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Mean Girls Star Avantika Takes on Horror and Astrology in Tarot


Before Avantika Vandanapu (who goes by just her first name) blew us all away with her fabulous rendition of the loveable airhead Karen in the Mean Girls movie musical earlier this year, before she starred alongside Rebel Wilson in the comedy Senior Year; and even before her breakout moment in the Disney original movie Spin, she was a Telugu cinema star. Starting at the age of 10, Avantika made a name for herself in the competitive Indian film industry. As she continued to book projects, it was clear the actor, who was born in Northern California and moved to India at 9, had the charisma and screen prowess to make it big internationally. Now, at 19, she’s proving herself to be one of the buzziest young names in Hollywood.

This month, Avantika will return to the big screen in the horror film Tarot. The frightening feature follows a group of friends who partake in a seemingly innocent tarot card reading while on a weekend getaway only to unexpectedly unleash an evil trapped within the cursed deck. One by one, they must race against death to escape their foretold futures. Combining her favorite genre with her love of astrology, Tarot presented an exciting opportunity for Avantika—it was a no-brainer.

We see Avantika effortlessly jump from comedy to musical to horror on-screen, all the while keeping up her career in India—she recently starred in the Prime Video India drama Big Girls Don’t Cry. Behind the scenes, she’s taking on the role of executive producer, starting with the upcoming series adaptation of A Crown of Wishes, and attending classes at Columbia University. Basically, big things are on the horizon for Avantika. It’s even written in her cards.

Portrait photo of actress Avantika.

(Image credit: Sarah Krick)

Tarot kicks off with a card reading, which sets in motion the terrifying events of the film. Have you ever had a tarot reading done? Do you believe in that kind of stuff?