Rashmika Mandanna
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Rashmika Mandanna, born April 5th, 1996, is an Indian actress, gracing the screens of Telugu and Hindi cinema. Her journey is adorned with four SIIMA Awards and a Filmfare Award South. Hailing from South India, she stands as one of its highest-paid actresses and was recognized by Forbes India in their 2024 "30 Under 30" list.
After a brief foray into modeling in 2014, Mandanna made her acting debut in the Kannada romantic comedy, *Kirik Party* in 2016. She then soared to commercial heights with the action film *Anjani Putra* and the romantic drama *Chamak*, both released in 2017. Her transition to Telugu cinema began with the comedy-drama *Chalo* in 2018, leading to her breakthrough performance in the romantic comedy *Geetha Govindam* that same year, earning her the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress – Telugu. She continued to captivate audiences as the leading lady in action comedies like *Sarileru Neekevvaru* and *Bheeshma* in 2020.
Mandanna's star power reached new heights with the pan-India success of the Telugu action film *Pushpa: The Rise* in 2021. She then took on a supporting role in the period drama *Sita Ramam* in 2022 and led the Tamil film *Varisu* in 2023, before venturing into Hindi cinema with two less successful projects. Her highest-grossing films to date include the action dramas *Animal* (2023) and *Pushpa 2: The Rule* (2024), alongside the historical action film *Chhaava* (2025). Despite her commercial triumphs, her frequent roles in narratives centered around male protagonists have sparked conversations about offering limited opportunities to showcase her full acting spectrum.
Born on April 5th, 1996, Rashmika Mandanna entered the world to Suman and Madan Mandanna in Virajpet, Karnataka, into a Kodava Hindu family. Her father, a coffee estate owner and function hall proprietor, and her mother, a homemaker, raised Rashmika and her younger sister, Shiman, whom she helped raise, feeling a maternal connection. The family's early years were marked by financial struggles, with difficulties in affording rent and toys, an experience that has left a lasting impact on her relationship with money.
Rashmika attended Coorg Public School, a boarding institution in Gonikoppal. During her school years, communication challenges often led to misunderstandings, making it difficult to connect with her peers. She credits her mother as her "biggest strength" and a stabilizing influence in her life.
She pursued a bachelor's degree in psychology, journalism, and English literature at M. S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Bangalore. In 2014, Mandanna was recognized with The Times of India's Clean & Clear Fresh Face award, leading to her becoming a brand ambassador for Clean & Clear. This was followed by a brief modeling career, during which she received acting offers, initially declining them as she had no intention of pursuing acting. However, a convincing audition request from her college professor changed her path. Upon signing her first film, her parents, initially hesitant due to her unassertive nature, eventually supported her ambition.
Mandanna began a relationship with Rakshit Shetty, her co-star in *Kirik Party*, during its filming. Their engagement was announced on July 3rd, 2017, but they parted ways in September 2018 due to compatibility issues. Rumors of her relationship with actor Vijay Deverakonda surfaced in 2020, though she never publicly confirmed them. The two became engaged in October 2025.
After being noticed in a pageant in 2015, Rishab Shetty cast Mandanna in her debut role in the Kannada romantic comedy *Kirik Party* (2016), alongside Rakshit Shetty. As Saanvi, a college student with engineering aspirations, Mandanna found a strong connection with the character's studious nature and sense of being overlooked. Her performance was lauded by The Times of India as that of a "pin-up girl in college," and *Kirik Party* became a massive Kannada box-office success, earning her the SIIMA Award for Best Debut Actress. She later revealed that a film failure would have sent her back home to manage her father's business. Her commercial success continued with her 2017 releases: the action film *Anjani Putra*, where she was noted as a "hero's arm candy" by The Indian Express, and the romantic comedy *Chamak*, where Firstpost commended her for elevating a mediocre film. For *Chamak*, she received her first Best Actress nominations at the Filmfare Awards South and SIIMA.
