~SON PARI~

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Fruity (Tanvi Hegde)
Fruity is a bubbly nine-year-old. She loves her father Rohit, her brother Appy and her grandmom, Dadi, very much. But she hates her father's girlfriend Ruby, since she is convinced that Ruby has befriended her father only to take her mother's place.


Appy (Aditya)
Fruity's brother is a lot like her. He loves his sister and hates Ruby.


Rohit (Vivek Mushran)
Fruity and Appy's father wants to get married to his girlfriend, Ruby, but cannot see through her. He knows his children hate Ruby, and is content to wait for them to accept her.



Ruby (Deepshikha)
Rohit's girlfriend is an active participant in the devious plans her family cooks up. She goes out of her way to be nice to Fruity, Appy and Dadi, just to get to marry Rohit.



Dadi (Shashikala)
Dadi loves her grandchildren and adores Rohit. She is not very fond of Ruby, but doesn't object to her for the sake of Rohit.



Mrs Dhillon (Anita Kanwal)
Ruby and Deepak's mother shares her son's greed for money. She is mainly responsible for influencing Ruby and persuading her to get married to Rohit at the earliest.



Deepak (Harsh K)
Deepak is Ruby's errant brother, a man out to make a fast buck in life by using all the tricks in the book. He enjoys the support of his mother and sister in all his evil plans.


Jeff (Kenailya)
One of Fruity's best friends, Jeff is the brother of Jennifer and the son of Teressa and Eugene.


Jennifer (Teena)
Jeff's sister is the object of Deepak's desire and loves Fruity and Appy very much.


Teressa (Pratibha)
Jeff and Jennifer's mom loves Fruity and Appy as much as she loves her own kids.


Eugene (Yashodhan)
Jeff and Jennifer's dad also loves Fruity and Appy a lot.


Professor Josalkar
An eccentric scientist, Josalkar's biggest aim in life is to trap extra-terrestrial creatures. He also cooks up potions that aid Deepak in his evil plans.


Bunty (Akul)
Bunty is a school-going boy, who assists Professor Josalkar.



Sona Aunty (Mrinal Kulkarni)
Pari is the typical do-gooder who is fond of Fruity. She knows that Professor Josalkar is on her trail, and hence does not miss an opportunity to teach him a lesson.


Altamash (Ashok)
Pari's assistant is fond of eating and enjoys himself under all situations. He is always at hand to assist Pari.

At 12 'Frootie' is a seasoned actress
Ruchika M. Khanna

Tanvi's favourite list

* My favourite serial — Son Pari.
* My favourite actor — Salman Khan
* My favourite actress — Of course, me.
* I unwind — During vacation time, by going off to relatives in Goa, or on a vacation with family.
* My friends — Prajakta, Neha and my cousin Vidula, because they accept me the way I am.
* My hobbies — Playing football and reading Enid Blyton books
* My ambition — Is not to be an actress, but a camera woman or a director. Acting is a passion, but only for the time being.

A 12-year-old, Tanvi Hegde, famous as Frootie, the character she plays in popular children's serial "Son Pari", is a seasoned actress, adept at handling all the adulation and her celebrity status.

In Panchkula as the chief guest for the annual day function of The Gurukul, Sector 20, Tanvi was at her cherubic best. She waved at children, shook hands with her toddler fans, and smiled as she posed with them for photographs. Dressed in bright orange salwar kameez, Tanvi made it a point not to disappoint any of her fans, even if it meant waving at children standing outside the window, while she deftly handled the questions asked to her by the journos.

Being a celebrity comes naturally to the young actor — after all she has been facing the arc lights since the time she was three-year-old. "Being an actor was a matter of chance. My father's friend, famous photographer, Harish Daftari, had come home and after having one look at me insisted on a photo shoot. After taking my photographs, he himself sent my pictures to various advertisement agencies and television production houses. The first advertisement that I shot for was for a leading national daily and since then there has been no looking back," she says.

Tanvi, has featured in more than 150 advertisements, besides acting in television serials like "Captain House", and "Yeh Hain Mere Apne". She has the rare distinction of having featured in advertisements for three rival tooth paste companies — Promise, Colgate and Pepsodent. She has acted in films like "Champion", "Rahul", "Pita" and "Gaja Gamini", and is now all set to act with Amitabh Bachchan in a "Viruddh", and star with Shahid Kapoor in another film, "Life Ho To Aisi".

But how does she handle her celebrity status, we ask. "I love the admiration and the attention that I get. Though I had featured in several ads and done serials, but the success of "Son Pari" has earned me fans all over the country. Its a great feeling when children walk up to me and talk to me as Frootie."

Though Tanvi is busy shooting for 10 to 12 days a month, she is doing well academically. She was recently awarded Maharshtra's Best Student Award by the Kanak Pratishtha for her all-round achievements in school. A student of Class VIII in King George School, Dadar, Mumbai, Tanvi says that her friends and teachers help her catch up with lessons while she is away from school. Does that mean she gets a preferential treatment in school? "Not at all. Like other children, I have to give application in school explaining the reason for absence. I am also pulled up by my teachers for any laxity in work."

Her mother, Ms. Shobhana Hegde, who is also a teacher in King George School, says that at home they ensure that she remains disciplined.

Pass perfect
By: Urvashi Seth
March 13, 2007

Tanvi Hegde
If you're worried sick about your child's performance in the SSC, this will come as heartening news.

According to state education figures of the last 11 years, the pass percentage in the SSC exams, shoot up during a World Cup year (see box). For instance, the rise in pass percentage in in 1999 (World Cup year) over 1998 was 17.81.

The rise in 1996 (a World Cup year) over 1995 is 5.75 per cent, while it's 4.75 per cent in 2003 (World Cup year) over 2002.

And then comes the drop. Every single year after the Cup, there's been an immediate drop in the pass percentage — 6.98 per cent in 1997 after Cup year 1996.

Explaining the strange phenomenon, Arundhati Chauhan, president of the Parents Teachers United Forum, says, "Students get bored while studying for the exam and the World Cup allows them to relax."

Adds State Education Minister, Vasant Phurke, "It is possible that students fare better during the World Cup because it keeps their spirits high."

Mug shot: At 10 pm yesterday, Ishan Shah (centre) from St Victoria High School, Mahim, revises for the Science II paper for the SSC exams, which begin today. With him are Anvay (right) and Tanmay Banavale from King George School, Dadar PIC/Vishal Kelkar
But psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty slammed the statistics as coincidence. "There is no correlation between the World Cup and exams," he says.

Tanvi Hegde or Frooti from the once popular TV serial, Sonpari, is looking forward to her SSC exams scheduled to begin today.

A student of King George High School, Dadar, she claims to have finished almost 95 per cent of the syllabus in January.

"It will be refreshing to watch cricket during the exams." Nevertheless, parents are worried. Says Mona Tayde, "It's the World Cup, not just a one-day match. If my son sees one match he will want to watch another."

(Inputs by Anita Aikara) and will insist on seeing all the matches to keep tabs on the score." When it comes to cricket my child acts like a toddler. I prefer being strict with him since this is an important exam."