When Prithviraj spoke out about tirade of abuse against him; said he was tempted to pursue film career in another language: ‘What have I done to deserve all this?’

While he has largely maintained a brave front in public, Prithviraj Sukumaran has never denied that the hostility he endured was often overwhelming.

By: Entertainment Desk

Kochi | March 19, 2025 05:13 PM IST

3 min read

While he has largely maintained a brave front in public, Prithviraj Sukumaran has never denied that the hostility he endured was often overwhelming.

Within the industry too, Prithviraj Sukumaran encountered significant opposition early in his career for refusing to blindly adhere to the norms set by the top brass. (Express archive photo)

Although Prithviraj Sukumaran is now regarded as one of the most successful Malayalam actor-directors of all time — having also made his mark in other industries — his journey in his home ground was not entirely smooth. Despite entering the industry with the advantage of being the son of yesteryear Malayalam superstar Sukumaran and renowned actor Mallika Sukumaran, Prithviraj often found himself at the receiving end of intense scrutiny and targeted criticism for his outspoken nature, which was often dubbed as arrogance.

Within the industry too, he encountered significant opposition early in his career for refusing to blindly adhere to the norms set by the top brass, unlike many of his contemporaries. Nevertheless, Prithviraj stood his ground, refusing to compromise excessively, and gradually rose through the ranks to become what he is today.

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While he has largely maintained a brave front in public, he has never denied that the hostility he endured was often overwhelming. Following the release of his film Indian Rupee (2011) — which came shortly after his private wedding to journalist Supriya Menon — the wave of abuse against him peaked on social media. Addressing this in a 2011 interview with Rediff, he shared: “I am used to it by now. But it hurts when your family is brought into it. They are not a part of this. I don’t know what I have done to deserve this. If there is some incident because of which all this is happening, I can apologise or do something.”

Pointing out that the war against him had begun much earlier, Prithviraj stated that a fresh wave of organised attacks, however, emerged around the time of Indian Rupee’s release. “I have nothing to say to them. It is very tempting to go and pursue a film career in another language. I am an actor but also a human being. At the end of the day, I live my life, I have my family and my privacy. It wouldn’t have affected me if I had actually done something wrong — at least I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong,” he asserted.

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The actor continued: “Eleven years in films is a long time. You start thinking that if this is what your 11 years have come to, it’s not worth it.” Pointing out the blockbuster success of Indian Rupee, he attested that the character assassination of him was not owing to professional reasons. Helmed by Ranjith — who had given Prithviraj his first career break with Nandanam (2002) — the Indian Rupee was co-produced by the actor and went on to win numerous accolades, including the National Film Award for Best Malayalam Feature Film.

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Prithviraj Sukumaran is currently gearing up for the release of his third directorial venture, the Mohanlal-starrer L2: Empuraan, the second instalment in a planned trilogy that commenced with his directorial debut Lucifer (2019). The movie will hit the screens on March 27.

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