Venturing into Telugu cinema in 2018, Mandanna starred in *Chalo*, a comedy-drama about a Tamil woman falling for a Telugu man in a segregated village. Despite initial struggles with the language, she received help from the film's assistant director for her dialogue delivery. Hemanth Kumar of Firstpost praised her "terrific debut," and Stivathsan Nadadhur of The Hindu highlighted her comic timing. *Chalo* became her fourth consecutive box-office hit in two years. She then paired with Vijay Deverakonda in Venky Kudumula's romantic comedy *Geetha Govindam*. Made on a modest budget, the film crossed ₹1 billion at the domestic box office, becoming her highest-grosser at the time. Critics lauded the chemistry between Mandanna and Deverakonda, deeming it the highlight of an otherwise predictable film. She earned the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress and a Best Actress nomination at the ceremony. She concluded the year with the Telugu feature *Devadas*, where reviewers from Sify and The Indian Express found her role to be merely ornamental.
The Kannada social action film *Yajamana* (2019) received mixed reviews, with Film Companion's Karthik Keramalu criticizing the age gap between Mandanna and Darshan, who is 19 years her senior. Nonetheless, it proved to be another commercial success for Mandanna. She reunited with Deverakonda for the Telugu romantic drama *Dear Comrade*, portraying Lilly, an aspiring cricketer facing sexism within the sport. Sashidhar Adivi of Deccan Chronicle noted the film as a sign of evolving Telugu cinema, where heroines were given more substantial roles beyond just visual appeal. To prepare for this departure from her lighter roles, Mandanna underwent five months of intensive physical training to embody a cricketer's body language. Despite high expectations, *Dear Comrade* underperformed commercially and faced audience backlash for a kissing scene, which Mandanna defended as fulfilling the script's demands. She later admitted to struggling with the online criticism. Despite these challenges, *Yajamana* and *Dear Comrade* earned Mandanna Best Actress (Critics) awards in Kannada and Telugu, respectively, along with additional Best Actress nominations.
She began the new decade opposite Mahesh Babu in the action comedy *Sarileru Neekevvaru*, which became a top-grossing Telugu film. However, Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu felt her role lacked sufficient scope, stating she "all she gets to do is fawn over Mahesh." She then appeared in the romantic comedy *Bheeshma* with Nithiin, where Karthik Keramalu again dismissed her as ornamental. The film achieved commercial success, and Mandanna received another Best Actress (Telugu) nomination at Filmfare.
In 2021, Mandanna starred opposite Dhruva Sarja in *Pogaru*, which Vivek M V of Deccan Herald described as "a riot of toxic masculinity." Her second release that year marked her Tamil cinema debut in the action drama *Sulthan*, opposite Karthi. She emphasized the importance of working across languages, viewing it as an opportunity rather than a barrier. While Hindustan Times' Haricharan Pudipeddi felt Mandanna was "sidelined," M Suganth of The Times of India praised her "charming debut." The film achieved moderate commercial success.
Her final appearance of 2021 was in the critically and commercially successful Telugu action film *Pushpa: The Rise*, starring Allu Arjun. For her role as a girl involved in the red sandalwood smuggling syndicate, she learned the Chittoor dialect of Telugu with a tutor's assistance. Mukesh Manjunath of Film Companion found she did her "best to imbue bubbliness and the innocence required in these testosterone-charged surroundings" but criticized the "brown-facing" of her character as "unnecessary and ineffective." Divya Nair of Rediff.com observed that the female characters were reduced to serving solely as visual appeal. Ranking among the highest-grossing Telugu films of all time, *Pushpa: The Rise* was a significant career breakthrough for Mandanna, earning her pan-India recognition, particularly for the popular song "Saami Saami." She received Best Actress nominations at both SIIMA and Filmfare for her performance.
The following year, Mandanna starred in a string of films with varying success. She began with the unremarkable Telugu feature *Aadavallu Meeku Johaarlu* opposite Sharwanand. Eager to showcase her acting skills after a series of androcentric films, she took on a supporting role in the Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur-led romantic drama *Sita Ramam*. Sangeetha Devi Dundoo appreciated Mandanna being "given the scope to play a self-centred character" and demonstrating her willingness to take on well-written roles. Against expectations, the film became a box-office success, and Mandanna earned her first nomination for Best Supporting Actress (Telugu) at Filmfare.
Mandanna was slated to debut in Hindi cinema with *Mission Majnu*, but production delays led to her first appearance being in Vikas Bahl's family drama *Goodbye*, opposite Amitabh Bachchan. She played a woman grappling with her mother's death. Initially hesitant due to the character's views on religious rituals clashing with her own beliefs, Bahl's confidence in her abilities convinced her. The film was a financial failure. Devesh Sharma of Filmfare praised Mandanna's subtle performance and her ability to "leave an impact even in this non-glamorous debut." However, Renuka Vyavahare of The Times of India criticized her Hindi diction but felt she retained the "essence" of her Punjabi character. She received the Zee Cine Award for Best Female Debut for her performance.
