Veteran actress Madhoo has publicly lauded Rashmika Mandanna for confidently owning her South Indian accent, a topic recently discussed on ‘Koffee with Karan.
‘ Madhoo, known for her roles in films like ‘Roja,’ shared her admiration for Rashmika’s approach, stating it took her 30-35 years to embrace her own linguistic identity.
In a video from her ‘I Am in Love’ series, Madhoo recounted her early days in Hindi cinema, where she actively tried to shed her South Indian accent. She even hired an Urdu teacher to perfect her Hindi, driven by a fear of judgment. “If anybody even spotted a little bit of an accent in my tone, I would get all flustered and work harder at it,” Madhoo revealed. She expressed pride in finally accepting her roots, a journey that took decades.
Madhoo’s support comes after lyricist Javed Akhtar also defended Rashmika on social media, challenging critics to pronounce Tamil, one of the world’s oldest languages. Rashmika herself addressed the criticism on ‘Koffee with Karan,’ explaining that as a South Indian, having a South Indian accent is natural and logical. This debate highlights ongoing discussions around linguistic diversity and acceptance within the Indian film industry.