Pavithra Menon says her Param Sundari video is against stereotype, not Janhvi Kapoor: 'Not trying to steal anyone's job'

Pavithra Menon talks to HT about her video on Param Sundari, and Janhvi Kapoor's stereotypical characterisation of a Malayali girl in the film.

Malayalam radio personality and one-time actor Pavithra Menon had stirred the hornet's nest when she criticised Janhvi Kapoor's Malayalam accent in the latest release, Param Sundari. Pavithra received further support after her video was taken down for 'copyright infringement', something many saw as an attempt to stifle criticism. Now, after the film's release, as many viewers echo her sentiment, Pavithra talks about why she spoke out and how her statement was misconstrued as one against Janhvi Kapoor.

Pavithra Menon talks about her video on Param Sundari.

In a chat with Hindustan Times from Dubai, where Pavithra works as an RJ, she says she spoke out against the stereotypes in the film with regard to Janhvi's character because she felt uncomfortable seeing them. “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.”

‘What's the harm in getting a dialect coach’

Param Sundari stars Janhvi Kapoor as a Malayali girl opposite Sidharth Malhotra's Delhi boy in a cross-cultural romance. The film released in theatres on Friday and has received lukewarm reviews. Janhvi's accent has been criticised by viewers and critics alike. Pavithra says, "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."

Giving an example from Hollywood, she adds, "So many Hollywood actors are American, but they do a British accent wonderfully. Why can't our actors do that, too?"

‘We expect Bollywood to do better’

Pavithra says that most viewers in Kerala grow up on a staple diet of Hindi cinema, which is why stereotypes in Bollywood bother them more. "In Kerala, we all love Bollywood. We grew up on films of Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor and all the other stars," she says, adding, "We understand that Hindi cinema is the biggest money maker internationally, when it comes to Indian films. Their scale has grown so much. So when that's grown so much, why not get a little better? We expect better from you."

Delivering an indictment of Hindi films, Pavithra says, "Frankly, nuance has never been the strength of Hindi cinema. Out of 10 films, maybe two are really good, where they show the reality, while the other eight are only to cater to the box office numbers. Over the last few years, since the pandemic, a lot of awareness has come into the audience I feel that Bollywood is taking their audience for granted and underestimating the audience even today. They don't know we've all evolved. We're not stuck in the 1990s. I'm not saying make a documentary, but there should be some reality to it."

‘Not against Janhvi’

When Pavithra's video was first picked up by the media, she was referred to as an actor. She tells us that she has done a few roles in short films a few years ago, but would not identify herself as an actor anymore. "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," she clarifies.

Pavithra adds that her video was never meant to be a jibe at Janhvi Kapoor either. "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."

Param Sundari released in theatres last Friday to mixed reviews from critics. After a decent opening at the box office, the film saw a sharp drop in collections. It has, so far, earned just ₹37 crore net in six days.