“I Was Forced to Be Half-Undressed”: Actress Mohini Opens Up on Kanmani Controversy

South Indian actress Mohini, who has acted in over 100 films spanning Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi, recently revisited her experiences in the controversial movie Kanmani. Speaking to Aval Vikatan, she admitted that while her performance in the film was appreciated, she felt extremely “unsettled” during certain scenes. The actress revealed that she was “forced” to appear “half-undressed” for the song Udal Thazhuva, which became a hot topic at the time. According to Mohini, the sequence not only made her uncomfortable but also left her in tears, as she struggled with the demands of the director.

Mohini shared in detail how director RK Selvamani had conceptualized a swimsuit sequence that made her feel vulnerable. She said, “Director RK Selvamani planned this swimsuit 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.”

The actress further explained how she eventually gave in to pressure but remained disturbed by the situation. “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 the same way you forced me to do that earlier.’ So Kanmani was the only movie I was in that was overly glamorous without my consent. Sometimes things happen against one’s will, and this sequence was one such instance.”

Despite the challenges, Mohini emphasized that her role in Kanmani required effort and dedication, but unfortunately, the controversies overshadowed her actual performance. She admitted that the attention shifted more toward the glamour element than her acting contribution. Over the years, Mohini has earned recognition for memorable roles in films such as Aditya 369, Hitler, Innathe Chintha Vishayam, Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, and Vesham. She also starred opposite Akshay Kumar in the 1991 Hindi film Dancer. However, her experiences in Kanmani remain a significant reminder of the struggles faced by actresses when pushed into uncomfortable situations.