Duty]
* [http://www.indya.com/news/lola_chat.html Lola ke bol on indya!: A chat with Lola Kutty]