Rashmika Mandanna

Rashmika Mandanna’s film career began after Rishab Shetty noticed her 2015 pageant win and offered her the lead role in the Kannada romantic comedy Kirik Party (2016), opposite Rakshit Shetty. She portrayed Saanvi, a studious college student, a role she deeply resonated with. Kirik Party became one of the highest-grossing Kannada films, earning her the SIIMA Award for Best Debut Actress. Mandanna later admitted that had the film failed, she would have returned home to manage her father’s business.

Her success continued with Anjani Putra and Chamak (2017), though critics noted her limited role in the former. However, she received her first Filmfare and SIIMA nominations for Chamak.

Expanding into Telugu cinema in 2018, Mandanna starred in Chalo, her fourth consecutive box-office success. Despite initial struggles with Telugu, she impressed critics with her comic timing. She gained widespread recognition with Geetha Govindam, which crossed ₹1 billion at the box office. Though the film’s plot received mixed reactions, her chemistry with Vijay Deverakonda was widely praised, earning her the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress – Telugu. She closed the year with Devadas, where critics deemed her role largely ornamental.

In 2019, she starred in the Kannada action film Yajamana, which performed well commercially despite criticism over the age gap between her and lead actor Darshan. She then reunited with Deverakonda in Dear Comrade, portraying an aspiring cricketer facing sexism in sports. The role was seen as a shift towards more meaningful female characters, and she underwent rigorous physical training for the part. However, the film underperformed at the box office and faced backlash over a controversial kissing scene. Despite the criticism, Mandanna won Best Actress (Critics) awards in Kannada and Telugu.

Entering the new decade, she starred alongside Mahesh Babu in Sarileru Neekevvaru (2020), a commercial hit where critics found her role lacking depth. She then appeared in the romantic comedy Bheeshma opposite Nithiin. While the film received a mixed response, it was a box-office success, earning her another Filmfare nomination for Best Actress – Telugu.

In 2021, Rashmika Mandanna starred in the Kannada action drama Pogaru, portraying a professor opposite Dhruva Sarja. Critics, however, criticized the film for perpetuating stereotypes. She then made her Tamil debut in Sulthan alongside Karthi, which was commercially successful. While some reviewers felt she was sidelined, others praised her charm. Her final release of the year, Pushpa: The Rise, opposite Allu Arjun, was a major breakthrough. She played a girl involved in red sandalwood smuggling, learning the Chittoor dialect for authenticity. Despite mixed reviews about her role’s depth, the film became one of the highest-grossing Telugu films and earned her widespread recognition, along with Best Actress nominations at SIIMA and Filmfare.

In 2022, she appeared in Aadavallu Meeku Johaarlu, followed by a supporting role in the romantic drama Sita Ramam, where she played Afreen, a troubled woman uncovering a love story from the past. The film was a surprise hit, earning her a Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Mandanna made her Hindi debut with Goodbye, starring Amitabh Bachchan, playing a career-driven woman coping with her mother’s loss. Though the film underperformed at the box office, critics praised her subtle performance, earning her the Zee Cine Award for Best Female Debut.

In 2023, she appeared in three action films: Varisu, Mission Majnu, and Animal. Varisu was a commercial success, but her role was criticized as ornamental. In Mission Majnu, she played a visually impaired woman opposite Sidharth Malhotra, undergoing intensive training for the role, though critics found her performance underwhelming. Animal, co-starring Ranbir Kapoor, featured her as a devoted housewife in a film accused of glorifying toxic masculinity. Despite controversy, Animal became one of the highest-grossing Indian films, crossing ₹9 billion.

In 2024, Mandanna reprised her role in Pushpa 2: The Rule, which set new box-office records, grossing over ₹18 billion worldwide. While her chemistry with Allu Arjun was praised, her role faced criticism for hypersexualization. Defending her choices, she emphasized the cinematic portrayal of real-world characters. Pushpa 2 became her highest-grossing film, further solidifying her position in Indian cinema.

Mandanna’s upcoming projects include two Telugu and three Hindi films. She will star alongside Dhanush in Sekhar Kammula’s Tamil-Telugu bilingual Kubera and headline the female-led The Girlfriend. In Bollywood, she will portray Yesubai Bhonsale opposite Vicky Kaushal’s Sambhaji in the historical drama Chhaava, and star with Salman Khan in AR Murugadoss’ action film Sikandar. She is also set to join the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe with Ayushmann Khurrana in Thama. However, filming for Kubera, Sikandar, and Thama was delayed in January 2025 due to a leg injury she sustained at the gym.

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Film Companion’s Sneha Menon Desai highlights Mandanna’s sincerity and “down-to-earth personality,” while Anupama Chopra describes her as “intelligent” and capable of connecting with audiences.

In 2024, Forbes India featured Mandanna in its 30 Under 30 list, and GQ India recognized her as one of South India’s highest-paid actresses. She ranked 24th in Bangalore Times’ 25 Most Desirable Women of 2016 and appeared in its 30 Most Desirable Women of 2017 list. In 2021, Forbes India named her the most influential South Indian star on Instagram. By August 2024, she became the most-followed Kannada actress on the platform.

Mandanna endorses multiple brands, 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 and, along with Tiger Shroff, was named a strategic partner for Crunchyroll in India. She attended Milan Fashion Week for Onitsuka Tiger and presented an award at the 8th Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Japan. She also serves as both an ambassador and investor for the vegan beauty brand Plum.

In November 2023, a deepfake of Mandanna was posted on social media by digital marketer Eemani Naveen, using her face on a suggestive video originally shared by British-Indian influencer Zara Patel. Mandanna responded with concern over the misuse of technology, receiving widespread support, including from Amitabh Bachchan. Following an investigation, Delhi Police collaborated with Meta to track the account, leading to Naveen’s arrest in January 2024. He admitted to creating the deepfake to gain followers. In response to the incident, Mandanna was appointed as the national brand ambassador for the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).