Malavika Mohanan, born on August 4, 1993, is an Indian actress known for her work primarily in Malayalam and Tamil cinema. Daughter of acclaimed cinematographer K. U. Mohanan, she began her acting career with the Malayalam film Pattam Pole in 2013. Mohanan received significant acclaim for her role in Majid Majidi’s Hindi film Beyond the Clouds (2017). She has also starred as the leading lady in the Malayalam thriller The Great Father (2017) and the Tamil action hits Petta (2019) and Master (2021).
Family:
Malavika Mohanan, born on August 4, 1993, is the daughter of cinematographer K. U. Mohanan. She was born in Payyanur, located in the Kannur district of Kerala, and spent her formative years growing up in Mumbai.
Career:
2013–2017: Early Career
Malavika Mohanan earned a degree in Mass Media from Wilson College in Mumbai, initially aspiring to follow in her father K. U. Mohanan’s footsteps as a cinematographer or director. After graduation, while contemplating further studies, she accompanied her father to a commercial shoot featuring Mammootty. Mammootty, impressed by her presence, inquired about her interest in acting and offered her a role in an upcoming Malayalam film opposite his son, Dulquer Salmaan. After some consideration, Malavika auditioned successfully and accepted the role in Pattam Pole (2013). She learned about acting on the job, even stepping in as her own costume designer due to the original designer’s illness. The romantic drama, which explored the relationship between a Tamil Brahmin youth and a Christian girl, received mixed reviews and struggled at the box office. Critics from Rediff.com and the Times of India found her performance promising but noted areas for improvement.
During this period, Malavika also maintained an interest in fashion, launching a blog called “The Scarlet Window” focusing on Indian ethnic fusion.
In her second film, Nirnayakam (2015), she played a ballet dancer, receiving positive reviews for her performance despite the film’s modest commercial success. She also appeared in Naale opposite Fahadh Faasil, but the film was discontinued midway through production. In 2016, she made her Kannada film debut with Naanu Mattu Varalakshmi, where her portrayal of Varalakshmi was well-received, though the film had a limited release. Her role as a police officer in the Malayalam thriller The Great Father (2017) alongside Mammootty and Arya was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful.
2017–Present: Breakthrough and Beyond
Malavika’s career breakthrough came with her Hindi film debut, Beyond the Clouds (2017), directed by Majid Majidi. She portrayed Tara, a poor girl from Mumbai’s Dhobi Ghat area, and was selected for the role over well-known actresses like Deepika Padukone and Kangana Ranaut. Her dedication included losing eight kilograms in fifteen days and going without washing her hair for a realistic portrayal. The film, which premiered at several international festivals before its global release in April 2018, earned her widespread acclaim. Critics praised her performance, with Filmfare calling her a “natural” and The Times of India highlighting her captivating and nuanced portrayal.
Following this success, Malavika appeared in several Tamil films. Her Tamil debut was Petta (2019), directed by Karthik Subbaraj, where she shared the screen with Rajinikanth, Vijay Sethupathi, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. She hired a Tamil tutor to prepare for her role. She then starred in Master (2021) opposite Vijay, playing Charulatha, a college lecturer. The film was a major hit, becoming the highest-grossing film of her career. In 2022, she featured in Maaran with Dhanush, which was released directly on Disney+ Hotstar and received negative reviews.
In 2023, Malavika’s only release was the Malayalam romantic drama Christy. Her upcoming projects include Pa. Ranjith’s Tamil film Thangalaan, a historical action fantasy with Vikram, initially set for a January 2024 release but now scheduled for August 15, 2024. Additionally, she will star in the Hindi action thriller Yudhra opposite Siddhant Chaturvedi, slated for a September 20, 2024 release, and is set to make her Telugu debut in the horror comedy The Raja Saab alongside Prabhas..
Physical Stats & More
- Height:
- Approximately 163 cm
- 1.63 m
- 5 feet 4 inches
- Eye Color: Black
- Hair Color: Black
Controversy
In May 2019, Malavika faced criticism and trolling for posting a bold photo on Instagram. In response to the negative comments about how a respectable woman should dress, she countered with a fitting reply: “So many comments and opinions about how a respectable girl should dress. On that note, here’s another picture of me sitting respectfully, wearing whatever the hell I want.”
