Aishwarya Lekshmi has opened up about how the backlash to King of Kotha changed the way she looked at working with Dulquer Salmaan. The actor said the trolling around the 2023 film affected her confidence so much that she even considered stepping away from projects featuring Dulquer.
Speaking to television presenter Ranjini Haridas on her YouTube channel, Aishwarya recalled how the response to the film continued to affect her even after its release.
“King of Kotha came amid huge hype in 2023. But after that, it felt like the Malayalam industry was afraid to cast me anymore. Not just me; Dulquer and the film's crew also faced trolls. My acting and dialogue delivery were all trolled. But many times, I have also felt that what they say is right,” Aishwarya shared.
The actor also spoke about an incident on the sets of Hello Mummy in 2024. She said an assistant director mocked the way she addressed Dulquer as ‘Rajuvetta' in King of Kotha. The incident stayed with her and made her more aware of how strongly the trolling had affected her.
“Many people made fun of me for the way I called Dulquer ‘Rajuvetta' in the film. It hurt me deeply when an assistant director (AD) called me that and made fun of me during the shooting of Hello Mummy (2024). Like that, many things happened,” she said.
Aishwarya then revealed that she had an advertisement lined up with Dulquer but became worried about how audiences would react to their pairing. She felt the brand could also face a similar backlash.
“After that, I had an ad shoot coming up with Dulquer. But I told the team, ‘The repercussions have been terrible; it will be trouble for you.' I don't think I can work with Dulquer anymore. Such trolls have affected me that much,” the actor said.
About King of Kotha's box office run
King of Kotha marked Abhilash Joshiy's directorial debut and featured Dulquer alongside Aishwarya, Shabeer Kallarakkal, Prasanna, Gokul Suresh, Nyla Usha and Chemban Vinod Jose.
The film, reportedly made on a budget of Rs 50 crore, earned Rs 31.35 crore worldwide, according to industry tracker Sacnilk.
ALSO READ: King Of Kotha Review: Dulquer Salmaan's Stab At Massy Fare Is A King-Size Letdown
