Veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has come out in support of actress Rashmika Mandanna after she faced criticism over her Hindi accent. Calling out what he described as “fake and baseless linguistic superiority,” Akhtar questioned the attitude of people who judge others based on their pronunciation and language.
His remarks have reignited the debate over regional accents, language-based prejudice and the expectations placed on actors working across India’s diverse film industries.
Javed Akhtar Challenges Rashmika’s Critics
Akhtar expressed his disagreement with the criticism directed at Mandanna in a post on X. He challenged those questioning her accent to attempt speaking a few lines in Tamil themselves before judging someone else’s linguistic abilities.
His response highlighted the importance of respecting linguistic diversity rather than treating a particular accent as a measure of someone’s competence.
The controversy has drawn attention to the challenges actors face when working in languages other than their mother tongue. With Indian cinema spanning several linguistic industries, performers frequently work across regional boundaries and adapt to different audiences.
Rashmika Mandanna Responds to Accent Trolling
The controversy gained fresh attention after Mandanna addressed the issue during her appearance on Koffee With Karan Season 9, where she appeared alongside her husband, actor Vijay Deverakonda.
The actress said she had faced criticism throughout her career over her performances, acting, language and accent. However, she explained that she never wanted such comments to restrict her professional choices.
Responding to criticism of her South Indian accent, Mandanna pointed out that she comes from South India and naturally has an accent influenced by her background.
She also emphasised that she wanted to work across different film industries and speak multiple languages rather than limit herself to one industry.
Actress Takes Pride in Dubbing Her Own Films
Mandanna also discussed dubbing her own performances in different languages. She revealed that she gives directors the option of choosing another dubbing artist if they believe a different voice would better suit a character.
However, she said her directors had preferred that she dub for herself. The actress described the experience as a matter of pride, acknowledging the effort involved in delivering dialogues across multiple languages.
Akhtar’s support and Mandanna’s response have brought renewed attention to the debate over linguistic diversity and accent-based criticism in Indian cinema.