The following year saw Mandanna star in three action films: *Varisu*, *Mission Majnu*, and *Animal*. *Varisu* follows a young heir taking over his family's business empire, with Mandanna as his love interest. She called it a "conscious choice" to star despite a role "with nothing to do," aware of the recognition Vijay's celebrity would bring. M Suganth agreed her role was insubstantial and ornamental. The film was a modest commercial success. The Hindi spy thriller *Mission Majnu*, featuring Mandanna as a visually impaired woman opposite Sidharth Malhotra, premiered digitally on Netflix after production delays. She underwent intensive workshops to understand the behaviors of the visually impaired, finding it challenging not to make eye contact with Malhotra during their scenes. In a scathing review for Rediff.com, Sukanya Verma summarized Mandanna's role as "Wearing a nose ring and smiling in response to everything."
Sandeep Reddy Vanga's controversial film *Animal*, starring Ranbir Kapoor, cast Mandanna as Geetanjali, a devoted housewife unaware of her husband's debauched behavior. She replaced Parineeti Chopra, with Vanga believing she was a better fit. The film's content led to accusations of glorifying toxic masculinity and misogyny. WION's Shomini Sen praised Mandanna for salvaging a poorly written character constrained by Vanga's focus on "a skewed version of an alpha male." Mandanna defended her role against accusations of condoning misogyny, stating that such characters exist in reality and their hyperbolic depiction is a "cinematic liberty intended to entertain the audience." *Animal* ranks as the third highest-grossing Indian film of 2023, earning over ₹9 billion.
In 2024, Mandanna reprised her role as Srivalli in the Telugu action sequel *Pushpa 2: The Rule*. Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in appreciated her chemistry with Allu Arjun and noted she "has several strong sequences to justify her presence" in an androcentric narrative. Anandu Suresh of The Indian Express criticized the hypersexualization of her role and a recurring theme of playing the love interest of "unnervingly eccentric" men. Mandanna defended the representation of toxic masculinity in both the *Animal* and *Pushpa* franchises, explaining that such individuals exist in reality and their hyperbolic depiction is a "cinematic liberty intended to entertain the audience." *Pushpa 2: The Rule* set box-office records, becoming Indian cinema's third biggest-grosser and Mandanna's highest-grossing film.
Her first release of 2025 was Laxman Utekar's historical action film *Chhaava*, where she portrayed Maharani Yesubai Bhonsale opposite Vicky Kaushal. To prepare, they spent four weeks learning Marathi. Reception to Mandanna's performance was generally negative; Kusumika Das of Times Now praised her "striking visual presence" but felt she still struggled with Hindi diction and lacked emotional depth. Grossing over ₹8 billion, *Chhaava* became the highest-grossing Indian film of the year, making Mandanna the first Indian actress with three films crossing ₹5 billion domestically. She then featured in AR Murugadoss's action film *Sikandar* opposite Salman Khan, 31 years her senior. Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times dismissed her "unconvincing" performance and weak Hindi dialogue delivery. Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter noted a prevailing theme in Mandanna's filmography of "catering to the middle-class Indian patriarch’s biggest fantasy" by playing subservient women. She next appeared as Dhanush's love interest in Sekhar Kammula's Telugu-Tamil bilingual film *Kuberaa*. Both *Sikandar* and *Kuberaa* failed to recoup their production budgets.
Mandanna will next headline the Telugu female-led film *The Girlfriend*. She will also join the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe in the romantic horror film *Thamma* alongside Ayushmann Khurrana, and star opposite Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon in the sequel to *Cocktail*. Filming for *Sikandar*, *Kuberaa*, and *Thamma* was delayed in January 2025 due to a leg injury Mandanna sustained at the gym.
Sneha Menon Desai of Film Companion highlights Mandanna's sincerity and "down-to-earth personality," while Anupama Chopra, also from Film Companion, describes her as "intelligent" and acknowledges her ability to resonate with audiences.
In 2024, Mandanna was featured by Forbes India in their 30 Under 30 list, and the Indian edition of GQ named her among South India's highest-paid actresses. She was ranked 24th in Bangalore Times' 25 Most Desirable Women of 2016 and also appeared in their 30 Most Desirable Women of 2017. In October 2021, she topped Forbes India's most influential stars on Instagram in South Cinema. As of August 2024, Mandanna is the most-followed Kannada actress on Instagram.
