Malavika Mohanan (born 4 August 1993) is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Tamil and Malayalam films. The daughter of cinematographer K. U. Mohanan, she made her acting debut in the Malayalam film Pattam Pole (2013). She gained praise for her starring role in Majid Majidi's Hindi film Beyond the Clouds (2017).[1][2] She has since played the leading lady in the Malayalam thriller film The Great Father (2017), and the Tamil action films Petta (2019) and Master (2021).
Malavika Mohanan | |
|---|---|
 Malavika in 2024 | |
| Born | 4 August 1993 |
| Alma mater | Wilson College, Mumbai |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Father | K. U. Mohanan |
Early life
Malavika Mohanan was born 4 August 1993 and is the daughter of cinematographer K. U. Mohanan.[3][4] She was born[5] in the town of Payyanur in Kannur district of Kerala and grew up in Mumbai.[6]
Career
2013–2017: Early work
Malavika completed a degree in Mass Media at Wilson College, Mumbai,[7][8] hoping to emulate her father as a cinematographer or as a director. Post her graduation, while she was contemplating taking up higher studies, she accompanied her father to a commercial shoot for a fairness cream, starring Mammootty. Mammootty subsequently enquired about Malavika's interest in acting, before offering her a role opposite his son, Dulquer Salmaan, in an upcoming Malayalam film.[9][10] She took time to consider the proposal before passing an audition and accepting terms to star in Pattam Pole (2013), and gradually learned about the process of acting as the shoot progressed. Owing to the original costume designer's illness, she also worked as her own designer for the project.[9][11][12] The romantic drama film, which narrated the relationship between a Tamil Brahmin youth and a Christian girl, received mixed reviews and did not perform well at the box office. A critic from Rediff.com noted that Malavika's "peppy girl act is far from being perfect but shows promise", while the Times of India's reviewers suggested that she did a "decent job".[13][14] During the period, she continued having an interest in fashion, setting up an Indian ethnic fusion fashion blog called "The Scarlet Window".[15][16]
In her second film, Nirnayakam (2015), she portrayed a ballet dancer, won good reviews but also met with a tepid response commercially.[17] A critic from Sify wrote that she " has nothing much to do other than to look pretty".[18] Another film during the period, Naale opposite Fahadh Faasil, saw her portray a tribal girl but was later dropped midway through production.[19] In 2016, Mohanan worked on her first Kannada film, Naanu Mattu Varalakshmi (2016) opposite a debutant Prithvi.[20] Despite having a low-key release at the box office, the film won good reviews with Malavika's portrayal of the titular role of Varalakshmi being praised by critics.[21][22] She then featured in the role of a police officer in the crime thriller The Great Father (2017), where she starred alongside an ensemble cast including Mammootty, Arya and Sneha.[23][24] The film opened to positive reviews and performed well at the box office.[25][26][27]
2017–present: Beyond the Clouds and beyond
Malavika's breakthrough as an actress came in her Hindi debut, Majid Majidi's drama film Beyond the Clouds (2017). She played Tara, a poor girl from Mumbai's Dhobi Ghat area.[28][29] Following her successful audition, Majidi selected her ahead of Deepika Padukone and Kangana Ranaut for the role, which saw her portray the older sister of debutant Ishaan Khatter.[30][31][32] She expressed her delight at working with Majidi so early in her career, especially considering that she regularly had to study and write essays on his films during her undergraduate course.[33] For the film, she lost eight kilograms in fifteen days to film for a jail sequence, and opted not to wash her hair for several days on end to get the look of the slum dweller correct.[34][35] The film was screened across several international festivals, before being released worldwide in April 2018. Malavika won positive reviews for her portrayal, with Filmfare's critic stating "Malavika Mohanan is a natural in front of the camera".[36] A reviewer from The Times of India stated she was "captivating in her honest portrayal" and "skilfully walks the fine line between passionate and melodramatic", while The Hollywood Reporter called her "solid".[37][38][39]
Malavika then appeared in three Tamil language films. Her Tamil debut was Karthik Subbaraj's Petta (2019), which would feature her alongside an ensemble cast including Rajinikanth, Vijay Sethupathi and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. She hired a Tamil-speaking tutor to help her practice her lines.[40][41] She then went on to appear in the Tamil action thriller film Master (2021) alongside Vijay, in which she played the role of Charulatha, a college lecturer. The film was a commercial success, and became the highest-grossing film in her career.[42][43] In 2022, she appeared in Maaran, opposite Dhanush. The film opt was released directly on Disney+ Hotstar, and received negative reviews from critics and audience.
