Pinto has been trained in Salsa and various forms of Indian classic dance. She attended St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai and completed her BA degree in English Literature in 2005. Before she became an actress, the 20-year-old Freida signed with the Elite Modeling Agency in India and worked as a professional model for two years. She appeared on numerous campaigns for big names like DeBeers, Hutch, Wrigley’s Chewing Gum, Visa, Chanel, eBay, Airtel, MTV and Skoda. During this time, Freida Pinto also appeared in runway shows and graced the covers of various magazines, both local and international.
Freida Pinto has appeared on several TV shows, including “Sahara,” “Wendell Rodricks for Lakme Fashion Week 2006,” and the “History Channel.” In 2006 to 2007, she became the host of “Full Circle,” a TV travel show by zee International Asia Pacific, wherein she explores the traditions and cultures of people from Fiji, Malaysia, Singapore, Afghanistan and Indonesia among others. Her show lasted up to 52 episodes.
As for acting, Freida started by studying at The Barry John’s Acting Studio in Andheri, where she was trained by Barry John. She then auditioned for a role on the Danny Boyle film “Slumdog Millionaire” and was eventually selected as the lead female after six months of auditions. In 2008, when the ‘Slumdog’ was released in theaters, Freida Pinto was seen as Latika – the long-lost love of Jamal (portrayed by Dev Patel). The film has won over 20 awards from the Golden Globes, BAFTA and Academy Awards. Freida won the ‘Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture’ alongside 10 other cast members. Aside from a BAFTA nomination for ‘Best Supporting Actress, Freida Pinto also won a ‘People’s Choice award’ at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival and a ‘Breakthrough Performance award’ at the 2009 Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards.
Since her debut in Hollywood, Freida Pinto has become the next “it” girl and has graced a dozen magazine covers. She has been dubbed as a fashionista and has been seen in various fashion events in the US and UK. Freida has also been chosen to be part of Woody Allen’s next film alongside Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Antonio Banderas and Josh Brolin. With her career on the right track, it’s safe to say that Freida Pinto’s career has just started.