Rashmika Mandanna gets candid about her life lately and her goals for 2026!

The legendary Bengaluru chill has finally packed its bags, making way for mornings so bright and sunny that one can now spot cherry blossoms slowly blushing across the city. It’s a mood that mirrors a woman who doesn’t just walk into a room; she illuminates it with a smile that tagged her as the National Crush! But the actress is no longer just that; she has matured into a cinematic powerhouse. 2025 was, quite frankly, the year of Rashmika Mandanna.

She’s spent the last twelve months effortlessly shape-shifting through the fantastic five — from the grandeur of the Maratha period drama Chhaava to the eerie, supernatural world of Thamma and the grandiosity of Sikandar. We watched her navigate the dark alleys of the crime thriller Kuberaa, only to have our hearts bruised by the thought-provoking intimacy of The Girlfriend .

Yet, in between releasing films, shooting endless campaigns and navigating the constant hum of rumours regarding her personal life — specifically those ‘wedding bells’ the internet seems so certain about — she also found the bandwidth to turn entrepreneur. Recently, she launched her fragrance brand that feels less like a business move and more like an intimate invitation into her headspace. While she chose to wrap up 2025 by soaking up the coastal sun in Sri Lanka (a trip that, naturally, the tabloids mistook for a bachelorette getaway), we borrowed her for few moments from her holiday calm, to uncover how she plans to embrace 2026, her vision behind her fragrance brand and why her travel plans are just as ambitious as her film kitty.

But we have to follow the format right… So, we begin with Dear Diary — because before we get to the movies or New Year’s resolutions, we need to talk about this woman who is now bottling her memories. “Journalling has always been my safest space. Growing up and even now, writing things down helps me process emotions. And that’s why the name came very instinctively, because diaries don’t judge, they just listen,” she says with a smile. Similarly, fragrance is the only diary that doesn’t need words to tell a story, it’s a sensory time capsule that stays on your skin or embedded deep in your mind. Fresh even years later, taking one back to those exact moments!

“Over the years, I realised scent does the same thing. A fragrance can hold joy, pain, nostalgia and comfort without needing explanation. Bottling the scents felt like sharing a page from my life, not in words, but in feelings. Each perfume is a moment I’ve lived, something deeply personal that I wanted others to connect with in their own way,” Rashmika shares.

Most actors wait for a ‘slow year’ to launch a business, to give their undivided attention to their brand, but she did with a full-packed schedule and how! Of course, it wasn’t easy, she takes us through the obstacles she stumbled across on this journey and why a brand dedicated to fragrances felt right for her.

“Fragrance felt natural to me. I’ve always believed scent is memory’s strongest trigger; it can instantly take you back to a place, a person or a phase of life. It’s also invisible, yet incredibly powerful. People may forget what you wore, but they often remember how you smelled. The most challenging part was getting the balance right, making sure the fragrance lasted long but still felt gentle and personal. From how the scent opens to how it settles on the skin after hours and sourcing Indian ingredients — we worked extensively on formulation,” the entrepreneur reveals.

The label launched with a collection of three scents — National Crush (evokes the freshness of new beginnings and uses sandalwood), Controversial (captures the strength and resilience Rashmika associates with her roots, featuring amber and cedar) and lastly, Irreplaceable (boasts sugarcane and is inspired by the actress’ personal growth and the story behind her first tattoo).

“I gravitate most towards Irreplaceable. It’s grounding, comforting and it reminds me to stay true to myself, especially on hectic days. In terms of notes, I love floral elements like jasmine and pink lotus; they feel familiar and calming, but balanced with earthy notes like vetiver,” she recalls.

Well, you can only hold a conversation about something (even if it’s as important as your own brand) for so long when you are on a holiday, before the sound of crashing waves take you back to where you are! So, we circle back to talking about her time in Sri Lanka. “This trip is a quiet one, closer to nature with my girl gang,” she laughs. Today, if you scroll down her feed, you’ll find that she’s already flown to another exotic destination: Rome. “I love exploring local food, traditions and everyday life. Street food, small cafés, art spaces — those experiences make me feel connected to a place,” the actress elucidates.”

While she is definitely quite the traveller, she isn’t much less of a style icon and her latest obsession: “I am in the phase of skirts, which you might have seen me wearing, a lot lately!” she informs us.

Switching gears, she also takes us through what keeps her skin glowing during her vacations while also helping her jump back onto the sets, looking flawless and ready to shoot! “I keep my skincare simple. Cleansing, moisturising, sunscreen — always; besides regular visits to my dermat — that is something I swear by. For hair, oiling is non-negotiable. It’s something my mom always did and I still follow it religiously,” Rashmika tells us.

Since we had uttered the word sets, we couldn’t help but talk about her blockbuster — The Girlfriend — a film that sparked a wildfire of conversation. Her raw, visceral portrayal of a woman reclaiming her agency became a cultural touchstone, proving that beneath the bubbly label lies an actor with a penchant for the profound. “The film was very important to me. The role allowed me to explore restraint and vulnerability differently. It reminded me why I fell in love with acting — to express honest, human stories. It definitely shifted how I look at my choices going forward,” Rashmika elucidates. She also assures us that she will be returning to the silver screens very soon as she is currently shooting for Cocktail 2 and Mysaa.

Before saying au revoir, we take to our annual, mandatory tradition of asking the beautiful actress what her goals, dreams and resolutions for 2026 are? “Professionally, I want to keep choosing meaningful work, both in films and with my brand. I want the brand to grow globally while staying emotionally rooted. Personally, I want more balance — more time with family, more stillness and more listening to myself.”

She takes a pause and then smiles back to deliver warm festive wishes, “Sankranti and Pongal celebrate the spirit of gratitude, abundance and new beginnings. As we welcome the harvest season, I hope this auspicious time brings happiness, harmony and prosperity to everyone,” she bids adieu.

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