Janhvi Kapoor's Param Sundari accent has Pavithra Menon asking why Malayali actor wasn't cast: Hum kam talented hain kya

Janhvi Kapoor's characterisation of a Malayali girl in her upcoming film Param Sundari seems to have not completely landed with everyone.

The trailer of Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor's romantic drama Param Sundari was recently launched. The film shows a cross-cultural romance between the two, with Janhvi playing a Malayali girl named Sundari. Even as audiences liked the trailer and showed some love to one scene of her calling out stereotypes against South Indians, many Malayali viewers have pointed out that her character is itself a stereotype.

Malayalam singer-actor Pavithra Menon has shared her complaint against Janhvi Kapoor's character in Param Sundari.

Pavithra Menon dissects Param Sundari trailer

On Wednesday, Malayalam singer-actor Pavithra Menon took to Instagram to call out the film's makers for the stereotypical depiction of Malayalis in Hindi cinema, and questioned why Hindi films can never cast people from Kerala to play locals.

"I am Pavithra Menon; I am a Malayali, and I watched the trailer of Param Sundari, and this is what I think," the actor began in a video she posted on her Instagram. The video then showed a portion of the Param Sundari trailer where Janhvi's character introduces herself in heavily accented Hindi: “Main Thekkapatil Damodaran Sundaram Pillai Kerala se.”

Pavithra reacts in surprise and adds, "Wait, what? Before we go further into the trailer, I want to address this: 'What's the problem in hiring a proper Malayali actor?' Hum kam talented hote hain kya (Are we less talented)?" The actor switches to Hindi and adds, "This is not how it happens in Kerala. Like how I am talking in Hindi, I can also speak Malayalam really well."

Switching to Malayalam, Pavithra adds, "Is it so hard to find a Malayali to play the role in a Hindi movie." The actor then addresses the stereotypical depiction of Malayalis in Hindi films and says, "We have done such things in Malayalam films of the 90s when we had to show Punjabis (does an exaggerated balle balle). But now it's 2025. I think everybody knows how a Malayali talks, and how they are as normal as anybody else. We don't just wear jasmine flowers and do Mohiniyattam everywhere."

Fans react

Pavithra wrote in her caption: "I mean no hate to Jhanvi here but why try this hard?" The actor found support from many of her followers. "Atleast Malayali dubbing artist would have been better," wrote one. Another added, "I second this, even with the styling too." Many noted that the stereotypical depiction was not limited just to Malayalis when it came to Bollywood. One comment read, "Not only Malayalam but also Bengalis. There is a notion in Bollywood that all the Bengali girls just wear a saree, bindi and kohl. They always sing Tagore's."

About Pavithra Menon

Pavithra is a singer and actor, who has given her voice as a playback singer in films like Mili and Jack & Daniel. She also appeared as an actor in the short film, Spit it Out, Margot! She has been a model in the past, and also tried her hand at managing events.

About Param Sundari

The film chronicles the cross-cultural romance between the two leads, one from Delhi and the other from Kerala. Apart from Sidharth and Janhvi, the film also stars Rajeev Khandelwal and Aakash Dahiya in pivotal roles. Directed by Tushar Jalota, it is set to release on August 29.