Rashmika Mandanna (born 5 April 1996) is an Indian actress who primarily works inTelugu andHindi films. Her accolades include fourSIIMA Awards and aFilmfare Award South. One of South India's highest-paid actresses, she was featured inForbes India's 2024 list of "30 Under 30".
After a brief modelling career in 2014, Mandanna made her acting debut with theKannada romantic comedyKirik Party (2016) and gained further commercial success with the action filmAnjani Putra and the romantic dramaChamak (both 2017). She expanded into Telugu cinema in 2018 with the comedy dramaChalo and achieved her breakthrough with the romantic comedyGeetha Govindam, which earned her theFilmfare Critics Award for Best Actress – Telugu. She went on to star as the leading lady in the action comediesSarileru Neekevvaru andBheeshma (both 2020).
Mandanna gained wider recognition with thepan-India success of the Telugu action filmPushpa: The Rise (2021). She played a supporting role in the period dramaSita Ramam (2022) and starred as the lead in the Tamil filmVarisu (2023) before venturing into Hindi cinema with two unsuccessful releases. She achieved her highest-grossing films with the action dramasAnimal (2023),Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024)—for which she earned theSIIMA Award for Best Actress—andChhaava (2025). While her recurring roles in androcentric narratives have drawn criticism for constraining her acting range, she garnered critical praise for her portrayal of a woman in a toxic relationship inThe Girlfriend (2025).
Early life and education
Rashmika Mandanna was born on 5 April 1996 to Suman and Madan Mandanna into aKodava Hindu family inVirajpet, a town inKodagu district,Karnataka.[1][2] Her father owns a coffee estate and a function hall in her hometown, and her mother is ahomemaker.[3] She has a younger sister, Shiman whom she helped raise and felt like a maternal figure to.[3][4] 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.[5]
Mandanna attended Coorg Public School, a boarding school inGonikoppal.[6] During this phase of her life, she was often misunderstood due to her struggles with communication, making connecting with her peers difficult.[7] Mandanna credits her mother for being a stabilising influence in her life and labelled her "my biggest strength".[7]
Mandanna studied for a bachelor's degree in psychology, journalism and English literature atM. S. Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce inBangalore.[8] In 2014, Mandanna was awardedThe Times of India'sClean & Clear Fresh Face that recognises high-potential individuals;[9] she was subsequently made a brand ambassador for Clean & Clear as part of the winning reward.[10][11] 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.[12] 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.[13]
Career
Early work and breakthrough (2016–2020)
After noticing her win a pageant in 2015,Rishab Shetty offered Mandanna her debut in hisKannada romantic comedyKirik Party (2016) oppositeRakshit Shetty.[14] She was introduced as Saanvi, a college student with ambitions of becoming an engineer; Mandanna said she deeply related to the character's studious nature and the experience of often being overlooked at school.[15] In a positive review forThe Times of India, Sunayana Suresh wrote that Mandanna "is easily that pin-up girl in college and she breathes her path".[16]Kirik Party emerged as theyear's highest-grossing Kannada film and her performance earned her theSouth Indian International Movie (SIIMA) Award for Best Debut Actress.[17][18] Mandanna later revealed that if the film had failed, she would have had to return home to manage her father's business.[19] Her commercial success was sustained with her 2017 releases—the action filmAnjani Putra and the romantic comedyChamak.[20] In the former,The Indian Express felt that the actress had been reduced to "a hero's arm candy", but in the latter,Firstpost's Karthik Kermalu credited Mandanna with enhancing a mediocre picture.[21][22] ForChamak, she received her first Best Actress nominations at theFilmfare Awards South and SIIMA.[23][24]
