Malayalam cinema doesn’t need me: Honey Rose; Vinayan says she earns more than top-paid actresses

At the trailer launch of her upcoming movie Rachel, actor Honey Rose stunned fans with her honest reflections on her career in Malayalam cinema. The actress admitted that the industry doesn’t necessarily need her, saying, “If you ask me if Malayalam cinema needs me, the answer is no. I am the one who is just clinging on.”

Honey Rose credited directors Vinayan and Lal Jose for giving her opportunities that shaped her journey. “It’s been ten or twenty years in the film industry. Vinayan sir held my hand and brought me into cinema. I think what must be going through Vinayan sir’s mind is, ‘Maybe she will make it with this one at least’,” she said.

The actress expressed her approach to work, adding, “I don’t need a lot of roles to come my way. I am a person who wishes to choose the best from what comes and prays for it. It’s a huge passion of mine.”

Honey Rose expressed her excitement about Rachel, calling it a project that felt special. “Some films are like that; we feel that they will have God’s signature on them. Rachel is a film that made me feel that way,” she said. She added that while the movie is woman-centric, it is also a commercial entertainer with a layered character for her to portray.

Director Vinayan, who launched the Rachel trailer alongside Honey Rose, also praised her career and work ethic. He said that Honey Rose earns more than the highest-earning Malayalam actresses just through inaugurations and events.

“Honey has been making good money in a year from inaugurations than any other top-paid Malayalam actresses earn from ten movies combined, but as she said, passion and good films matter more than money. When small films succeed, it feels like a huge achievement,” he said.

He added that the struggles behind such projects often make history, and Honey Rose’s performance in Rachel has exceeded his expectations.

The trailer of Rachel has already impressed fans with Honey Rose’s compelling performance, and expectations are high for the film’s release on 6 December 2025.