Archive · 8 Sep 2026
Aishwarya Lekshmi Says King of Kotha Setback Affected Career
King of Kotha was a Malayalam movie that many people were excited to see.
It starred Dulquer Salmaan and Aishwarya Lekshmi.
The movie did not perform well with critics or at the box office.
Afterward, the actors and filmmakers faced a lot of online criticism.
Aishwarya Lekshmi said the experience affected her deeply.
She said some Malayalam filmmakers became unsure about casting her.
She also said the trolling made her less confident about working with Dulquer again.
The film was directed by Abhilash Joshiy.
King of Kotha was released amid major hype as one of 2023’s biggest Malayalam films.
The film marked Dulquer Salmaan’s first theatrical release in his home turf in nearly two years.
Directed by Abhilash Joshiy, King of Kotha became a critical and commercial failure.
The film’s cast and crew, especially Dulquer Salmaan and Aishwarya Lekshmi, faced significant trolling.
Lekshmi said the backlash reduced her opportunities and weakened her confidence in working with Dulquer again.
- Who
- Aishwarya Lekshmi, Dulquer Salmaan, and director Abhilash Joshiy were associated with the film.
- What
- Aishwarya Lekshmi said King of Kotha’s failure and the resulting trolling affected her career and confidence.
- When
- She made the remarks recently; King of Kotha was released in 2023.
- Where
- The impact was discussed in the context of Malayalam cinema and its film industry.
- Why
- The film became a critical and commercial failure, followed by significant trolling of its cast and crew.
- Film
- King of Kotha
- Release year
- 2023
- Director
- Abhilash Joshiy
- Lead actors
- Dulquer Salmaan and Aishwarya Lekshmi
- Reception
- Critical and commercial failure
- Reported impact
- Lekshmi said she received fewer opportunities in Malayalam cinema
- Related film
- Kurup (2021)