Expanding intoTelugu cinema in 2018, Mandanna starred in the comedy dramaChalo, which follows a Tamil woman (Mandanna) who becomes romantically involved with a Telugu man (played byNaga Shaurya) in a 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.[25] Reception to the film was mixed but Hemanth Kumar ofFirstpost commended Mandanna on a "terrific debut" and Stivathsan Nadadhur fromThe Hindu appreciated her comic timing.[26][27]Chalo emerged as her fourth consecutive box-office success in two years.[28] Mandanna was next cast oppositeVijay Deverakonda inVenky Kudumula's romantic comedyGeetha Govindam. Made on ashoestring budget, the film became her first to cross ₹1 billion (US$13 million) at the domestic box-office, her highest-grosser at that point.[29][30] Reviewers considered the chemistry between her and Deverakonda to be the highlight of an otherwise monotonous film.[31][32] She earned theFilmfare Critics Award for Best Actress and gained aBest Actress nomination at the ceremony.[33] Mandanna ended the year with the Telugu featureDevadas, in which she was dismissed as ornamental by reviewers forSify andThe Indian Express.[34][35]
The Kannada social action filmYajamana (2019) had a mixed reception from critics, with Film Companion's Karthik Keramalu criticising the noticeable age gap between Mandanna and Darshan, who is 19 years her senior.[36] Regardless, it emerged as another commercial success for Mandanna.[37] She reunited with Deverakonda for the Telugu romantic dramaDear Comrade in the role of an aspiring cricket player who faces sexism within the sport.[38] Sashidhar Adivi ofDeccan Chronicle commented that the role reflected a shift in Telugu cinema, where actresses were being given more substantial roles rather than serving purely as visual appeal.[39] A departure from the previous lighthearted roles she had become accustomed to, Mandanna had to partake in five months of intensive physical training to accurately emulate a cricket player's body language.[40] Despite high expectations following her previous collaboration with Deverakonda,Dear Comrade underperformed commercially.[41] It also faced extensive criticism from audiences due to a scene featuring a kiss between the pair;[42] In response, Mandanna stated that she was carrying out the script's demands and that a sole scene should not dictate the entire film.[43] She later professed that she struggled with the online backlash that followed the film's release.[44] Despite this,Yajamana andDear Comrade won Mandanna Best Actress (Critics) awards at SIIMA in Kannada and Telugu, respectively, as well as additional Best Actress nominations in both languages at the ceremony.[45]
She began the new decade oppositeMahesh Babu in the action comedySarileru Neekevvaru, which went on to become atop-grossing Telugu film.[46] However, Sangeetha Devi Dundoo ofThe Hindu bemoaned that her role did not offer her adequate scope to perform as "all she gets to do is fawn over Mahesh".[47] She then featured in the romantic comedyBheeshma oppositeNithiin, in which Karthik Keramalu dismissed her as ornamental once again.[48] Still, the film was a commercial success at the box-office and earned Mandanna another nomination for Best Actress (Telugu) at Filmfare.[49][50]
Career expansion and pan-Indian recognition (2021–present)
In 2021, Mandanna starred oppositeDhruva Sarja inPogaru, which Vivek M V ofDeccan Herald termed "a riot of toxic masculinity".[51] In her second release of the year, she made her debut intoTamil cinema oppositeKarthi in the action dramaSulthan. 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.[52] ThoughHindustan Times' Haricharan Pudipeddi felt that Mandanna had been "sidelined", M Suganth ofThe Times of India praised her on a "charming debut".[53] It emerged as a moderate commercial success.[54]
Her final appearance of 2021 was in the critically and commercially successful Telugu action filmPushpa: The Rise, starringAllu Arjun.[55] For her role as a girl involved in the smuggling syndicate ofred sandalwood, she learnt theChittoor dialect of Telugu with support from a tutor.[56]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 thebrown-facing of her character was "unnecessary and ineffective".[57] Ranking among the highest-grossing Telugu films of all time, the film marked abreakthrough in Mandanna's career as she earnedpan-India recognition for it—particularly for the song, "Saami Saami", which gained popularity.[58][59][60] She received Best Actress nominations at both SIIMA and Filmfare for her performance.[50][61]
The following year, Mandanna starred in a string of films with varying levels of success. She started with the unremarkable Telugu featureAadavallu Meeku Johaarlu oppositeSharwanand.[62] Keen to showcase her acting skills after a series of androcentric films, she took on a supporting role in theDulquer Salmaan andMrunal Thakur-led romantic dramaSita Ramam.[63] 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.[64] Against expectations, the film emerged as a success at the box-office and earned Mandanna her first nomination forBest Supporting Actress (Telugu) at Filmfare.[65][66]
