Actress Malavika Mohanan, known for her work across both South Indian and Hindi cinema, recently opened up about the distinct differences she has observed between the two industries—particularly regarding how heroines are perceived. In a candid conversation with Hauterrfly, the rising star revealed a surprising cultural trait she encountered during her career in the South: an unusual obsession with the navels of actresses.
Malavika, who has successfully transitioned into a pan-Indian actress, noted that in Mumbai, actresses are often expected to maintain extremely fit and toned bodies, whereas in the South, there is a greater preference for fuller, curvier figures. She pointed out how this difference impacted her own experiences early in her career when she faced trolling both for being “too skinny” and for gaining a bit of weight.
Digging deeper into her experiences, Malavika shared, “It was a completely new phenomenon that navels are obsessed over so much. And then you’d see pictures of actresses on social media, where they zoom in on their bodies.” Her comments shed light on the sometimes uncomfortable scrutiny that actresses endure in certain film industries.
Reflecting on her journey, Malavika emphasized the importance of finding a healthy balance. She said, “At one point, I would get confused—should I be fit or should I be curvy? Now I’ve reached a stage where I’m like, ‘be healthy, be fit.'” Her focus now is on maintaining her health rather than conforming to fluctuating beauty ideals.
On the professional front, Malavika was last seen in the critically acclaimed Tamil film Thangalaan alongside Chiyaan Vikram, and in the Hindi action-thriller Yudhra with Siddhant Chaturvedi. She currently has two major projects lined up: The Raja Saab starring Prabhas and the much-anticipated sequel Sardar 2 with Karthi.
Malavika’s bold comments have sparked conversations online about the beauty standards women face across regional cinemas in India, once again highlighting the need for more body positivity and respect toward actors’ personal spaces.