I Was The First From The Kodava Community To Enter Cinema: Rashmika Mandanna's Remark Sparks Backlash

Bengaluru: National crush Rashmika Mandanna has once again found herself at the centre of controversy. Whether these situations arise unknowingly or are part of a publicity strategy remains a mystery. Despite being born in Karnataka and debuting in a Kannada film, Rashmika appears to lack awareness about her community and the Sandalwood film industry. Her recent statement has stirred criticism, with many questioning her knowledge of Coorg and its contribution to cinema.

Rashmika claims she's the first from Coorg in films

During an interview with We The Women, Rashmika Mandanna stated that no one from the Coorg community had entered the film industry before her. This remark has upset many Kannadigas and members of the Coorg community, who were quick to point out several notable artists who came before her.

Veteran actresses such as Prema, Harshika Poonacha, Nidhi Subbaiah, Daisy Bopanna, and Gulshan Devaiah are all from the Coorg region and have made significant contributions to the industry. Many artists from the Coorg community have also worked in television and theatre. Rashmika's claim has gone viral and drawn strong reactions online.

Criticism over lack of awareness

Rashmika's statement that she was the first actress from Coorg to enter the film industry, rather than clarifying that she was the first to achieve pan-India recognition, has led to backlash. Social media users criticised her for not acknowledging her predecessors and questioned whether she truly didn't know about actresses like Prema.

Comments such as“One must be well-informed when speaking on such platforms” and“This is what happens when someone speaks without proper knowledge” flooded social media, along with lists of past Coorg-origin artists.

Insights into Rashmika's early career and family

In the same interview, Rashmika shared personal anecdotes about her early career. She revealed that she gave her first salary to her parents, admitting she didn't know how to manage money at the time. "I didn't know how to invest money or what to do with it. My parents took care of everything, so I handed it over to them," she said.

Rashmika also mentioned that she initially had no plans to become an actress. "I went to inform my parents about an audition but had no intention to act," she said. She added that acting was once frowned upon in many South Indian families, as the film industry was misunderstood.

Views on smoking and the Deepika-Vanga controversy

The actress also shared her personal boundaries in acting. "I see cinema as cinema. I don't like smoking. Even in films, if I'm asked to smoke, I won't," Rashmika declared.

Speaking on the recent controversy involving actress Deepika Padukone and director Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Rashmika commented,“This is something between the artist and the director. Everyone should speak openly with their team.”

Despite the controversy, Rashmika Mandanna continues to be one of the busiest and highest-paid actresses in India. She is currently working on multiple projects across Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil cinema.

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