Actress Priyamani, who has made her mark in both regional cinema and Bollywood, believes it’s time to retire the term ‘pan-India actor.’ She stated, “I think we should stop using the term pan-India. We’re all Indian at the end of the day.” Priyamani questioned the need for the label, pointing out the inconsistency in how actors are categorized. She noted, “You get work in other industries, and that’s a good thing — but you don’t call someone a ‘regional actor’ when they come from Bollywood to the South.” She highlighted that actors have historically worked across languages without such distinctions, asking, “Why are we suddenly labelling people now?”
The 41-year-old actress recalled that legendary figures like Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Prakash Raj, and Dhanush have been working across various film industries for decades, recognized simply as Indian actors. “It doesn’t matter which language we work in — accept us for who we are and for the characters we play. This sudden trend of actors wanting to overly use the term is funny,” she added.
Looking ahead, Priyamani is set to return for the third season of the popular series ‘The Family Man.’ When asked about the show’s popularity and the increasing reactivity of audiences, she shared her thoughts on how people have become more sensitive. “People have become oversensitive. It’s okay to have opinions, but don’t overanalyze or try to influence others. Watch a film for what it is. So many people put in hard work — just appreciate that.”
She further elaborated on appreciating the creative process, stating, “When you watch a film, watch it for the film, for what it is. Obviously, the makers and the actors have put in a lot of effort. It might work out, it might not — that’s absolutely fine. What may work for you may not work for me as an audience. You might like something, I may not, and that’s okay. Opinions are absolutely fine.”
Priyamani urged viewers to offer constructive criticism rather than excessive analysis. “You can criticize a film — you’re more than welcome to,” she continued, “but don’t over-criticize or over-analyze it. Don’t make it about red flags, green flags, Gen Z this or that. It’s just a film! It doesn’t always have to be a reflection of today’s world. The filmmaker has a vision, and the characters might resonate with you or might not, and that’s okay too.”
Reflecting on the impact of technology and social media, Priyamani acknowledged the ease with which opinions can now be shared, noting both the advantages and disadvantages. “You’re more than welcome to your opinion,” she said, “but don’t try to influence other people’s opinions. Someone might actually like the film, even if you didn’t. At the end of the day, hundreds of people work hard to bring a project to life — to get it on OTT or in theatres. So just watch the film for what it is. You don’t have to be oversensitive about everything.”
Priyamani, who portrays Suchi in ‘The Family Man’ alongside Manoj Bajpayee’s Srikant Tiwari, also spoke about her personal life, particularly her marriage to Mustafa Raj. She described their relationship as easy, with open discussions about her career. “With him, it’s easy. We always discuss work; every project that comes my way, we talk about it. Sometimes he tells me, ‘I think you should do it,’ but my gut says no. Then he says, ‘If you’re not convinced, that’s absolutely fine.’ And there are times when I tell him, ‘I don’t think I should do this,’ and he insists, ‘No, I think you should — it’s really good.’ And you know what, it has actually worked out for me when I’ve listened to him.”
She concluded by highlighting the strength of their partnership, even amidst occasional disagreements. “Sometimes, yes, we’ve had disagreements, but more often than not, it’s unanimous — whether it’s a yes or a no, we come to the same conclusion. Eventually, we always reach a mutual agreement, which usually works in my favour at the end of the day,” she laughed. “He’s honestly the sweetest man. He listens to all my rants and gives his inputs whenever I need to be heard. I’m very lucky that way,” she wrapped up.