Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna played a game of star titles on Koffee with Karan Season 9, Episode 2, now streaming on JioHotstar. Karan Johar read out the names South Indian stars are known by, and the guests had to name the star.
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Icon Star, Rocking Star, Complete Actor
Rashmika named Allu Arjun for "Icon Star" and Yash for "Rocking Star". When Karan said "Complete Actor", Vijay joked, "Me."
After the laughter, Karan gave the answer: Mohanlal. "Mohanlal sir?" both Vijay and Rashmika asked.
Mohanlal has said the Complete Actor title was given to him by people, and it is also the name of his official website.
The last season
Karan has said this is the show's last season. Vijay and Rashmika came on the show to promote their film Ranabaali.
Mohanlal, meanwhile, has a cameo in Haiwaan and stars in Priyadarshan's 100th film, a Carnatic musical about a father and son who are both Carnatic singers.
Vijay and Rashmika's films together
Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna first paired up in Parasuram's Geetha Govindam (2018), one of the biggest Telugu hits of that year, and followed it with Dear Comrade (2019), which also released in Malayalam. Ranabaali is the film they are promoting on the show.
Why 'Complete Actor' means Mohanlal
For Malayalis, the answer was never in doubt. Mohanlal has won five National Film Awards, including Best Actor twice, for Bharatham (1991) and Vanaprastham (1999). His range across Kireedam, Thoovanathumbikal, Manichitrathazhu and the Drishyam films is the reason the title has stuck for decades.
The fact that two top Telugu stars did not guess it straight away made the moment funny, but it also shows that Mohanlal's screen name is still mostly a Malayali thing, even as his recent pan-Indian work, like Jailer and L2: Empuraan, has reached wider audiences.
Koffee with Karan first aired in 2004, and Karan Johar has hosted every season.
Mohanlal also received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2023, India's highest film honour. President Droupadi Murmu presented it to him on September 23, 2025, at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony. Season 9 of Koffee with Karan streams on JioHotstar.
Also read: Athimanoharam: Mohanlal begins dubbing for his second Tharun Moorthy film