Mandanna is an endorser for various brands and products, including McDonald's, Dabur Honey, Cashify, Kalyan Jewellers, and Bisk Farm. In 2023, she became the first Indian ambassador for Japanese fashion brand Onitsuka Tiger. She and Tiger Shroff were named "strategic partners" of American streaming service Crunchyroll for their expansion efforts in India. As an Onitsuka Tiger ambassador, she attended Milan Fashion Week and walked the runway, and for Crunchyroll, she presented an award at the 8th Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Japan. She serves as both an ambassador and investor for Plum, a vegan beauty and personal care brand.
In November 2023, a deepfake of Mandanna was posted on X, morphing her face onto a sexually suggestive video. In response, Mandanna expressed her fear for herself and others vulnerable to technological misuse. She received support from prominent figures, including her *Goodbye* co-star Amitabh Bachchan. In December 2023, Delhi Police contacted Meta to obtain the URL ID of the account responsible for the video and filed a First Information Report. In January 2024, the creator was arrested, claiming he made the deepfake for Instagram followers. Following the incident, Mandanna was appointed the national brand ambassador of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre.
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Rashmika Mandanna (born 5 April 1996) is an Indian actress who primaily works in Telugu and Hindi films. Her accolades include four SIIMA Awards and a Filmfare Award South. One of South India's highest-paid actresses, she was featured in Forbes India's 2024 list of "30 Under 30".
After a brief modelling career in 2014, Mandanna made her acting debut with the Kannada romantic comedy Kirik Party (2016) and gained further commercial success with the action film Anjani Putra and the romantic drama Chamak (both 2017). She expanded into Telugu cinema with the comedy drama Chalo (2018) and achieved her breakthrough with the romantic comedy Geetha Govindam (2018), earning the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress – Telugu. She went on to star as the leading lady in the action comedies Sarileru Neekevvaru and Bheeshma (both 2020).
Mandanna gained wider recognition with the pan-India success of the Telugu action film Pushpa: The Rise (2021). She played a supporting role in the period drama Sita Ramam (2022) and starred as the lead in the Tamil film Varisu (2023) before venturing into Hindi cinema with two less successful releases. She achieved her highest-grossing films with the action dramas Animal (2023) and Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024), as well as the historical action film Chhaava (2025). Nevertheless, her frequent roles in androcentric narratives have drawn criticism for offering limited opportunities to showcase her acting range.
== Early and personal life ==
Rashmika Mandanna was born on 5 April 1996 to Suman and Madan Mandanna into a Kodava Hindu family in Virajpet, a town in Kodagu district, Karnataka. Her father owns a coffee estate and a function hall in her hometown, and her mother is a homemaker. She has a younger sister, Shiman whom she helped raise and felt like a maternal figure to. As a child, her family struggled financially, and had difficulties finding a home and paying rent; according to Mandanna, her parents could not afford to buy her toys and the experience has continued to taint her relationship with money.
Mandanna attended Coorg Public School, a boarding school in Gonikoppal. During this phase of her life, she was often misunderstood due to her struggles with communication, making connecting with her peers difficult. Mandanna credits her mother for being a stabilising influence in her life and labelled her "my biggest strength".
Mandanna studied for a bachelor's degree in psychology, journalism and English literature at M. S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Bangalore. In 2014, Mandanna was awarded The Times of India's Clean & Clear Fresh Face that recognises high-potential individuals; she was subsequently made a brand ambassador for Clean & Clear as part of the winning reward. This was followed by a brief modelling career, during which she received several acting offers from production houses, which she declined, stating that she had no intention of pursuing a career in acting at the time but was convinced by her college professor to audition. After signing her first film, she informed her parents who were initially hesitant towards her pursuit of an acting career due to her unassertive personality, but they ultimately relented.
Mandanna began dating Rakshit Shetty, her co-star in Kirik Party, during the making of the film, and they announced their engagement on 3 July 2017 at a private party in her hometown Virajpet. They ended their engagement in September 2018, citing compatibility issues. Rumours about Mandanna dating actor Vijay Deverakonda began circulating in 2020, though she never publicly addressed them. The two became engaged in October 2025.
