Kriti Sanon completely agrees with Kalyani on worst advice to heroines, there is no Bollywood-South divide here

Malayalam actress Kalyani Priyadarshan remarked that the worst advice given to her was that heroines need to look pretty even when crying, that immediately found support from Kriti Sanon.

Kriti Sanon, Kalyani Priyadarshan

Actresses have been instructed to thread a particular path, if they seek to succeed in the male-dominated film industry. Irrespective of whether the actress is from Bollywood or South, the expectations (read restrictions) placed on women seem to be the same. This was yet again reiterated when Malayalam actress Kalyani Priyadarshan opened up about the worst advice she had been given as a heroine, which immediately found support from Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon.

Kriti Sanon, Kalyani on worst advice to actresses

At The Hollywood Reporter India's Actors Roundtable 2025, Lokah star Kalyani Priyadarshan remarked that the worst advice given to her was that heroines need to look pretty even when crying. Fellow actress Kriti Sanon readily backed Kalyani on this, saying ‘I have heard that.’

“We were all told a lot of things initially. But someone was like a heroine needs to look pretty even when she cries,” remarked the young actress, who debuted in the film world with the Telugu movie Hello in 2017. Not just Kriti Sanon, Kannada actress Rukmini Vasanth also agreed with Kalyani on what is being told to actresses.

The remarks made by the three actresses, who are from three different industries, each with a particular identity, showcase how women are stifled with diktats on looking pretty on-screen and even off-screen. Fans have been debating on the North-South divide or Bollywood vs South clash over the quality of cinema and matrix of success in recent years, but when it comes to appearances of heroines, there sadly seems to be a (stifling) common ground.

Kalyani was last seen in the blockbuster Malayalam movie Lokah, while Kriti Sanon starred alongside Tamil actor Dhanush in the recent film Tere Ishk Mein. Rukmini Vasanth, on the other hand, featured in Rishab Shetty’s Kannada blockbuster Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1. While Kalyani headlined Lokah, Kriti Sanon and Rukmini played key roles in the Dhanush-starrer and the Kannada movie.

Also read: Vicky Kaushal on why Kalyani Priyadarshan's performance in Lokah was tricky

Actresses FAQs

Q. Who are the top actresses in India?

A. The top actresses in India include Bollywood stars Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Rashmika Mandanna are also popular actresses.

Q. Who are the top South actresses?

A. Rashmika Mandanna, Nayanthara, and Sai Pallavi are the top actresses in the South. Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Keerthy Suresh and Kalyani Priyadarshan are the other popular actresses.

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