Actor Malavika Manoj, whose Habeebi opened in theatres on Friday, has opened up about the conversations surrounding her previous film Aan Paavam Pollathathu and said she does not agree with the criticism that its female character was unrealistic.
In an exclusive interview with CE, Malavika reflected on the reception to the film and the discussions it sparked among audiences, particularly around whether the character she portrayed represented women fairly.
The actor said she noticed sharply divided reactions after the film’s release. “To be honest, when the film came to theatres, people loved it. But after the OTT premiere, there were people who came saying it was super, and then there were others who said, ‘This isn’t feminism’ or ‘girls are not like this,’” Malavika recalled.
However, she said the criticism missed an important point—that a character is not meant to represent an entire gender. “We had already said not all girls are like this. Not all boys are like this. This particular girl is like this,” she said.
Malavika further explained that while she does not see herself entirely in the character, she recognises certain emotional truths in the behaviour portrayed onscreen. “I’m not saying I am exactly like that kind of girl. But with people we are close to, sometimes we behave differently. That is the truth,” she said.
The actor added that she believes audiences are entitled to their opinions and accepts that not every film or character will connect with everyone. “When we make a film, we want it to be good and we want everyone to like it. But whether people like it or not and what they say—that’s their opinion and we have to accept that,” she said.
At the same time, Malavika drew a line at blanket statements about women. “But when people say, ‘Girls are not like this,’ I don’t accept that because I have seen many girls like that,” she said, before adding, “And I have seen many boys like that too. So it’s not about gender.”
Malavika Manoj was previously seen in films including Joe and Oh Bhama Ayyo Rama. Her latest is Meera Kathiravan’s Habeebi, in which she plays Nilofer Nisha. Set in Kadayanallur and rooted in the lives of traditional Muslim weavers, Habeebi stars Kasthuri Raja in a lead role and also features Esha, Dhanashree Sudhakaran, Arulkumar and Anusreya Rajan.
