King of Kotha Failure Deeply Affected My Career- Aishwarya Lekshmi

Actress Aishwarya Lekshmi has opened up about how the failure of Dulquer Salmaan-starrer King of Kotha affected her career. In a recent interview, she recalled facing criticism and intense online trolling after the film, which released in 2023 amid high expectations, failed to perform as expected at the box office. She said the backlash over her acting and dialogue delivery made her question herself, while even a particular dialogue in which she addressed Dulquer’s character as “Rajuvetta” became a target of mockery.

Aishwarya said the trolling had such a strong impact that she became apprehensive about accepting projects. She revealed that she turned down an opportunity to feature with Dulquer in a commercial, fearing that her participation could trigger another wave of criticism. She also recalled being mocked by an assistant director during the shoot of Hello Mummy, an experience that left her deeply hurt. King of Kotha, directed by Abhilash Joshiy and made on a reported budget of around ₹50 crore, did not meet expectations. Aishwarya is currently part of the upcoming film Sambaraala Yeti Gattu, in which she stars opposite Sai Durgha Tej.