Mallika Prasad, who has previously worked in series like Aspirants and Killer Soup, gained a lot of acclaim for her performance in Mardaani 3, the recently-released Rani Mukerji starrer. The actor’s presence was kept under wraps for the longest time, and it was only in the first teaser that Mallika was revealed to be part of the lead cast.
In an official statement, Mallika revealed how it was a consciously strategy to keep her under wraps, in order for her role to create huge impact in theatres. “The Mardani franchise has excelled at creating great villains, so with the character of Amma this was the plan - to keep things under wraps until the timing was right for the surprise reveal. There's always a lot of joy in the movies whenever there is a big reveal or there is a surprise,” the actor stated.
Further speaking about the role, Mallika stated, “I've enjoyed essaying this role which speaks to the times - crime and villainy are produced within the system itself, when people are denied justice and exploitation is normalised.”
The actor also acknowledged the contribution of composers John Stewart Eduri and Sarthak Kalyani for elevating the character. “The score and the songs give the character that extra something - as the character of Amma's ‘evil boss music’ adds to her menace,” she added. Talking about the reception to her role, the actor said, “All the love I've got from on social media for my performance seems to suggest that the character of Amma ‘hits different’ - with creepy supervillain vibes.”
Directed by Abhiraj Minawala and produced by Aditya Chopra, Mardaani 3 carries forward the franchise’s legacy of hard-hitting, socially relevant storytelling.