Malavika's only 2023 release was the Malayalam romantic drama Christy. Her next release was Pa. Ranjith's Tamil film Thangalaan, a historical action fantasy starring Vikram. It was initially slated for a January 2024 Pongal release,[44] but was delayed to 15 August for Independence Day.[45] Her next release is the Hindi action thriller Yudhra opposite Siddhant Chaturvedi, slated for a 20 September 2024 release.[46] She is also set to make her Telugu debut in the Prabhas starrer The Raja Saab, a horror comedy.[47]
Filmography
Film
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Language | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Pattam Pole | Riya | Malayalam | [48] | |
| 2015 | Nirnayakam | Saral | [18] | ||
| 2016 | Naanu Mattu Varalakshmi | Varalakshmi | Kannada | [49] | |
| 2017 | Beyond the Clouds | Tara | Hindi | [50] | |
| The Great Father | Meera | Malayalam | [23] | ||
| 2019 | Petta | Poongodi Malik | Tamil | [51] | |
| 2021 | Master | Charulatha | [52] | ||
| 2022 | Maaran | Thara | [53] | ||
| 2023 | Christy | Christy | Malayalam | [54] | |
| 2024 | Thangalaan | Aarathi | Tamil | [55] | |
| Yudhra | Nikhat | Hindi | [46] | ||
| Sardar 2 † | TBA | Tamil | Filming | [56] | |
| 2025 | The Raja Saab † | TBA | Telugu | Filming | [47] |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Platform | Language | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Masaba Masaba | Herself | Netflix | English | [57] |
Music video
| Year | Song | Singer | Note(s) | Ref. |
| 2022 | "Tauba" | Payal Dev, Badshah | Apni Dhun | [58] |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Film | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Beyond the Clouds | Asiavision Awards | Acting sensation of the year | Won | [59] |
| 2022 | Master | SIIMA Awards | Best Debut Actress (Tamil) | Nominated | [60] |
References
- ^ "It's a dream debut: Malavika Mohanan on her role in 'Beyond the Clouds'". 14 April 2018.
- ^ Seema Sinha (17 April 2018). "Malavika Mohanan on Beyond The Clouds: 'Majid Majidi took me to creative spaces I hadn't gone to before'". Firstpost.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Happy birthday Malavika Mohanan: Here are 10 best pictures of the Petta actor". Hindustan Times. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ "Birthday Special! Malavika Mohanan left us swooning with her scintillating looks (PHOTOS)". The Times of India. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ "മാളവിക മോഹനന്റെ കിടിലൻ ഹോട്ട് ഗ്ലാമറസ് ചിത്രങ്ങൾ കാണാം". 28 March 2020.
- ^ "Malavika mohanan note photos about personal life and movie career". The Indian Express (in Malayalam). 4 January 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ "Wilson College - Notable Alumni". Wilson College. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
- ^ "5 Things you didn't know about Malavika Mohanan who has replaced Deepika Padukone in Majid Majidi's film". The Times of India. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ a b Nagarajan, Saraswathy (23 October 2013). "Malavika Mohan: a breath of fresh air in Mollywood". The Hindu. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Dulquer Salmaan and Archana Kavi in Pattam Pole". The Times of India. 28 December 2015. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ "Alagappan: Pattam Pole is an out an out commercial film - Rediff.com Movies". Rediff.com. 9 October 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ George, Vijay (22 August 2013). "Romance and after". The Hindu. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Review: Pattam Pole is old wine in new bottle - Rediff.com Movies". Rediff.com. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Pattom Pole Movie Review {2/5}: Critic Review of Pattom Pole by Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "The Scarlet Window". Thescarletwindow.tumblr.com. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Malavika Mohanan: 5 Things you didn't know about Malavika Mohanan who has replaced Deepika Padukone in Majid Majidi's film". The Times of India. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ George, Vijay (1 January 2015). "On location: The bonds that matter". The Hindu. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ a b "Review : Nirnaayakam (2015)". Sify. 7 June 2015. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Two roles, poles apart". Deccan Chronicle. 15 October 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Gubbi's new film named Naanu Mattu Varalakshmi". Bangalore Mirror. 4 October 2015. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Naanu Mathu Varalakshmi Movie Review {3/5}: Critic Review of Naanu Mathu Varalakshmi". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Review: Naanu Mattu Varalakshmi gets to high octane racing after a slow start". The New Indian Express. 24 December 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ a b Soman, Deep (2 October 2016). "the great father: Malavika Mohanan turns stylish cop for The Great Father". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Malavika: Dulquer's heroine then, Mammootty's co-star now | Malavika Mohanan | Mammootty | The Great Father | Malayalam". English.manoramaonline.com. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "The Great Father Review {3/5}: The movie is worth your money for its daddy-daughter moments and a timely plot". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Mammootty's 'The Great Father' is the biggest hit of 2017 so far". The News Minute. 25 April 2017. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Review : The Great Father review: Strictly for Mammootty die-hard fans (2017)". Sify. 31 March 2017. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ FC, Team (6 April 2018). "Ishaan Khatter and Malavika Mohanan On Working With Majid Majidi And Preparing For Stardom".