== Career ==
=== Early work and breakthrough (2016–2020) ===
After noticing her win a pageant in 2015, Rishab Shetty offered Mandanna her debut in his Kannada romantic comedy Kirik Party (2016) opposite Rakshit Shetty. She was introduced as Saanvi, a college student with ambitions of becoming an engineer; Mandanna said she identified strongly with the character's studious nature and sense of being overlooked at school. In a positive review for The Times of India, Sunayana Suresh praised Mandanna's performance, writing that she "is easily that pin-up girl in college and she breathes her path". Kirik Party emerged as one of the highest-grossing Kannada films and her performance earned her the SIIMA Award for Best Debut Actress. Mandanna later revealed that if the film had failed, she would have returned home to manage her father's business. Her commercial success was sustained with her 2017 releases—the action film Anjani Putra and the romantic comedy Chamak. In the former, The Indian Express noted that the actress had been reduced to "a hero's arm candy", but in the latter, Firstpost's Karthik Kermalu commended Mandanna for enhancing a mediocre picture. For Chamak, she received her first Best Actress nominations at the Filmfare Awards South and the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA).
Expanding into Telugu cinema in 2018, Mandanna starred in Chalo, a comedy drama about a Tamil woman who becomes romantically involved with a Telugu man (played by Naga Shaurya) in a heavily segregated village. Initially struggling with the new language, Mandanna sought help from the film's assistant director, who assisted her in improving her dialogue delivery. In mixed reviews of the film, Hemanth Kumar of Firstpost lauded her "terrific debut" and Stivathsan Nadadhur from The Hindu appreciated her comic timing. Chalo emerged as her fourth consecutive box-office success in two years. Mandanna was next cast opposite Vijay Deverakonda in Venky Kudumula's romantic comedy Geetha Govindam. Made on a shoestring budget, the film became her first to cross ₹1 billion (US$13 million) at the domestic box-office, her highest-grosser at that point. Critics for Film Companion and Firstpost considered the chemistry between her and Deverakonda to be the highlight of an otherwise monotonous film. She earned the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress and gained a Best Actress nomination at the ceremony. Mandanna ended the year with the Telugu feature Devadas, in which she was dismissed as ornamental by reviewers for Sify and The Indian Express.
The Kannada social action film Yajamana (2019) had a mixed reception from critics, with Film Companion's Karthik Keramalu notably criticising the age between Mandanna and Darshan, who is 19 years her senior. Regardless, it emerged as another commercial success for Mandanna. She then reunited with Deverakonda for the Telugu romantic drama Dear Comrade, in which she played Lilly, an aspiring cricket player who faces sexism and discrimination from within the sport. Sashidhar Adivi of Deccan Chronicle commented that the role reflected a shift in Telugu cinema, where heroines were being given more substantial roles rather than serving purely as visual appeal. As the film marked a departure from Mandanna's previous lighthearted roles, to prepare for the part she underwent five months of intensive physical training to accurately emulate a cricket player's body language. Despite high expectations following her previous collaboration with Deverakonda, Dear Comrade underperformed commercially. It also faced extensive criticism from audiences due to a scene featuring a kiss between the pair; in response, Mandanna stated that she was carrying out the script's demands and that a sole scene should not dictate the entire film. She later admitted that she struggled with the online backlash that followed the film's release. Despite this, Yajamana and Dear Comrade won Mandanna Best Actress (Critics) awards in Kannada and Telugu, respectively, as well as additional Best Actress nominations in both languages at the ceremony.
She began the new decade opposite Mahesh Babu in the action comedy Sarileru Neekevvaru, which went on to become a top-grossing Telugu film. However, Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu bemoaned that her role did not offer her adequate scope to perform as "all she gets to do is fawn over Mahesh". She then featured in the romantic comedy Bheeshma opposite Nithiin, in which Karthik Keramalu dismissed her as ornamental once again. The film achieved commercial success at the box-office and Mandanna received another nomination for Best Actress (Telugu) at Filmfare.
=== Career expansion and commercial success (2021–present) ===
In 2021, Mandanna starred opposite Dhruva Sarja in Pogaru, which Vivek M V of Deccan Herald termed "a riot of toxic masculinity". In her second release of the year, she made her debut into Tamil cinema opposite Karthi in the action drama Sulthan. She expressed that working across languages is important to her, seeing it not as a barrier but as an opportunity to establish herself across industries. Though Hindustan Times' Haricharan Pudipeddi felt that Mandanna had been "sidelined", M Suganth of The Times of India praised her on a "charming debut". It emerged as a moderate commercial success.
