'We’ll pay you whatever salary you ask for, but cannot see you as a sister'; Maala Parvathi recounts distressing experience

Maala Parvathi is a Malayalam actress known for openly expressing her stand on various issues. Before entering the film industry, she had a career as a TV presenter with leading channels. Now, years later, she has opened up about a difficult incident she faced at work. In an interview with a YouTube channel, Maala Parvathi also spoke about a piece of valuable advice she received from fellow actress Seema.

"One person I can always confide in is Mammootty. He's like a guardian figure to me. Once, when I was facing an issue related to a film, it was he who helped resolve it. I often face various kinds of criticisms on social media. People even say things like, ‘It would’ve been better if you were removed from certain films.’ But that’s just their mental state, right? Many such comments come from frustration. I don’t let it upset me," she said.

"Everyone has their own struggles and happiness. Maybe they say such things because they couldn't achieve something they wanted. Some leading directors had approved scenes that others later rejected—it's not something I take seriously. I once walked away from a film due to differences with the director. Now, I just do my work and return home. It was Seema chechi who taught me that. During the shooting of Maara, she noticed I was getting involved in everything happening on set. She called me into her caravan and scolded me, telling me to focus solely on my acting."

Maala Parvathi also recalled a troubling experience from her time as a TV presenter. "At one of the channels I worked for, I wasn’t paid properly. My salary was Rs 13,000, and my son was going through a health crisis at the time. His treatment was expensive, and I had to borrow money to pay for it. Even after six months, I hadn’t received my salary. With the help of a friend, I joined another channel and paid from my own pocket to produce two talk shows.

Then the management called me to a hotel to ‘discuss’ the salary. A person from management told me, ‘We’ll pay you whatever salary you ask for, but we can’t see you as a sister.’ I left that hotel and walked home crying. It was 9:30 at night. I felt like the earth had slipped away from beneath my feet. I had lost my job too. I told my husband everything. He was the one who comforted me," she shared.