Mumbai, Feb 1 : Actress Mallika Prasad, who plays the antagonist Amma in the upcoming film Mardaani 3, believes that society itself often gives birth to its own villains. Reflecting on her character, the actress said Amma is not evil in isolation but a product of systemic injustice, corruption and exploitation.

â??The unsettling truth is that we live in a society where everyday injustice can create a villain like Amma. She is a product of society. Sheâ??s someone who has had justice taken away from her, and sheâ??s working within that system that perpetuates corruption and exploitation,â?? Mallika told IANS.

Talking about iconic antagonists in Indian cinema, the actress said larger-than-life villains have always left a lasting impression on audiences.

â??I think larger-than-life villains are always memorable. Off the cuff, the people that come to my mind are Mogambo and Gabbar Singh.â??

However, Mallika added that portraying a female antagonist came with its own responsibility. According to her, it was important to go beyond theatrics and explore the emotional layers of the character.

â??For me, however, because it was a woman villain, it was very important to humanise her and to find waysâ??smaller nuancesâ??wherein her humanity shines through as well. I think thatâ??s also a challenging part when you are playing a larger-than-life villain... how do you find humanity?â?? she said.

Talking about her latest release â??Mardaani 3â??, the film is directed by Abhiraj Minawala and produced by Aditya Chopra. While Mardaani exposed the grim realities of human trafficking and Mardaani 2 explored the disturbing psyche of a serial rapist who challenged the system, Mardaani 3 delves into another dark and brutal reality of our society, further strengthening the franchiseâ??s legacy of impactful, issue-based storytelling.

Actress Janaki Bodiwala of Shaitaan fame also enters the Mardaani franchise to play a pivotal role. Mardaani 3 has been written by Aayush Gupta of The Railway Men fame.

The first installment of the Mardaani franchise was released in 2014. It featured Rani, Jisshu Sengupta, Tahir Raj Bhasin, and Anant Vidhaat Sharma in supporting roles. The second installment hit the screens in 2019. It was directed by Gopi Puthran. It also stars Vishal Jethwa.

/IANS