Actor Mohini reveals she was forced to perform intimate scenes in ‘Kanmani’, says, "director asked me to do swimming suit scene"

Actor Mohini reveals she was forced to perform intimate scenes in ‘Kanmani’, says, "director asked me to do swimming suit scene"

Veteran actress Mohini, who has worked in Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam films, recently spoke about a distressing episode from her career. Mohini revealed that she was pressured into performing intimate and swimsuit sequences in director RK Selvamani’s film Kanmani without her consent.

In an interview with Aval Vikatan, Mohini recalled how she repeatedly expressed her discomfort, but was still compelled to do the scenes.

“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 non-existent. So I couldn’t imagine doing it. It felt like I was ‘forced’ to do that sequence for Udal Thazhuva,” she said.

Despite her protests, Mohini eventually gave in to complete the shoot so the production would not suffer. She described how the experience left her shaken.

“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, Isaid, ‘That is your problem, not mine. It was in the same way you had forced me to do that earlier,” she recalled.

The actor admitted that Kanmani was the only film in which she appeared ‘overly glamorous’ against her will. “Sometimes things happen against one’s will, and this sequence was one such instance,” Mohini explained.

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She also reflected that while her role in the film was “very beautiful and challenging,” it did not receive the recognition it deserved.

Mohini’s revelations reveal the pressures many female actresses have faced in the film industry, often being pushed into situations that violated their boundaries. Her candid account sheds light on the lack of consent protocols and sensitivity on sets during that period.

Over her career, Mohini has acted alongside iconic stars such as Sivaji Ganesan, Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Vijayakanth, Shivrajkumar, Vishnuvardhan, Vikram, Sarathkumar, and Suresh Gopi. She delivered memorable performances in films like Chinna Marumagal, Aditya 369, Hitler, Naadody, Innathe Chinta Vishayam, Sainyam, Vesham, Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, Gadibidi Aliya, and Thayagam.

Her last big-screen appearance was in the 2011 Malayalam political action thriller Collector. With her latest remarks, Mohini has sparked fresh discussion on the importance of respecting consent in cinema and ensuring safer working environments for performers.