Internet calls out Javed Akhtar for misidentifying Rashmika Mandanna as a Tamil actor

Lyricist Javed Akhtar defended actor Rashmika Mandanna's Hindi accent but called her a Tamil actor. Online corrections shifted the debate towards regional identity and linguistic diversity.

In Short

• Javed Akhtar defends Rashmika Mandanna's Hindi accent against criticism
• He wrongly calls her a Tamil actor, sparking corrections on social media
• Mandanna is Kannadiga and works mainly in Telugu and Kannada cinema

The internet has a correction for Javed Akhtar, and this time, it’s about Rashmika Mandanna’s roots. The veteran lyricist stepped in to defend the actor against criticism of her Hindi accent, slamming what he called "fake and baseless linguistic superiority". But while standing up for Mandanna, he referred to her as a Tamil actor, prompting social media users to point out that she’s Kannadiga and has worked extensively in Telugu cinema.

The screenwriter weighed in after Mandanna spoke about the backlash against her Hindi pronunciation. In a post on X, he challenged those mocking her accent to try speaking Tamil themselves, arguing that people shouldn’t look down on others over language.

"Those who have any problem with the pronunciation of Tamil actor Rashmika should be given a few lines of Tamil, which is the oldest spoken language in the world, and let’s see how well they pronounce Tamil. This fake and baseless linguistic superiority is not acceptable (sic)," read his post.

See his post here:

His defence found support, but the mix-up over Mandanna’s identity quickly became part of the conversation. Several users corrected him, with one pointing out that she’s from Coorg in Karnataka and has worked across South Indian film industries. Others simply remarked, "She’s Kannadiga." "Javed Sir Rashmika isn't a Tamil actress, she's a Telugu actress (most number of film). Correct that (sic)," another wrote.

The discussion also veered into the history of languages, with one user disputing Akhtar’s claim about Tamil being the oldest spoken language. Another argued that Mandanna should be identified as a Telugu actor, given her body of work. Some, meanwhile, questioned whether audiences were wrong to criticise an actor’s dialogue delivery at all.

Read the reactions here:

Mandanna had addressed the issue during a recent appearance with her husband, Vijay Deverakonda, on Koffee With Karan Season 9. She said she couldn’t understand why her South Indian accent was treated as a problem when she’s from the region herself.

The actor has also spoken about dubbing for her films in multiple languages, saying directors have consistently preferred her own voice despite her offering to let other artists take over. She’s described the work as challenging but rewarding, and doesn’t want criticism to limit the industries she explores.

Rashmika’s Hindi dialogue delivery has often come under scrutiny online, with debates over her accent flaring up again after the release of films such as Animal, Chhaava, Sikandar, Thamma and Cocktail 2.

- Ends