Prithviraj’s mother Mallika alleges ‘those in film industry trying to destroy his career’ amid cyberattacks

Mallika Sukumaran expressed discontent with film organisations, claiming they have remained silent while Prithviraj and Vilayath Buddha are being targeted.

Prithviraj Sukumaran's mother, Mallika, has spoken out against the cyberattacks targeting her son and his latest movie, Vilayath Buddha. (Credit: Facebook/@sukumaran.mallika)

Following the L2: Empuraan controversy that gained nationwide attention earlier this year, actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran has become the target of a new wave of online attacks that, according to its makers, have adversely affected the box-office performance of his latest movie, Vilayath Buddha. Days after the film’s producer filed an FIR against a YouTube channel for allegedly misrepresenting Vilayath Buddha’s content and promoting narratives aimed at provoking communal tensions, veteran actor Mallika Sukumaran, Prithviraj’s mother, has stepped forward, accusing certain factions within the industry of consciously trying to destroy his career.

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She also expressed discontent with film organisations, claiming they have remained silent while Prithviraj and Vilayath Buddha are being targeted. “When attacks against Prithviraj occur, there aren’t many organisations or people willing to speak up. From what I observe, some are simply hurling abuses. Prithviraj is their main target,” she said during a conversation with Manorama Online. Mallika also demanded that the organisation — though she did not mention the name, it was evident she was referring to the actors’ Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) — stand by its members during such challenging times. She noted that it shouldn’t take different stances on similar cases at different times.

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“There are claims that some people are upset over Thilakan’s son (Shammi Thilakan, who plays a key role in Vilayath Buddha) making a comeback since he was previously ousted [from AMMA]. If you ask about these issues, there’s no one in the organisation to provide a clear answer. There are no proper responses to our questions. There’s an attempt to destroy Prithviraj, the actor. People within the film industry itself are trying to do this. Those responsible should take action against this. Otherwise, I will speak out wherever I can. Either way, they should keep in mind that nothing will happen to Prithviraj as a result of any of these attempts.”

Mentioning that she has collected the IDs of those who carried out the cyberattacks, Mallika added that if such attacks against her son continue, she will make necessary revelations, along with with evidence, at the appropriate time.

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Also starring Priyamvada Krishnan, Anu Mohan, Rajashree, and Suraj Venjaramoodu, Vilayath Buddha is based on the novel of the same name written by noted author GR Indugopan. The film received mixed responses upon its release on November 21. In his review of the movie, SCREEN’s Anandu Suresh wrote, “Vilayath Buddha suffers from a curious case of the director being seemingly unsure/unready to keep only what’s necessary, instead stubbornly packing the film with as much canned footage as possible.”

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