They love to hate me: Mallika Prasad on impact of villain's role in Mardaani 3

In an exclusive interview with India Today, actor Mlallika Prasad spoke about her character in Mardaani 3 and how it changed her life. She even recalled sharing screen space with Rani Mukerji.

Actor Mallika Prasand, who played the antagonist in Rani Mukerji’s Mardaani 3, is elated beyond words over the response to her larger-than-life role. In an exclusive conversation with India Today, the actor opened up about the love that pleasantly surprised her, and why she isn’t worried about being boxed into negative roles.

Mallika Prasad, who has spent years in theatre and playing complex women on screen, says the scale of love this time feels different and deeply validating. “It feels very good, in fact. I am very glad that the audience accepted the character. They absolutely love to hate Amma, which is I think, is in some ways a nod to the franchise as well, which brings such fantastic villains to the fore. I am grateful to be part of it and for the love that the audience has given right from the time that the trailer was out,” she said.

Though many are calling it her first major negative outing, Mallika clarifies that she has played grey roles before, but never at this scale. “I feel I am very grateful to be found by such a big franchise and production house and to have reached so many people. If it wasn't for Mardaani, I wouldn't be talked about so much by so many people. And I wouldn't have received this kind of spread. It's not just India; it's all over the world that I am getting feedback from. So for that, I am absolutely grateful, and it feels great,” she added.

Having been an actor for a long time, she described this as her first proper, larger-than-life villain role. “I have played several complex characters in the past. I have played a queen diplomat, Devi Ahilya Bai, many strong female roles like Draupadi, Titania where it is the woman who really drives the story. So that's not new to me. But this love certainly is, and this kind of widespread acceptance of this character certainly is very pleasantly surprising,” Prasad said.

Other than the fan love, what touched Prasad was the feedback from the film’s team at the screening ahead of the release. “Actually, we had what is called a cast and crew screening where the family that built this franchise, friends and family were there, and I got to see all the people who worked on Mardaani whom I never met on set. I got to meet them, and hear their feedback as to how it felt to be editing this character.”

“So it was very lovely that even from the people who had been probably looking at my face for like this one year, they still had nice things to say about the character and the work that we have done together. So it's always very nice to hear that. The buzz and the word on the street has come back, and a lot of people from the industry have congratulated and said what a good job. And that feels nice,” she told us.