Malayalam actor Aishwarya Lekshmi has opened up about the personal struggles she faced after a difficult breakup and professional setbacks, including the social-media trolling she encountered after buying herself a Range Rover Evoque. The actor discussed the experience during a conversation with television presenter Ranjini Haridas while promoting her latest film Aasha.
Lekshmi recalled that she purchased the luxury SUV in 2024 using her own earnings, describing it as a personal milestone during a period when she was rebuilding her life.
Aishwarya Lekshmi Bought Herself a Range Rover as a Valentine’s Day Gift
Speaking about the difficult period, Lekshmi said she was recovering from a painful breakup and had also stepped away from some projects.
“I bought a car in 2024 with my hard-earned money. This was a phase where I was rebuilding myself after the breakup. It was a very bad phase, and I walked out of projects during that time,” she said.
The actor explained that she wanted to give herself something meaningful during the difficult phase. Taking inspiration from Sushmita Sen’s well-known decision to gift herself a diamond ring, Lekshmi chose something that reflected her own passion for automobiles.
“Since I love cars, I bought myself a Range Rover Evoque in Tribeca Blue colour. I wanted the delivery on February 14 as a Valentine’s Day gift to myself,” she said.
She also joked about the standards she has set for anyone who might want to date her.
“So, if you want to date me, please know that this is what I gifted myself on Valentine’s Day, and this is my standard,” she added.
‘People Asked What Kind of Work I Had Done’
The purchase attracted attention online, but not all of the reaction was positive.
Lekshmi said some people questioned whether she had actually paid for the vehicle herself. She recalled facing derogatory comments from social-media users who insinuated that she could not have afforded such an expensive car through her professional work.
The actor said the comments ultimately did not diminish the significance of the purchase for her.
“One day, when I went for a shoot, one person asked me if it was a gift from someone. My immediate thought was, ‘If I had someone to buy me such gifts, why would I work in this movie?’” she recalled.
She also referred to comments posted under a social-media post showing her collecting the vehicle.
“Then I saw the comments on the post, where some asked, ‘What kind of work would she have done to buy this car?’ But those comments didn’t affect me. That was a personal win for me,” Lekshmi said.
A Car Purchase During a Difficult Phase
For Lekshmi, the Range Rover was not simply a luxury purchase. She described it as something she bought for herself at a time when she was trying to rebuild her confidence following personal and professional difficulties.
She said only her close friends knew about what she was experiencing at the time, making the decision to celebrate herself with the car particularly personal.
Her comments also underline the difference between how a public figure’s purchase may be perceived online and what that purchase means to the person involved.
Aishwarya Lekshmi’s Film Career
Aishwarya Lekshmi made her acting debut in Althaf Salim’s Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela in 2017, appearing alongside Nivin Pauly.
She subsequently established herself across Malayalam and other South Indian film industries with films including Mayaanadhi, Varathan, Vijay Superum Pournamiyum, Kaanekkaane, Jagame Thandhiram, Ponniyin Selvan: I, Kumari, Gatta Kusthi, Archana 31 Not Out, Ponniyin Selvan: II, Maaman and Gatta Kusthi 2.
After a brief period away from Malayalam cinema, Lekshmi returned with Safar Sanal’s Aasha, which stars Urvashi and Joju George in the lead roles.
During the film’s promotional campaign, the actor opened up about several challenging experiences from her personal and professional life, offering a more candid look at the period behind some of her career decisions.
Lekshmi Says the Experience Was About Herself
While the Range Rover purchase became a subject of online commentary, Lekshmi made it clear that she viewed it differently.
For the actor, the vehicle represented something she had achieved with her own earnings at a difficult point in her life.
