Javed Akhtar admits mistake after calling Rashmika Mandanna a Tamil actress

Veteran Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar has acknowledged a mistake after mistakenly describing actress Rashmika Mandanna as a Tamil actress while defending her against criticism over her Hindi accent.

Veteran Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar has acknowledged a mistake after mistakenly describing actress Rashmika Mandanna as a Tamil actress while defending her against criticism over her Hindi accent.

The controversy began after social media users criticised Mandanna’s South Indian-influenced Hindi pronunciation. Akhtar came to the actress’s defence accusing critics of displaying linguistic superiority and arguing that people should appreciate efforts to speak languages other than their own.

However, while supporting the actress Akhtar referred to Mandanna as a Tamil actress prompting social media users to correct him. They pointed out that she hails from Karnataka and is known for her work in Telugu and Hindi cinema.

Responding to the criticism Akhtar apologised and openly admitted his error. He explained that he did not know Mandanna personally and had happened to watch only one of her films which was in Tamil.

His clarification helped shift the discussion back to the broader issue of language accents and the way people are judged for speaking a language that is not their mother tongue.

Akhtar emphasised that the distinction between Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam was not the central issue. Instead, he argued that people who make an effort to speak another language should be encouraged rather than ridiculed for their pronunciation.

He also questioned how many people could maintain a perfectly accurate accent when speaking English, highlighting the double standards that can arise when speakers are judged for their linguistic backgrounds.

The incident has sparked discussion about regional identity and language diversity in the Indian entertainment industry, where actors frequently work across different linguistic markets.

Mandanna who has built a career in South Indian cinema and expanded into Hindi films has faced public scrutiny over her pronunciation. Akhtar’s response highlighted the importance of recognising the effort involved in speaking another language regardless of accent.

By acknowledging his own mistake the veteran lyricist also underscored the importance of correcting misinformation rather than allowing it to overshadow the main argument.

The episode has renewed conversations about linguistic prejudice regional representation and the need to treat language differences with greater understanding.