Rashmika Mandanna on not taking 'ownership' of 'Animal's blockbuster success
Rashmika Mandanna, last seen in the blockbuster hit Animal, has finally responded to questions about not taking "ownership" of the 2023 film's success and missing in action after its release. In an Instagram post on Sunday, she explained the primary reason for this was her immediate return to the set of another movie just a day after Animal's release on December 1. In a detailed note, she also hinted at unveiling a new look for her upcoming film soon.
Why does this story matter?
Animal—directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga—featured Mandanna alongside Ranbir Kapoor, with pivotal roles played by Anil Kapoor and Tripti Dimri. The movie emerged as one of 2023's major blockbusters, accumulating a worldwide box office collection of over Rs. 900 crore, per Bollywood Hungama. However, it faced criticism for its alleged portrayal of misogyny. Mandanna, in particular, became the subject of memes for her dialogue delivery, and the film received backlash for not providing her with adequate screen time.
Mandanna on being unable to celebrate 'Animal's success
In her post, Mandanna stated, "I wanted to just talk about...the topic that was going around saying 'she's not taking ownership of her success.'" She wrote, "I know it comes from a place of love, concern, and worry." "I too wanted to take some time out to enjoy it...but I was back on set the next day of my film release (being the amazing workaholic that I am)...hence I was unable to do a lot of interviews," added the actor.
She also teased new look for upcoming film
In her post, Mandanna also hinted at her new look for an upcoming movie, which she said she can't fully reveal until her film team does. She assured fans that her shoots are going well and requested their patience. It is speculated that this could be about her upcoming film Girlfriend (tentatively titled), which was announced last October. The movie is directed by actor-director Rahul Ravindran.
'Pushpa' to 'Chhaava': Mandanna's projects this year
Mandanna has a busy year ahead! She is all set to reprise her role in Allu Arjun's Pushpa: The Rule, a movie written and directed by Sukumar and scheduled to release on August 15. Additionally, she will star alongside Vicky Kaushal in Laxman Utekar's Chhaava, slated for release on December 6. Mandanna is also involved in several other noteworthy projects, including Venky Kudumula's VNR Trio (tentative title) and a movie led by Dhanush, tentatively titled D51.
