Laila Mehdin, the pretty, dimpled Goan beauty from Mumbai, began her career as a model. She is also a ballerina trained formally at the Royal Academy of Dancing in London. And, she plays the violin. Her first Tamil movie Kallalagar failed to create any magic at the box office. But the talented actress was noticed by film-makers and was cast in commercially and critically acclaimed films such as Dhill, Nanda, Unnai Ninaithu, and Pithamagan, to name only a few. She even won the Filmfare Best Actress award for her performance in Pithamagan. In a short span of time she had created a niche for herself in the industry as the simple girl-next-door, sans any glamour or vulgarity. Her colleagues fondly remark that she could never ever stop laughing or giggling and was always seen with a smile on her face. That was the kind of person she was and this is reflected in all her roles. After Pithamagan, she took a break and was seen in Ullam Ketkume and Kanda Naal Mudhal (2005) where she finally broke the giggly-girl mould and turned in intense, classy performances. In 2006 she married an Iranian businessman and retired from the silver screen for a life of domestic bliss. She was recently blessed with a baby boy and is now enjoying every moment of being a mom. For the moment, though, she has not expressed any desire to return to acting.