Priyanka Mohan Steps Into New Era of Responsibility and Confidence
Actress Priyanka Mohan, who made her impactful Tamil debut in the 2021 hit Doctor, is now navigating a transformative phase in her career. With bigger projects and leading roles, she reveals she has zero time for online trolls and is fully embracing a more confident, responsible chapter as an artist.
Leading Her First Film: From Scepticism to Passion
Her recent OTT release Made In Korea marked a significant milestone as Priyanka's first time headlining a film. "I was a little sceptical initially because I hadn't done a female-oriented film before," she admits. "But once I heard the story, I fell in love with it and couldn't say no. Also, a major OTT platform was involved."
Discussing the pressure of carrying a project, she adds, "Whether you're part of a film or headlining it, the pressure is always there. Here, I wouldn't say there was extra pressure, but it did come with a great sense of responsibility."
Confronting AI-Generated Fake Images: A Shocking Reality
Priyanka recently faced a disturbing trend when fake AI-generated images, falsely claiming to be from her Telugu film They Call Him OG, circulated online. "That was quite shocking. It looked so real," she says. "People tend to believe what they see, so I had to immediately call it out."
Expressing her dismay, she continues, "I don't know what people get out of making such vulgar stuff. This happens to a lot of women, and it shouldn't be happening. We should be living in a safe society. People should spend their time creating something better for the world, not ruining someone's day."
Career Evolution: From Confusion to Clarity
Reflecting on her journey, Priyanka shares, "At the start of my career, I was confused and didn't know what to do. I just focused on my part and did as much as I could. Right now, I wish to be part of amazing stories."
Her passion for acting shines through as she adds, "I'm very passionate, and I love being in front of the camera and the ambience of the set. I just want to wake up every day and go for a shoot. I'm exploring myself day by day as an actor."
Memorable Collaborations: Dhanush and Pawan Kalyan
She recalls being pleasantly surprised when actor-director Dhanush approached her for the song Golden Sparrow from Nilavuku En Mel Ennadi Kobam. "I thought, 'Why me?' Because people have not seen me in a certain way," she says. "But Dhanush sir said, 'It's a marriage-themed song. You're going to be in a madisar.' Then, I thought, 'When he has confidence in me, why should I not have it?' So, I said 'Yes'."
Priyanka refers to her last theatrical release, Pawan Kalyan's They Call Him OG, as her biggest yet. "I'm grateful because I haven't had such a big-scale movie become a big hit like They Call Him OG yet," she states. "And that too with a really big hero like Pawan Kalyan sir. It meant so much. I had not experienced such FDFS euphoria before. It was great to see how people receive a Pawan Kalyan film in the Telugu states."
Upcoming Projects and Learning Experiences
Her current lineup includes a Tamil film with Kavin and Hemanth M Rao's Kannada film, 666 Operation Dream Theatre, alongside Shivarajkumar and Dhananjaya. "I really admire Hemanth. His filmography blew me away, and I've always been a big fan," she says. "To be part of such an interesting story is in itself huge for me."
Describing the set as a "fun school," she adds, "Every day is a learning process. Shivaraj sir is like a kid, very curious and enthusiastic. And that's infectious. I've already worked with him in Captain Miller and know the kind of person he is."
On working with Kavin, she notes, "It's also been great working with Kavin. He is passionate about cinema. Working with him is a reciprocal relationship. You reciprocate well when you have a very good actor in front of you."
Dealing with Online Trolling: A Detached Approach
Priyanka has developed a resilient mindset towards online negativity. "People who troll don't have any better job," she remarks. "Why should we give trolls our energy and time? Every week, there is something new for people to talk about. People move on and so should we."
Putting things in perspective, she explains, "Even legends face trolling, and I'm just a budding artiste. I'm still learning and growing. I think the public knows that trolls, memes and comments are paid for. You never know what is real and what isn't. It's like AI. Nothing affects me for more than a day or two."