Her final appearance of 2021 was in the critically and commercially successful Telugu action film Pushpa: The Rise, starring Allu Arjun. For her role as a girl involved in the smuggling syndicate of red sandalwood, she learnt the Chittoor dialect of Telugu with support from a tutor. Film Companion's Mukesh Manjunath found that she did her "best to imbue bubbliness and the innocence required in these testosterone-charged surroundings" but lamented that the "brown-facing" of her character was "unnecessary and ineffective". Additionally, Divya Nair of Rediff.com observed that the female characters in the film were reduced to serving solely as visual appeal. Ranking among the highest-grossing Telugu films of all time, the film marked a significant breakthrough in Mandanna's career as she earned pan-India recognition for it, particularly for the song, "Saami Saami", which gained popularity. Additionally, she received Best Actress nominations at both SIIMA and Filmfare for her performance.
The following year, Mandanna starred in a string of films with varying levels of success. She started with the unremarkable Telugu feature Aadavallu Meeku Johaarlu opposite Sharwanand. Keen to showcase her acting skills after a series of androcentric films, she took on a supporting role in the Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur-led romantic drama Sita Ramam. Citing it as one of her better films, Sangeetha Devi Dundoo appreciated that Mandanna is "given the scope to play a self-centred character" and showed that she is willing to take on well-written roles. Against expectations, the film emerged as a success at the box-office and Mandanna earned her first nomination for Best Supporting Actress (Telugu) at Filmfare.
Mandanna was set to debut in Hindi cinema with Mission Majnu, but production delays meant her first appearance came instead in Vikas Bahl's family drama Goodbye, opposite Amitabh Bachchan, where she played a woman struggling with the aftermath of her mother’s death (portrayed by Neena Gupta). She was initially hesitant to accept the role, as the character's dismissive views on religious rituals clashed with her own beliefs, but Bahl's confidence in her abilities convinced her. The film was a financial failure. Mandanna's performance was well received by Devesh Sharma of Filmfare, who praised the subtlety she brought to her scenes and her ability to "leave an impact even in this non-glamorous debut". However, Renuka Vyavahare of The Times of India criticised Mandanna's Hindi diction but felt that she had managed to retain the "essence" of her Punjabi character. She earned the Zee Cine Award for Best Female Debut for her performance.
The following year saw Mandanna star in three action films—Varisu, Mission Majnu and Animal. Varisu follows a young heir (played by Vijay) who takes over his family's business empire after his father's death, with Mandanna starring as his love interest. She labelled it a "conscious choice" to star in the film despite having a role "with nothing to do" as she was aware of the recognition Vijay's celebrity would bring her. M Suganth concurred that her role was insubstantial and dismissed her as merely ornamental. It emerged as a modest commercial success. The Hindi spy thriller Mission Majnu featuring Mandanna as a visually-impaired woman opposite Sidharth Malhotra, premiered digitally on Netflix following several delays in production. In preparation, she participated in intensive workshops to better her understanding on the behaviours of the visually-impaired and found it challenging not to be able to look Malhotra in the eyes during their scenes together. In a scathing review for Rediff.com, Sukanya Verma wrote that "Wearing a nose ring and smiling in response to everything is Rashmika's role in a nutshell".
Sandeep Reddy Vanga's controversial Animal—starring Ranbir Kapoor—cast Mandanna as Geetanjali, a devoted housewife who learns of her husband's (Kapoor) debauched behaviours. She replaced Parineeti Chopra during filming as Vanga felt she was better suited for the role. The film's content led certain commentators to accuse the film of glorifying toxic masculinity and misogyny. WION's Shomini Sen praised Mandanna for salvaging a poorly-written character that had been constrained by Vanga's focus on "a skewed version of an alpha male". Mandanna defended her role in the film against criticism that her character condoned misogyny. Animal ranks as the third highest-grossing Indian film of 2023, grossing over ₹9 billion (US$110 million).
In 2024, Mandanna reprised her role as Srivalli in the Telugu action sequel Pushpa 2: The Rule. Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in was appreciative of her chemistry with Allu Arjun and added that she "has several strong sequences to justify her presence" in an androcentric narrative. The Indian Express's Anandu Suresh was displeased with the hypersexualisation of her role, and took note of a recurring theme in her filmography of playing the love interest of "unnervingly eccentric" men. Mandanna defended the representation of toxic masculinity in both the Animal and Pushpa franchises, explaining that such individuals exist in reality, and their hyperbolic depiction is a "cinematic liberty intended to entertain the audience". Pushpa 2: The Rule set several box-office records for an Indian film, earning over ₹18 billion (US$210 million) worldwide to rank as Indian cinema's third biggest-grosser as well as Mandanna's highest grosser.
