"He thought I'd be good for his son...": Malavika Mohanan reveals Mammootty's role in her debut film
Malavika Mohanan, actress and daughter of cinematographer KU Mohanan, has opened up about her remarkable journey in the film industry. In a recent interview, she revealed how Malayalam cinema legend Mammootty played a pivotal role in launching her career.
A chance encounter with Mammootty
Malavika's debut role in the 2013 Malayalam film Pattam Pole, opposite Dulquer Salman, was facilitated by Mammootty. The veteran actor spotted her on one of his film sets and suggested her for the role, deeming her perfect for his son's love interest.
The actress recounted the situation where they were casting for a film with Dulquer Salman in the lead. It was a love story and they were looking for a girl and in Malavika's words it was a very 'shaadi ka rishta' kind of situation, where Mammootty saw her and thought she would be good for his son, except it was for a movie.
Casting processMalavika explained that, in the past, Malayalam movie casting often resembled arranged marriages, with industry veterans introducing fresh faces. This traditional approach has only recently given way to modern auditions.
Malavika is now set to make her Telugu debut alongside Prabhas in The Raja Saab, a horror-comedy directed by Maruthi. She expressed her excitement about working with the actor and said she waited patiently for the right project to enter the Telugu industry. The film is slated to release on April 10, 2025.
Recent projectsMalavika made her Bollywood debut in Yudhra and was also recently seen in Tamil film Thangalaan.