Malavika Mohanan royally shuts down age-gap criticism

Malavika Mohanan, who enjoys immense popularity on Instagram thanks to her hot and glamorous photoshoots, has built quite the image as a style icon. Even before her first straight Telugu film “The Raja Saab” hits theaters during Sankranthi 2026, she has been creating buzz here.

Her latest Malayalam release “Hridayapoorvam, “starring the legendary Mohanlal, hit screens this Thursday (August 28). Leading up to the release, both Mohanlal and Malavika faced criticism for pairing up in the film because of their decades-wide age gap. Mohanlal is 65, while Malavika is 32.

Many fans even questioned her on social media, asking how she could agree to play his romantic interest. Malavika firmly responded, asking people not to jump to conclusions without watching the film and urged them to stop making a fuss over the age-gap debate.

Now that the film is out, the truth is clear: Malavika doesn’t play Mohanlal’s love interest at all. Instead, her role is closer to a daughter-like character, perfectly in sync with their real-life ages. With this, Malavika Mohanan has royally silenced all the unnecessary criticism surrounding her casting.

Meanwhile, in The Raja Saab, Malavika plays a glamorous, bubbly character, paired as one of Prabhas’s lovers in the horror comedy set for release on January 9, 2026.