Mrunal Thakur Opens Up About Her Language Struggles and Finding Confidence on Set

Once hesitant about acting in Telugu films, Mrunal Thakur now embraces South Indian cinema with back-to-back projects—and credits Dulquer Salmaan for changing her mindset.

Mrunal Thakur has become a beloved face in South Indian cinema, thanks to her acclaimed performances in Sita Ramam and Hi Nanna. In Sita Ramam, she portrayed the ethereal Princess Noor Jahan (Sita Mahalakshmi) opposite Dulquer Salmaan, a role that won her widespread praise. The 2022 romantic period drama was a massive box office success, crossing ₹100 crore globally and ranking as one of the top Telugu earners of the year.

Her last Telugu outing, Hi Nanna, starring Nani, was another triumph. Released in 2023, the emotional drama grossed over ₹74 crore worldwide and solidified Mrunal’s standing as a sought-after actress in Tollywood. But as effortless as her journey may now appear, there was a time Mrunal nearly walked away from Telugu cinema altogether.

In a candid conversation with Galatta Plus, Mrunal reflected on the challenges she faced when she first stepped into the Telugu film industry. Coming from Maharashtra and having worked in Marathi and Hindi films—including her breakout role in Love Sonia (2018)—she was stepping into entirely unfamiliar territory.

“I didn’t know the language at all,” she admitted. “It made me feel handicapped.” Despite her decision to dub for herself to better grasp the nuances of the language, Mrunal found the process emotionally taxing. Lip-syncing in Telugu, a language she was new to, often left her feeling overwhelmed.

“I didn’t want to be in a space where I felt handicapped because I didn’t know the language,” she said. “It made me restless. I kid you not, there were moments when I wanted to give up. I’ve cried, but every tear was worth it because today those struggles brought me so much appreciation.”

It was during the filming of Sita Ramam in Kashmir that Mrunal opened up to co-star Dulquer Salmaan about her reservations. At the time, she had firmly decided that this would be her first—and last—Telugu film.

“I told Dulquer, ‘Sita Ramam will be my first and last Telugu film. I can’t do this again,’” she recalled. But Dulquer, who made his own Telugu debut with Mahanati and went on to dub for himself in Sita Ramam, encouraged her to keep an open mind.

“He just smiled and said, ‘We’ll see,’” Mrunal said. “And he was right. Today, I’m not just doing Telugu films, but I’m also exploring opportunities in Tamil and Kannada cinema. Dulquer gave me the confidence to believe I could do it.”

Mrunal’s career in the South is now thriving. She’s set to appear in Dacoit: A Love Story, an upcoming Telugu-Hindi bilingual action drama directed by Shaneil Deo. The film stars Adivi Sesh alongside Mrunal, with Anurag Kashyap making his Telugu acting debut.

On the Bollywood front, she’ll be seen in Son of Sardaar 2, an action-comedy sequel to the 2012 film starring Ajay Devgn and Sanjay Dutt.

From almost walking away to becoming one of the most promising actors in Telugu cinema, Mrunal Thakur’s journey is proof that perseverance—and a little encouragement—can change everything.