Next Big Thing | Fast Times With Preity Mukundhan 

Preity Mukundhan is the rage.

It’s been just over a year since the Trichy native made her film debut with the Telugu horror-comedy Om Bheem Bush, but her rapid ascent in the industry is indicative of how Gen-Z audiences can propel new-age actors to instant stardom.

It’s also credit to her ingenuity that Mukundhan has ticked all the boxes towards finding fast success in this time and age: viral music videos, an endearing social media presence, working simultaneously in three different movie industries, being cast in a pan-Indian multi-starrer amidst the biggest names in the business, and through it all, maintaining a calm, unassuming demeanour. 

“The goal is to work in different languages for sure, as I’ve realised now that — from industry to industry — the nature of work, the film crew in itself and the audience are all different. Having now worked in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam language films, I’ve understood the pros and cons involved, and gained perspective as to how things work,” Mukundhan says, who was also lauded for her performance in her Tamil debut, the coming-of-age drama Star.

But it’s not easy straddling industries at all, she admits. “It’s a lot more hard work when you don’t know the language and have to memorise the lines, but I have to go above and beyond what is expected of me to prove myself. If I don’t understand my dialogues or they don’t come from the heart, then the performance won’t hit home, right?”

Preity Mukundhan 

The 23-year-old was most recently seen in the historical epic Kannappa, her biggest project till date, starring alongside Vishnu Manchu, who plays the titular figure of a tribal hunter and his path towards becoming a legendary devotee of lord Shiva. Cast in the role of Princess Nemali of the Chenchu clan, Mukundhan had to quickly rise to the occasion to play Kannappa’s loyal and courageous companion. “She is extremely devotional and the main reason why he (Kannappa) goes from being an atheist into a devotee. She’s his partner and has a huge emotional influence on him once their paths cross and their journey takes shape. Slowly, her belief begins to make sense to him ideologically, and that’s one of the key aspects of the plot.”

Mukundhan also recalls that the shoot in New Zealand was a far cry from all the other films she had been part of, “I was signed onto the film not too long before shooting began, so I got to rehearse and train perfectly in time before we went onto the sets. We shot for the film a lot outside the country, and horse-riding and sword-fighting were two skills I had to pick up. All the action sequences were, of course, new to me and I was shooting for a Tamil rom-com on the other side too!” 

Sharing screen credits with the likes of Prabhas, Mohanlal and Akshay Kumar in just her third film outing must make for a heady feeling; did it ever overwhelm her at any point? “I honestly only looked at the scope of my character in the film and her arc in the film. Though Kannappa is this behemoth of a multi-starrer, it was important to me that my role had a real impact on the storyline. I also got to share a little screen space with all the big names on board; meeting them in person and watching them work was such a revelation for me at this point of time in my career,” she answers. 

After graduating from NIT-Trichy, Mukundhan took up a fair share of advertorials and modelling assignments that got her noticed initially, but it was her dancing prowess that led to her breakout in 2024 with two smash-hit music videos: Aasa Kooda (Sai Abhyankkar, Sai Smriti) and Morni (Badshah, Sharvi Yadav). 

“Starring in those music videos opened up so many opportunities for me; before that happened, I was a nobody. It’s important for a producer to have some confidence in your market and ability to bring people to the theatre, and that’s why the virality of those songs was so important to me. It’s okay if people don’t consider me as a performer yet; I’m still finding my feet here and exploring my craft during this whole process. So I’m absolutely okay with being part of more short-form videos if it creatively stimulates me or gains me visibility. I want to take my time; be good, be bad, and eventually figure out my niche,” Mukundhan muses, when asked if she’s still recognised for her dancing more than her acting after the viral popularity of the songs. 

With a career blueprint to be already envious of, Mukundhan looks forward to a busy, but enjoyable couple of years ahead to further cement her status quo in the southern film industries. While she says that it was a “lot more difficult for outsiders to come in and make a space for themselves earlier,” the actor also admits that there are lots of challenges today. “But the media landscape is such that anyone can come in; I’ve understood now what it is to position your brand as an actor, as you’re constantly putting yourself out there for people to judge and perceive you.”

“Having said that, the one thing I strongly want to hold onto is my sense of authenticity; in the middle of all this madness, I don’t want to lose sight of who I really am.. I keep reminding myself of that. I want to take decisions as myself, and not be peer-pressured into strategically thinking what would make me more famous or what would be the common route to take. During this whole acting journey, I’m also going to be building myself as a person, and I hope I take my time to figure that out,” she smiles and concludes. 

Preity Mukundhan 

Quick Takes

Why did you become an actor?

If I have to break it down, what truly fascinates me among all the other various aspects of the industry, is helping people tell stories. There are times when you end up pushing yourself to the brink emotionally and physically sometimes, and you do question your choices here. But upon seeing that you’re part of something way bigger than yourself, with multiple people around you all working together to capture that one moment on the camera, and how that plays out in the whole equation.. that is really so fulfilling. 

A moment when you felt you really belonged to the movies?

In an upcoming Tamil film of mine, I recently did a scene where I explored a woman’s raw, deeply human emotions. This felt like I was carrying the weight and agony of countless women and I was speaking for all women; giving a voice to something bigger, about a collective. I think that was a big big moment for me, when I really felt a sense of purpose.

What are your upcoming projects?

I have two rom-coms releasing next: my Malayalam debut with Maine Pyar Kiya (with Hridhu Haroon of All We Imagine as Light fame), and the Tamil feature Idhayam Murali (with Atharvaa). There is also the Malayalam romance Sarvam Maya with Nivin Pauly, and a couple more untitled Tamil projects in the pipeline.