Aishwarya Lekshmi has spoken candidly about the impact of King of Kotha‘s backlash on her confidence, revealing that the trolling became so difficult that she once reconsidered working with Dulquer Salmaan.
Aishwarya Lekshmi has opened up about one of the more difficult experiences of her career following the release of King of Kotha in 2023.
The Malayalam film, starring Dulquer Salmaan and Aishwarya in prominent roles, arrived with substantial expectations. However, the response after its theatrical release was challenging for several members of the cast and crew, with the film becoming the subject of widespread criticism and online trolling.
Looking back on that period, Aishwarya said the experience affected her confidence and made her feel that opportunities in the Malayalam film industry had also become more difficult to find.
Aishwarya Says King of Kotha Changed Her Confidence
In a recent conversation, Aishwarya recalled the intense reaction to King of Kotha and how it stayed with her long after the film’s release.
The actor said she felt that filmmakers had become more hesitant about casting her following the film.
She also pointed out that the criticism was not limited to her. Dulquer Salmaan and other members of the film’s team were also subjected to online trolling.
Aishwarya said her acting and dialogue delivery became particular targets of criticism. More significantly, she admitted that repeated negative comments sometimes made her question whether the criticism directed at her had a point.
That response reveals how deeply the online reaction had affected her self-confidence as a performer.
‘Rajuvetta’ Joke Stayed With Aishwarya
One particular incident became especially difficult for the actor.
Aishwarya recalled that audiences had mocked the way she addressed Dulquer’s character as “Rajuvetta” in King of Kotha.
The matter resurfaced during the making of Hello Mummy in 2024, when an assistant director reportedly used the same reference while making fun of her.
Aishwarya said the incident hurt her.
For her, the problem was no longer limited to social-media comments. A reference that had already been associated with online trolling had now entered a professional environment.
She recalled that several incidents of this nature contributed to the emotional impact of the earlier backlash.
Why Aishwarya Hesitated About a Dulquer Salmaan Ad
The effect of the trolling became particularly clear when Aishwarya was scheduled to work with Dulquer on an advertisement.
Instead of treating the project as a routine professional assignment, she became concerned about how audiences might react to seeing the two actors together again.
According to Aishwarya, she warned the advertising team that another wave of criticism could potentially create difficulties for the brand as well.
She told the team that the repercussions of the earlier experience had been severe and expressed doubt about whether she could work with Dulquer again.
“I don’t think I will be able to work with Dulquer anymore. This trolling has affected me to that extent,” she said.
Her comments underline the extent to which the experience had influenced her professional thinking.
King of Kotha Arrived With Major Expectations
Directed by Abhilash Joshiy, King of Kotha marked the filmmaker’s directorial debut. He is the son of veteran Malayalam director Joshiy.
The film featured Dulquer Salmaan and Aishwarya Lekshmi alongside Shabeer Kallarakkal, Prasanna, Gokul Suresh, Nyla Usha and Chemban Vinod Jose.
The project generated considerable attention before release, particularly because of Dulquer’s presence and the scale of the production.
However, the film eventually faced a mixed critical and commercial response.
King of Kotha Box Office Performance
The film was reportedly made on a budget of around ₹50 crore.
According to figures reported by industry-tracking platform Sacnilk, King of Kotha collected approximately ₹31.35 crore worldwide.
Such figures are estimates compiled by industry trackers and should not be treated as audited studio figures.
Aishwarya Lekshmi’s Candid Account
Aishwarya’s comments offer a glimpse into the personal consequences that can accompany a film’s negative reception.
While actors routinely face criticism for their performances, sustained online mockery can have an impact beyond a single release, particularly when the criticism follows them into subsequent professional situations.
For Aishwarya, King of Kotha appears to have been one such experience.
Her recollection of the “Rajuvetta” jokes, the incident during Hello Mummy and her hesitation over an advertisement with Dulquer illustrates how the film’s reception continued to influence her thinking well after its theatrical run.
