Malavika Manoj: I wasn't very happy about the idea of joining films

New Indian Express

09-07-2025

The upcoming Suhas starrer Oh Bhama Ayyo Rama marks the Telugu debut for Malavika Manoj, who gained a special following with the Tamil film Joe (2023). Ahead of the film's release on July 11, she shares how films happened to her by sheer accident, and what slowly drew her to the idea of a film career.
Having done her schooling till 13 in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah, Malavika recounts how she was piqued with interest in working as a model and getting clicked. She elaborates on the story, 'In my younger days, I didn't take my photos much. But after getting one photo, I liked that idea. Later, I would do photo shoots — not that I wanted to be a model per se, but I liked seeing myself.'
Without Malavika's knowledge, however, her mother had sent her photos to the audition call for a Malayalam film titled Prakashan Parakkatte (2022). Malavika recalls, 'I didn't even know that I was shortlisted in rounds one and two. Later, when they wanted to see me in person for the audition, my mother had no choice but to tell me.'
Malavika frankly admits that she was never particularly interested in acting in films. She recalls, 'When I first heard the news, I was not so happy about it. I didn't have a strong desire to be in cinema — I liked pursuing my studies and attending my classes. Also, I am a shy person. I hadn't even participated in school dramas ever, so I didn't know that I could do it. But I also know that nothing comes easily — so I decided to go with the flow.' Talking about what changed her mind, the Joe actor reflects, 'After meeting the Prakashan team, I felt like trying. When I watched the film, I liked it. I realised I liked working in films, so I continued my journey.'
Strong female roles in movies are rare these days, Malavika notes as she talks about her part in Oh Bhama Ayyo Rama. 'It's not like every film has importance for female characters. But my role is very prominent here, and I feel lucky to do this in my first Telugu film,' she notes. The Joe actor mentions that she didn't find much difference in the working style of the Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam industries. She notes, 'All the teams I've worked with have been sweet and welcoming. While they were all professionals, they were equally concerned about everyone's well-being on the set. Working with a team like this is very comfortable.'
A native of Kerala, Malavika had to struggle a lot while saying her Telugu dialogues in Oh Bhama Ayyo Rama, she says. The actor explains how the team helped her during the shoot, as she adds, 'My team charted the process in a way where the initial days of the shoot had smaller and easier dialogues for me. And slowly, as the shoot progressed, they planned scenes with longer dialogues.'