Rashmika Mandanna has addressed the trolling she faces over her accent and language, saying she chooses to focus on her work rather than “unnecessary chatter”. Born and brought up in Kodagu (Coorg), the actress’ mother tongue is Kodava Takk, a language without a major film industry of its own.
Speaking to Hindustan Times about dealing with comments on her accent, Rashmika said she does not pay attention to “unnecessary chatter” and prefers to concentrate on her work. “As an actor, my job is to tell good stories on set and come back. With every film, I believe the best of us are there to create something magical,” she said.
The Pushpa actress added that she prefers to focus on her own work rather than respond to criticism. “I don't like stepping on someone's toes, I just focus on giving my best performance as an actor,” Rashmika said.
Talking about her command over different languages, Rashmika admitted that she is “not necessarily good” at any one language, describing herself as a “Jack of all trades and master of none”. She explained that she considers her job done if she can communicate with people in their language.
Rashmika also spoke about her Kodava roots and how language has never been a barrier in her career. She said her fans, whom she calls her “family”, encouraged her to explore Telugu cinema before suggesting that she take up Hindi films as well. “So language has never been a barrier in my career. I treat all languages as my own,” she said, adding that her career trajectory grew through these opportunities.
Rashmika Mandanna made her acting debut with the Kannada film Kirik Party in 2016. She entered Telugu cinema with Chalo in 2018, followed by her Tamil debut Sulthan in 2021 and Hindi debut Goodbye in 2022. Her multilingual career has since seen her work across Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi cinema.
