Mohini recalls being ‘forced’ to do intimate scenes in Kanmani despite ‘crying and refusing’: ‘I had to be overly glamorous without my consent’

Stating that though she refused, crying, to do the scenes initially, Mohini eventually gave in as her refusal affected the overall production of the movie.

By: Entertainment Desk

Kochi | September 10, 2025 05:59 PM IST

Stating that though she refused, crying, to do the scenes initially, Mohini eventually gave in as her refusal affected the overall production of the movie.

Although Mohini delivered a strong performance as the female lead, Kanmani attracted audience attention for all the wrong reasons. (Express archive photo)

Those familiar with ’90s South Indian cinema are unlikely to have forgotten actor Mohini. Once a beloved figure who starred alongside some of the biggest names across various film industries, she captivated audiences with her compelling performances and striking looks. An actor who could effortlessly take on characters from both rural and urban backgrounds, Mohini left a lasting impression on viewers, and this is why she is still remembered, even though it has been 14 years since her last film appearance.

As her career was soaring, Mohini starred in a “romantic drama” titled Kanmani (1994), directed by RK Selvamani, best known for helming the Vijayakanth-starrer Captain Prabhakaran (1991). Although she delivered a strong performance as the female lead, paired opposite actor Prashanth, Kanmani attracted audience attention for all the wrong reasons, particularly for its steamy scenes. The frames of song “Udal Thazhuva” suggested that the primary intent behind the track was to objectify Mohini, catering to the male gaze.

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Recently, the actor revealed that she was pressured into performing the intimate scenes in the film, despite repeatedly informing the makers about her discomfort. Stating that though she refused, crying, to do the scenes initially, Mohini eventually gave in as it affected the overall production of the movie. She told Aval Vikatan, “Director RK Selvamani planned this swimming suit sequence. I was so uncomfortable, I cried and refused to do it, and the shooting was halted for half a day. I tried to explain that I didn’t even know how to swim! And how could I possibly learn half-dressed in front of male instructors? Back then, female instructors were practically nonexistent. So I couldn’t imagine doing it. It felt like I was ‘forced’ to do that sequence for ‘Udal Thazhuva’.”

Mohini captivated audiences with her compelling performances and striking looks. (Express archive photo)

Nonetheless, Mohini eventually performed in the song. “I worked for half a day and gave what they asked. Later, when they said the same scene had to be shot in Ooty, I refused. When they told me the shoot would not continue, I said, ‘That is your problem, not mine. It was in the same way you had forced me to do that earlier.’ So Kanmani was the only movie I was overly glamorous without my consent. Sometimes things happen against one’s will, and this sequence was one such instance,” she said, adding that though her role in Kanmani was “very beautiful and challenging”, it did not receive the recognition it deserved.

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In her career as an adult actor spanning two decades, Mohini has worked with massive stars like Sivaji Ganesan, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Shivarajkumar, Vijayakanth, Vishnuvardhan, Vikram, Ravichandran, Sarathkumar, Mohan Babu, and Suresh Gopi in movies such as Chinna Marumagal, Aditya 369, Hitler, Naadody, Innathe Chintha Vishayam, Sainyam, Vesham, Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, Gadibidi Aliya, Thayagam, Laali, Nishabdha, Pudhiya Mannargal, Sriramachandra, Thai Mozhi, Detective Narada, and Collector. She has also appeared in a Hindi movie, Dancer (1991), wherein she played the female lead opposite Akshay Kumar.

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