Mrunal Thakur birthday buzz: She nearly quit Telugu films after Sita Ramam—what Dulquer Salmaan did next changed everything

Mrunal Thakur, who celebrates her 33rd birthday today, has had a career filled with growth and courage. She began her acting career in television in 2012 and made her mark on television with popular shows like Mujhse Kuchh Kehti...Yeh Khamoshiyaan and Kumkum Bhagya.

After building her name on the small screen, she took a bold step and entered films. She made her big screen debut with a Marathi film Vitti Dandu in 2014 and later transitioned into Hindi with Love Sonia in 2018. The film opened the doors to Bollywood for her, and there has been no looking back.

In 2019, Mrunal Thakur gave back-to-back hits with Super 30 opposite Hrithik Roshan and Batla House with John Abraham. She also featured in anthology Ghost Stories, followed by Dhamaka and Jersey, where she starred alongside Kartik Aaryan and Shahid Kapoor. These films helped her become a familiar face in Bollywood and showed her growing range as an actor.



But Sita Ramam in 2022 gave Mrunal Thakur a level of fame she had never experienced before. Starring opposite Dulquer Salmaan, she became the face of timeless romance. Their chemistry was not just loved, it became the heart of the film’s success. Audiences across languages embraced her performance, and the film turned into a turning point in her career.



But behind the praise was a hidden struggle. In an interview with Galatta Plus, Mrunal shared a surprising moment from the shoot. “Sita Ramam is my first and last film in Telugu. I will not do any Telugu film,” she told Dulquer while filming in Kashmir.

Why would she say that, especially during the making of the film that would later define her? The answer lies in the emotional toll it took. “I didn't want to be in a space where I felt handicapped because when you don't know the language, you feel restless… I have literally cried, but every drop of tear has brought praise for me.”


It was Dulquer who kept her going. “He just looked at me and said, ‘We'll see.’ I think one of the reasons why I am today considering a Tamil film or a Kannada film is probably because of him.”

Her doubt was real, but so was her courage. She also shared how she coped with the demands of multilingual filmmaking. “Earlier I felt like what was more important was what mattered was the story, and language was manageable, but I think if you don't know the language, it gets a bit tough, and since childhood, I wanted to be a princess. So, this was the best opportunity, and my preparation started from childhood.”



Now, her latest film, Son of Sardaar 2, with Ajay Devgn is all set to hit the screens, and fans are eager to see her explore comedy.


Mrunal’s journey is far from slowing down. She has a strong line-up of films coming up, including Dacoit: A Love Story, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, Tum Ho Toh, and Pooja Meri Jaan. Each film promises to bring out a new side of her acting skills.

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