Mandanna was set to debut inHindi cinema withMission Majnu, but delays meant her first appearance came instead inVikas Bahl's family dramaGoodbye, where she played a headstrong woman struggling with the aftermath of her mother's death (portrayed byNeena Gupta).[67][68] 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.[69][70] The film was a financial failure.[71] Renuka Vyavahare ofThe Times of India criticised Mandanna's Hindi diction but felt she had still managed to retain the "essence" of her Punjabi character.[72] She earned theZee Cine Award for Best Female Debut for her performance.[73]
The following year saw Mandanna star in three action films—Varisu,Mission Majnu andAnimal.Varisu follows a young heir (played byVijay) who takes over his family's business empire after his father's death, with Mandanna starring as his love interest.[74] 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.[75] M Suganth concurred that her role was insubstantial and dismissed her as merely ornamental.[76] Commercially, it was a modest success.[77] The Hindi spy thrillerMission Majnu featuring Mandanna as avisually-impaired woman oppositeSidharth Malhotra as an Indian spy stationed in Pakistan during theIndo-Pakistani War of 1971, premiered digitally onNetflix following several delays in production.[78] 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.[79] In a scathing review for Rediff.com,Sukanya Verma reviewed: "Wearing a nose ring and smiling in response to everything is Rashmika's role in a nutshell".[80]
FilmmakerSandeep Reddy Vanga's controversialAnimal, starringRanbir Kapoor, cast Mandanna as Geetanjali, a devoted housewife who learns of her husband's (Kapoor) debauched behaviours. She replacedParineeti Chopra during filming as Vanga felt that she was better suited for the role.[81] The film's content led certain commentators to accuse the film of glorifyingtoxic masculinity andmisogyny.[82][83]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".[84] Mandanna defended her role in the film against criticism that her character condoned misogyny as she believed the character's actions stemmed from a desire to protect her family at any cost.[85]Animal ranks as thethird highest-grossing Indian film of 2023, earning over₹9.1 billion (US$110 million).[86][87]
In 2024, Mandanna reprised her role as Srivalli in the Telugu action sequelPushpa 2: The Rule. Nandini Ramnath ofScroll.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.[88]The Indian Express's Anandu Suresh was displeased with the hypersexualisation of her role, and took note of a prevailing theme in her filmography of playing the love interest of "unnervingly eccentric" men.[89] Responding to criticism regarding her frequent roles in films glorifying toxic masculinity, Mandanna explained that such individuals exist in reality, and their hyperbolic depiction is a cinematic liberty intended to entertain audiences.[90]Pushpa 2: The Rule set several box-office records for an Indian film, earning over₹18 billion (US$210 million) worldwide to rank asIndian cinema's third biggest-grosser as well as Mandanna's highest grosser.[91] For her performance, she earned her first Best Actress (Telugu) award at SIIMA.[92]
Mandanna had five releases in 2025, which began withLaxman Utekar's Hindi historical action filmChhaava, where she portrayed MaharaniYesubai Bhonsale oppositeVicky Kaushal asMarathaChhatrapatiSambhaji. To prepare for their roles as Marathi royals, Kaushal and her spent four weeks learningMarathi.[93] Reception to Mandanna's performance was generally negative with criticism directed towards her poor Hindi diction.[94] Grossing over₹8 billion (US$95 million),Chhaava emerged as the secondhighest-grossing Indian film of the year, making Mandanna the first Indian actress with three films crossing₹5 billion (US$59 million) domestically.[95][96]AR Murugadoss' Hindi action filmSikandar featured her oppositeSalman Khan, who is 31 years her senior.[97] In a negative review forHindustan Times, Rishabh Suri dismissed her performance and persistently weak Hindi dialogue delivery.[98]Sikandar failed to recoup its estimated production budget of₹2 billion (US$24 million), after which Mandanna said that she does not measure success based on box-office numbers.[99] Rahul Desai ofThe Hollywood Reporter noted a recurring 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".[100]
