I was offered India's first Netflix series Sacred Games: Malavika Mohanan

Actress Malavika Mohanan, who has worked on some really interesting projects in the Malayalam film industry, will be soon seen in Majid Majidi’s Beyond the Clouds opposite Ishaan Khatter. She was perhaps the first choice for a web series on Netflix.

“I am getting lots of offers for web series. I was offered India’s first Netflix series Sacred Games. I wanted to do a couple of films before I move on to do a web series,” says Malavika.

Though she agrees that web series are the future, the actress has different plans for herself. “I am a huge fan of web series, but I want to get established in films before I venture into web series. This creates confusion in audiences’ mind as to what I am up to. So once I earn a name, I can do anything,” says the actress.

According to sources, Malavika was offered the role that is now being played by Radhika Apte, in the Sacred Games. Based on Vikram Chandra’s 2006 thriller novel, the series also stars Bollywood biggies Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. It is scheduled to premiere on July 6.

Two other actresses, Kangana Ranaut and Deepika Padukone had also auditioned for the same role that Malavika is playing in Beyond…. To this the actress clarifies that she hasn’t replaced Deepika in the film.

“I believe Deepika was never signed for the film. She just did a look test. One can’t say I replaced them, but they definitely were contending for it,” she says.
The actress shares, when she got a call from casting director Honey Trehan, she was told not to have high hopes.

“Honey called me and told me that the film is a Majid Majidi project. I was also told to not have high hopes since other actresses are competing for the role. After this, I appeared for a look test and four days later, I was on board,” she smiles. Iranian filmmaker Majidi’s maiden India-set project Beyond The Clouds will hit the screens on April 20.