Her first release of 2025 came with Laxman Utekar's historical action film Chhaava, where she portrayed Maharani Yesubai Bhonsale opposite Vicky Kaushal as Maratha Chhatrapati Sambhaji. To prepare for their roles, Kaushal and her spent four weeks learning Marathi. Reception to Mandanna's performance was generally negative; Kusumika Das of Times Now was appreciative of her "striking visual presence", but felt that she still struggled with her Hindi diction and was unimpressed with the emotional depth in her performance. Grossing over ₹8 billion (US$95 million), Chhaava emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film of the year, making Mandanna the first Indian actress with three films crossing ₹5 billion (US$59 million) domestically. She next featured in AR Murugadoss' action film Sikandar opposite Salman Khan, who is 31 years her senior. In a negative review for Hindustan Times, Rishabh Suri dismissed her "unconvincing" performance and persistently weak Hindi dialogue delivery. Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter noted a prevailing theme in Mandanna's filmography of "catering to the middle-class Indian patriarch’s biggest fantasy" by playing subservient women whose sole purpose is to decorate their husband's masculinity and "cook the carcass of female agency". She next appeared as what Scroll.in described as the "force-fitted into the plot" love interest of Dhanush's character in Sekhar Kammula's Telugu-Tamil bilingual film Kuberaa. Both Sikandar and Kuberaa failed to recoup their high production budgets.
Mandanna will next headline the Telugu female-led film The Girlfriend. She will also join the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe, alongside Ayushmann Khurrana, in the romantic horror film Thamma and star opposite Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon in the sequel to Cocktail. Filming for Sikandar, Kuberaa and Thamma was delayed in January 2025, when Mandanna sustained a leg injury at the gym.
== Media image ==
Sneha Menon Desai of Film Companion notes Mandanna's sincerity and "down-to-earth personality", while Anupama Chopra, also from Film Companion, describes her as "intelligent" and acknowledges her ability to resonate with audiences.
In 2024, Mandanna was featured by Forbes India in their 30 Under 30 list and the Indian edition of GQ named her among South India's highest-paid actresses. She was placed at the 24th position in Bangalore Times' 25 Most Desirable Women of 2016 and also appeared in the Bangalore Times' 30 Most Desirable women of 2017. In October 2021, she placed first in Forbes India's most influential stars on Instagram in South Cinema. As of August 2024, Mandanna is the most-followed Kannada actress on Instagram.
Mandanna is an endorser for several brands and products, including McDonald's, Dabur Honey, Cashify, Kalyan Jewellers and Bisk Farm among others. In 2023, she was made the first Indian ambassador for Japanese fashion brand Onitsuka Tiger. She and Tiger Shroff were named "strategic partners" of American streaming service Crunchyroll for their efforts to expand in India. As an ambassador for Onitsuka Tiger, she attended Milan Fashion Week and walked the runway, while for Crunchyroll, she presented an award at the 8th Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Japan. She serves as both an ambassador and investor for Plum, a vegan beauty and personal care brand.
In November 2023, a deepfake of Mandanna was posted on the platform X by digital marketer Eemani Naveen. Her face was morphed on to a sexually suggestive Instagram video posted by a British-Indian influencer named Zara Patel. In response, Mandanna released a statement saying she was "[scared] not only for me, but also for each one of us who today is vulnerable to so much harm because of how technology is being misused". She received support from prominent figures in Indian cinema, including her Goodbye co-star Amitabh Bachchan, who spoke out against the dangers of such deepfakes. In December 2023, Delhi Police communicated with Meta to obtain the URL ID associated with the account responsible for generating the video, and filed a First information report in relation to the case. In January 2024, Naveen was arrested; he claimed he had created the deepfake to gain followers on Instagram. Following the incident, Mandanna was appointed as the national brand ambassador of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre.
== Filmography ==
=== Films ===
=== Music video ===
== Awards and nominations ==
== References ==
== External links ==
Rashmika Mandanna at IMDb
Rashmika Mandanna at Bollywood Hungama
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