The trailer of Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor’s upcoming romantic drama Param Sundari may have generated buzz online, but it has also sparked criticism, especially among Malayali performers and audiences. The film, which explores a cross-cultural romance, features Janhvi as a Malayali woman from Palakkad. However, many have called her portrayal exaggerated and riddled with stereotypes.

On Thursday, Malayalam actor-singer Pavithra Menon lashed out at the makers, questioning why authentic Malayali actors were not cast for such roles. A day later, content creator Steffi joined the chorus of disapproval, posting a satirical breakdown of the trailer that quickly found support across social media.

Steffi, who runs the Instagram account @stuffwithsteffi, uploaded a video mocking the film’s stereotypical visual cues. Wearing flowers in her hair, she quipped, “Before I begin, I need to look like a Malayali. According to Bollywood, this is it.”

She further criticised the makers for giving Janhvi’s character a comically long name, adding, “Not everyone in Kerala has a long name. Honestly, she looks more Tamilian than Malayali. They could have easily set her character in Chennai.” Steffi also questioned whether Sidharth’s Delhi-based character was subjected to similar stereotyping, asking, “Are Delhiites not offended yet?”

The video struck a chord with audiences. In the comments section, Malayalis expressed frustration over Janhvi’s accent. “I understood all her Hindi, but not a single Malayalam word,” wrote one user. Another remarked, “Her South Indian accent isn’t even consistent.” Some even pleaded with Bollywood to stop attempting cultural representation, with one user writing, “Please, please, please, leave us alone.”

Pavithra, too, had echoed similar concerns in her video earlier, bluntly asking, “What’s the problem in hiring a proper Malayali actor? Hum kam talented hote hain kya (Are we less talented)?” Many online agreed, with one fan commenting, “They should have just hired a Mallu actress.”

Directed by Tushar Jalota, Param Sundari traces the love story of a Delhi boy and a Malayali girl. Apart from Sidharth and Janhvi, the film features Rajeev Khandelwal and Aakash Dahiya in key roles. The movie is slated to release on August 29.