Malavika Mohanan is an actress who has predominantly worked in the Tamil and Malayalam industry. The actress, who is among the most talked about stars today, was initially not even considered to be a part of the acting circle. However, as fate would have it, an unexpected opportunity changed her course, and today, she has been the leading lady in several Malayalam and Tamil projects.
Malavika Mohanan is the daughter of the renowned cinematographer, K.U. Mohanan. However, she has maintained her individuality with her versatile performances across Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi films. Born on August 4, 1993, in Payyanur, the actress is a growing name in the industry with a solid fan base.
Malavika Mohanan wanted to be a cinematographer or journalist
Malavika Mohanan was born in the Kannur district of Kerala, but she grew up in Mumbai. She completed her Mass Media degree from the City of Dreams at Wilson College. The actress was contemplating her path to future studies and exploring her available options. However, acting was not on her list. She initially considered following her father, K.U. Mohanan’s footsteps into cinematography or explore journalism. However, an unexpected turn changed the course for her.
Malavika Mohanan’s career path changed after an unexpected encounter with Mammootty
Malavika Mohanan was considering her options when an unexpected opportunity knocked on her door. She was accompanying her father, K.U. Mohanan to a commercial shoot for a fairness cream, where she met with the veteran actor, Mammootty. The actor was shooting for the advertisement when he noticed the young actress and enquired about her interest in acting. However, one would wonder how an encounter during an ad shoot turned into an acting opportunity. Mammootty was looking to cast a heroine opposite his son, Dulquer Salmaan, in the 2013 film, Pattam Pole. However, when he met Malavika, he felt his search had ended, and he offered the role to the young actress.
Malavika Mohanan designed her own costumes for the film, Pattam Pole
When Malavika Mohanan entered the film industry, there was nothing she knew about acting or how the industry worked. However, she took the time to consider the proposal before passing another audition and accepting the terms to star opposite Dulquer Salmaan in Pattam Pole. Since she was unaware of the acting methodology, she processed and learned the process while shooting for the film. However, that is not all. Malavika Mohanan owned up to the original costume designer’s illness and worked as her own designer for the project. The romantic drama while failed to impress at the box-office, marked the actresses potential in the acting world.
Malavika Mohnan’s learning curve in the industry
Malavika Mohanan made another appearance two years later in Nirnayakam which gained positive feedback from the critics. However, once again, it failed at the commercial bracket. She was cast in another project named Naale. However, it was shelved midway through production. Malavika then appeared in Naanu Matty Varalakshmi in 2016, which, despite its low-key release at the box office, earned fabulous reviews for Malavika’s portrayal of the titular role, ‘Varalakshmi’. However, her first box-office success came with the 2017 crime thriller, The Great Father.
Malavika Mohanan’s big Bollywood debut required her to lose 8 kilograms
Malavika Mohanan soon became a known face with her Hindi debut in Beyond The Clouds, in which she played the role of a poor girl, ‘Tara’, who belonged to an underprivileged community. The role earned her critical acclaim and established her as a talent to watch. For the film, the actress lost over eight kilograms in fifteen days to film for a jail sequence and didn’t wash her hair for several days on end to create a realistic look of the slum dweller.
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