- By Aarushi Raina
- Thu, 04 Sep 2025 02:38 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Janhvi Kapoor's accent and portrayal in the Param Sundari movie stirred the controversy ahead of its release in theatres. Her Malayalam accent in the latest release drew criticism from several Keralan actors and viewers amid the trailer unveiling. Among them was Malayalam radio personality and singer Pavithra Menon. She expressed her disappointment with the representation of Malayali identity in the movie by producing a video review of Janhvi's performance. The clip was taken down for 'copyright infringement.' She has now reacted to her viral video and stated that it was nothing against Janhvi but against the makers for not hiring a dialect coach to work on Janhvi’s Malayali character, Sundari.
Pavithra Menon Reacts To Viral Param Sundari Video
In an interview with Hindustan Times from Dubai, Pavithra shared her statement was against the stereotypes in the film in connection to Janhvi's character, stating that this kind of caricaturish characterisation bothers us. She said. “In Kerala, we love easy humour, and we have the ability to take a joke on ourselves. And we've been doing that for many, many years. In the '90s, when our characters were portrayed in a very caricaturish manner, we also took it as a joke, and we felt that it was fine, it was entertaining. I might be a little embarrassed by them portraying everybody as Madras, but we still watch those films. But it's 2025 now. Look at how far the world has come and all we have achieved. So, to see that kind of off-putting caricaturish characterisation bothers us.”
Janhvi Kapoor stars as a Malayali girl, and Sidharth Malhotra plays the Delhi boy in a cross-cultural romance in Param Sundari. The film was released in theatres on August 29 and has received mixed reviews.
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She stated, "You can get any actor from any part of the world to play any character. That is why we call them actors, but at least get a dialect coach. If you can have an intimacy director on the sets and pay money for it, what is the harm in getting a dialect coach? Recently, I got to know that the makers have also done that. To that, I want to say it’s very shoddy then."
Citing examples from Hollywood, Pavithra continued, "So many Hollywood actors are American, but they do a British accent wonderfully. Why can't our actors do that, too?"
Clearing intention behind the video, Pavithra stated, "Janhvi honestly looks like a very down-to-earth person. I have met her a couple of times when she's come to Dubai for her promotions," she says, "I think the problem here is that not enough information is given to these guys (the actors) on how to go about it. Had somebody with knowledge of Malayalam heard them, they would have helped."
Clarifying that she is not an actor, as many reports referred to her as one after the video went viral. Pavithra stated, "I am not an actor. When reports said that a Malayalam actor spoke against Janhvi, that's a whole different conversation. That is not what is happening. It's not professional jealousy. Honestly, I was not trying to steal anybody else's job, but just saying, do the job properly. So if somebody doesn't speak my language well, I would want to point that out."
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Recently, Janhvi addressed the criticism about her character in the movie, calling it 'half-Malayali' and 'half-Tamilian.'
About Param Sundari: The rom-com, directed by Tushar Jalota and produced by Dinesh Vijan under the banner of Maddock Films. The film's first week saw ups and downs in numbers at the box office. Now, Param Sundari has earned a big milestone with Rs 60.2 crore.
