Aishwarya Lekshmi Reveals How King of Kotha Backlash Affected Her Career and Confidence

Aishwarya Lekshmi has opened up about one of the more difficult phases of her Malayalam film career, revealing that the response to King of Kotha had a lasting impact on both her professional opportunities and confidence.

The 2023 Malayalam action drama, headlined by Dulquer Salmaan, arrived in theatres with considerable expectations. However, the film received a mixed response and its performance was followed by extensive social media criticism. Aishwarya says the backlash did not end with the film's theatrical run and, in her view, influenced how some people in the Malayalam film industry approached her afterward.

Aishwarya Lekshmi Says the Film Affected Her Career

Speaking in an interview with presenter Ranjini Haridas, Aishwarya reflected on what happened after King of Kotha. According to the actress, she felt that Malayalam filmmakers became more hesitant about casting her following the film's release.

She was careful to present this as her own perception rather than an established fact, acknowledging that she could be mistaken about the reasons behind changes in her career opportunities.

For an actor, however, the experience appears to have been significant. Aishwarya had already established herself in Malayalam cinema, but the intense reaction to King of Kotha made her feel that the film's failure had consequences beyond box-office numbers.

Online Trolling Became a Major Part of the Experience

The criticism surrounding King of Kotha was not restricted to the film itself. Aishwarya recalled that members of the cast and crew, including Dulquer Salmaan, were also subjected to online trolling.

Her own performance and dialogue delivery became particular targets. The actress said that while the trolling was painful, she could also recognise that some of the criticism made about her performance was fair.

That distinction is important in understanding her comments. Rather than dismissing every negative reaction, Aishwarya said some criticism helped her identify areas where she needed to improve as an actor. At the same time, the personal nature of certain jokes and repeated online mockery made the experience much harder to deal with.

Why the “Rajuvetta” Dialogue Stayed With Her

One particular element from the film became a recurring source of jokes online: the way Aishwarya's character addressed Dulquer Salmaan's character as “Rajuvetta.”

What may have been a small dialogue detail in the movie eventually became closely associated with the online trolling she received.

The impact went beyond social media. Aishwarya recalled an incident during the shooting of Hello Mummy, when an assistant director used “Rajuvetta” while teasing her. She said the incident hurt her because it brought back the criticism associated with King of Kotha.

For the actress, this appears to have demonstrated how a joke that begins online can sometimes follow an actor into real professional environments.

The Backlash Even Influenced a Dulquer Salmaan Advertisement

Aishwarya also revealed that the experience affected a later professional opportunity involving Dulquer Salmaan.

She was approached for an advertisement featuring the actor, but she became concerned about the possible reaction because of the negative attention surrounding their pairing after King of Kotha.

Instead of proceeding normally, she reportedly warned the team that the backlash could create problems for the brand as well. She ultimately stepped away from the advertisement.

The decision illustrates how strongly the earlier experience had affected her thinking. A film collaboration had already become associated with criticism in her mind, and she did not want another professional project to attract a similar response.

Aishwarya Says She Became Wary of Working With Dulquer Again

Perhaps the most striking part of her revelation was her uncertainty about sharing the screen with Dulquer Salmaan again.

Aishwarya indicated that the trolling surrounding King of Kotha had affected her to such an extent that she began questioning whether another collaboration with Dulquer would expose her to renewed criticism.

This does not necessarily mean that a future collaboration is impossible. Rather, her comments underline the emotional effect that the earlier backlash had on her and how strongly public reaction can influence an actor's professional confidence.

King of Kotha's Legacy Goes Beyond Its Box Office Performance

King of Kotha was one of the major Malayalam releases of 2023 and carried considerable expectations because of Dulquer Salmaan's presence and the scale of the project. It was directed by Abhilash Joshiy and featured a large ensemble cast alongside Dulquer and Aishwarya.

The film's underwhelming reception became a talking point in Malayalam cinema, but Aishwarya's latest comments highlight another side of a film's failure: its potential effect on the people involved.

For audiences, a disappointing movie may simply become another release that did not work. For actors, however, the consequences can be much more personal. Online criticism can influence confidence, professional relationships and even decisions about future projects.

Aishwarya's experience with King of Kotha therefore offers a broader reminder about the difference between legitimate film criticism and prolonged personal trolling. While she has acknowledged that some criticism helped her grow, the lasting emotional impact of the backlash shows that the conversation around a film can continue long after it leaves theatres.