She next appeared as what Scroll.in described as the "force-fitted into the plot" love interest ofDhanush's character inKuberaa, a Telugu-Tamil bilingual film directed by filmmakerSekhar Kammula.[101] InThamma, Mandanna andAyushmann Khurrana featured as vampires as part of theMaddock Horror Comedy Universe. Filming forSikandar,Kuberaa andThamma were delayed in January 2025, when Mandanna sustained a leg injury at the gym.[102] It emerged as a moderate commercial success,[103] but Anuj Kumar ofThe Hindu found Mandanna's performance to be marked by excessive "wide-eyed exaggeration" andIndia Today's Vineeta Kumar felt that her Hindi accent continued to falter.[104][105] However, her role as a woman trapped in an abusive relationship the following month inThe Girlfriend was acclaimed by critics.[106] Mandanna said that the film gave her the opportunity to move beyond her reputation as the heroine of big-budget action films and demonstrate her acting range.[107] Sangeetha Devi Dundoo commended Mandanna for portraying "confusion, restraint, and vulnerability in love" with a "lingering honesty", which made her performance in the film among the finest in her career.[108] Despite its positive reception,The Girlfriend was a box-office failure.[109] Mandanna will next star alongsideShahid Kapoor andKriti Sanon in the Hindi sequel toCocktail,[110] and headline the Telugu action filmMysaa.[111]
Personal life
Mandanna began datingRakshit Shetty, her co-star inKirik Party, during the making of the film, and they announced their engagement on 3 July 2017 at a private party in her hometown Virajpet.[112] They ended their engagement in September 2018, citing compatibility issues.[113]
Rumours about Mandanna dating actorVijay Deverakonda began circulating in 2020, though she never publicly addressed them. The two became engaged in October 2025.[114]
Artistry and media image
Sneha Menon Desai ofFilm Companion notes Mandanna's sincerity and "down-to-earth personality", whileAnupama Chopra, also from Film Companion, describes her as "intelligent" and acknowledges her ability to resonate with audiences.[115][116] Sonal Ved ofHarper's Bazaar wrote that she "thrives on unpredictability," citing roles across a wide spectrum of genres, from "big-ticket blockbusters to quiet, performance-driven films".[117]
Mandanna in 2025
In 2024, Mandanna was featured byForbes India in their30 Under 30 list and the Indian edition ofGQ named her among South India's highest-paid actresses.[118][119] 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.[120][121] In October 2021, she placed first inForbes India's most influential stars onInstagram in South Cinema.[122] As of August 2024, Mandanna is the most-followed South Indian woman on Instagram.[123]
Mandanna is an endorser for several brands and products, includingMcDonald's,[124]Dabur Honey,[125]Cashify,[126]Kalyan Jewellers[127] and Bisk Farm[128] among others. In 2023, she was made the first Indian ambassador for Japanese fashion brandOnitsuka Tiger. She andTiger Shroff were named "strategic partners" of American streaming serviceCrunchyroll for their efforts to expand in India.[129][130] As an ambassador for Onitsuka Tiger, she attendedMilan Fashion Week and walked the runway, while for Crunchyroll, she presented an award at the8th Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Japan.[131] She serves as both an ambassador and investor for Plum, a vegan beauty and personal care brand.[132] In 2025, she was made the Indian brand ambassador forSwarovski.[133]
In November 2023, adeepfake of Mandanna was posted on the platformX bydigital marketer Eemani Naveen.[134] Her face was morphed on to asexually suggestive Instagram video posted by a British-Indianinfluencer named Zara Patel.[135] 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".[136] She received support from prominent figures in Indian cinema, including herGoodbye co-starAmitabh Bachchan, who spoke out against the dangers of such deepfakes.[137] In December 2023,Delhi Police communicated with Meta to obtain the URL ID associated with the account responsible for generating the video, and filed aFirst information report in relation to the case.[138] In January 2024, Naveen was arrested; he claimed he had created the deepfake to gain followers on Instagram.[139] Following the incident, Mandanna was appointed as the national brand ambassador of theIndian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre.[140]
Filmography
Key
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Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released
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