Jun 18, 2026 6:00pm IST
Rashmika Mandanna: ‘The Ultimate Goal Is Just To Bring A Smile To The Audience’s Faces’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Rashmika Mandanna’s rise to stardom has been swift. Her choices define her journey in Hindi films. Hence, her presence in blockbusters like “Pushpa,” “Animal” and “Chhaava.” She shut down the noise about being secondary to the hero in those macho marathons with her Shero act in “The Girlfriend,” a hard-hitting film, and now she returns with “Cocktail 2.” She talks to Variety India about the film, co-stars and life after marriage to Vijay Deverakonda.
It’s been a few months since you got married. What’s been your biggest learning from this new phase of life so far?
I’m married to my best friend and having that solid anchor is incredibly empowering. Knowing that no matter how exhausting a day on set was, or how intense movie promotions get, I am going home to a space of absolute peace.
Fans are thrilled to see you and Vijay share screen space again in Ranabaali. Are you equally excited about this reunion?
The love that everyone gave us for ‘Geetha Govindam’ and ‘Dear Comrade’ is something we hold so close to our hearts. But ‘Ranabaali’ is a completely different world altogether. This isn’t a contemporary love story; it’s a massive, intense period drama. Stepping into characters like Ranabaali and Jayamma required us to shed our past on-screen personas and dive into a raw, emotional, high-stakes colonial backdrop. It’s a space neither of us has explored to this scale before. The warmth we’ve already received for the first glimpses and songs fills us with nothing but immense gratitude.
As a working woman and a newlywed, is it tough for you to fuse the two roles fluently?
Honestly, I think every working woman out there is a magician in her own right, because we all find our own unique ways to balance the things we love! For me, rather than looking at it as two separate ‘roles’ that I have to fuse them together, I just see them as two beautiful parts of who I am.
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What do you have to say to Gen-Z who think marriage is an obsolete institution?
That is such a deep and relevant question. Honestly, I completely understand where that thought process comes from. For a very long time, society defined marriage as a checklist, a set of rigid rules, or something a woman had to do by a certain age to feel complete. But my takeaway from my own journey is that marriage doesn’t have to be what society wrote; it can be exactly what you and your partner want it to be.
‘Cocktail 2’ is your first release after marriage. Does that make it extra special?
I’ve always kept my personal life and professional life separate. The ‘Cocktail 2’ release is special for its own reasons and marriage is too special for its own reasons.
‘Cocktail 2’ seems a departure from everything you have done so far. Is that correct?
This is definitely the most urban role I’ve played, and it honestly feels so incredibly refreshing. I’ve been so fortunate to play characters that are deeply rooted, rustic, or intensely emotional in my recent films. But as an actor, the last thing I want is to get too comfortable or boxed into a specific image. When this project came my way, the vibe, the styling, the slick body language, everything was a complete 180 from what people are used to seeing me do. It felt like the perfect opportunity to stretch my wings and try a totally different flavor.
The myth is that two female co-actors never get along. But you and Kriti Sanon seem to dismantle that belief?
Honestly, I think that myth is so outdated and it’s high time we completely throw it out the window. Working with Kritzu has been absolutely special, and if anything, this film has given me a friend more than anything else. We were constantly cheering each other on, sharing food, and laughing between shots. I truly believe there is enough room under the sun for all of us to shine. When women support women, the energy on set becomes magical. I think genuine warmth and sisterhood will be reflected beautifully on screen for everyone to see.
Do you enjoy the lighter roles like ‘Cocktail 2’ or more dramatic projects?
I genuinely cannot choose between the two because they feed entirely different parts of my soul as an actor. Lighter projects like ‘Cocktail 2’ are so therapeutic. You go to work, work hard, you laugh, you bounce off the incredible energy of your co-stars, and the ultimate goal is just to bring a smile to the audience’s faces. It keeps your own spirit light, and that joy on set is completely infectious. On the other hand, doing intensely dramatic or emotionally heavy films is deeply fulfilling in a completely different way. It pushes you to your absolute boundaries, forces you to dig into raw, vulnerable emotions, and tests your grit. It’s exhausting, but there’s a unique thrill in nailing a high-stakes dramatic scene. I truly believe a healthy mix of both is what keeps an actor thriving.
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