- ^ "Why you must know who Malavika Mohanan is - Rediff.com Movies". Rediff.com. 20 March 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Malavika Mohanan replaces Deepika Padukone". Deccan Chronicle. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Honoured to have competed with Deepika, Kangana for Beyond the Clouds: Malavika Mohanan". The Indian Express. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Meet the girl who stole the show from Dippy". Asianage.com. 15 March 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ Dani, Arti Dani (17 April 2018). "Want to be the torchbearer of change: Malavika Mohanan". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "The lengths to which Malavika Mohanan went to film Beyond The Clouds". Times Now. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ Garima Kapil – Senior Writer (14 April 2018). "It's a dream debut: Malavika Mohanan on her role in 'Beyond the Clouds'". Connected To India. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Movie Review: Beyond The Clouds". filmfare.com. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "Beyond The Clouds Review {3.5/5}: As Right As Rain". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ Kenny, Glenn (19 April 2018). "Review: In 'Beyond the Clouds,' a Brother and Sister Struggle in Mumbai - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "'Beyond the Clouds' Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 22 January 2018. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ LAkshmi, V (22 October 2018). "Rajini sir is an absolute delight to work with: Malavika Mohanan". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ Sharma, Riya (10 November 2018). "Malavika Mohanan: Couldn't get up from my chair when I met Shah Rukh Khan for the first time". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ "When I think of Vijay sir, the word 'dhairyam' comes to mind: Malavika Mohanan on 'Master'". The Hindu. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "'Master' Box Office Collection: Vijay-Vijay Sethupathi starrer makes it to top 10 Tamil grossers". DNA India. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "Vikram's Thangalaan gets a release date as Kamal Haasan's Indian 2 misses out on major holiday". OTTPlay. 2 July 2023. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ^ "Thangalaan to hit theatres on Independence Day?". Cinema Express. 30 June 2024. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ a b Mankad, Himesh (22 August 2024). "EXCLUSIVE: Yudhra to release on September 20; Excel to launch Siddhant Chaturvedi as 'Angry Young Man'". Pinkvilla. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Story of Prabhas' 'The Raja Saab' revealed? Director Maruthi reacts to leaked plot". India Today. 18 January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ^ "Did you know Malavika Mohanan designed her own costume for Pattam Pole?". The Times of India. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
- ^ Sharadhaa, A (24 December 2016). "Review: Naanu Mattu Varalakshmi gets to high octane racing after a slow start". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ IANS (14 March 2017). "Malayalam actor Malavika Mohanan to play leading lady in Majid Majidi's Beyond The Clouds". The Indian Express. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ "Malavika to romance Rajinikanth in his film with Karthik Subbaraj". The Times of India. 18 August 2018. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
- ^ "Malavika Mohanan joins Thalapathy 64". The News Minute. 2 October 2019. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- ^ "தனுஷ் - கார்த்திக் நரேன் இணையும் படத்தின் தலைப்பு 'மாறன்'". Puthiyathalaimurai (in Tamil). 28 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
- ^ "Malavika Mohanan, Mathew Thomas film titled Christy". Cinema Express. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ "Malavika Mohanan shoots for an action sequence for 'Thangalaan'". The Times of India. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
- ^ Panikker, Rohit (2 August 2024). "Malavika Mohanan On Board Karthi's Sardar 2". Times Now. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ Srivastava, Soumya (13 August 2020). "Masaba Gupta's Masaba Masaba to premiere on Netflix on August 28". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
- ^ "Malavika Mohanan Looks Smoking Hot In This All-Black Avatar". News18. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ "Log into Facebook" – via Facebook.
{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help) - ^ "SIIMA 2022: Check full list of winners". Deccan Herald. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
