Esha Deol backs South Indian accents amid trolling, cites Sridevi, Hema Malini, Urmila Matondkar’s example

Esha Deol defended South Indian accents in Hindi cinema, saying linguistic differences add uniqueness to an actor’s identity. Citing Hema Malini, Sridevi and Urmila Matondkar, she spoke against accent-based trolling amid renewed debate over Rashmika Mandanna’s Hindi diction

Mumbai: Actress Esha Deol has come out in support of South Indian accents amid discussions around actors being trolled for their Hindi diction. The ‘Dhoom girl’ said that such linguistic nuances add to an artist’s individuality rather than take away from their performance. The actress, who is the daughter of veteran actors Hema Malini and Dharmendra, said she herself sounds like her mother who is a South Indian while delivering dialogues, particularly in Hindi.

She stated that she believes that an actor’s distinctive way of speaking is part of their identity. “I sound a lot like my mother when I am saying my dialogue, especially in Hindi. But that’s me, and the person who’s taken me on board to play a particular character knows that. So I think it sounds really sweet and cute. I enjoy hearing people with a little accent,” Esha said.

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She also cited the late legendary actress Sridevi, her mother Hema Malini and actress Urmila Matondkar as examples of performers whose accents became part of their distinctive screen identities.

Speaking about Sridevi, whom she affectionately referred to as “Shri aunty”, Esha said she admired the way the actress spoke and recalled being a huge fan of Urmila Matondkar, whose accent she also found appealing. “Like Sri aunty used to have her little accent, my mother, and even Urmila. I am a huge fan of Urmila, and I loved her little accent that would come. But that’s what makes them stand out. That’s the uniqueness, I think, every actor,” she said.

Esha’s observations also bring to mind Hema Malini’s distinctive Hindi dialogue delivery, including her characteristic way of saying “nahi”, which became a recognisable part of her screen persona. Sridevi, too, was widely recognised for her distinctive Hindi diction, influenced by her South Indian linguistic background.

Despite facing challenges with the language early in her Hindi film career, she went on to become one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated stars. Esha’s comments come amid renewed conversations around the trolling of South Indian actors for their accents. The actress’s remarks underline the importance of recognising linguistic diversity as a natural part of India’s cultural landscape, rather than expecting every performer to sound identical.

Talking about Esha Deol, the actress is returning to the screen with the action-crime drama Pratap, marking her return to Hindi film projects after a prolonged gap. The debate around South Indian accents in Hindi cinema has resurfaced recently, with actress Rashmika Mandanna talking about facing online trolling and criticism over her Hindi diction and accent.

The actress, who made her mark in Kannada and Telugu cinema before becoming popular in Bollywood, and has spoken about embracing her South Indian identity rather than feeling apologetic about how she speaks. Lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar, actress Madhoo have come out in support of the actress.