Dulquer Salmaan Dreamt Big With King of Kotha

Malayalam Cinema Has Only a Niche Following in Other States

By all accounts, actor and producer Dulquer Salmaan’s period gangster saga King of Kotha (2023) is a daring attempt to find pan-Indian audiences for Malayalam cinema.

Small Budget Because of Small Audience

King of Kotha is helmed by debut director Abhilash Joshiy and has a budget of Rs. 50 crore. Most Malayalam films have a budget of less than Rs. 7 crore.

Why Other Films Worked Instead of KOK

Pointing out that RDX also has a “testosterone-pumping narrative”, Menon said the blood and gore in this film worked better with the Kerala audience because it has a local flavour — unlike King of Kotha.

Speaking to Film Companion

Joshiy, who is among Salmaan’s childhood friends, said, “This was also because after 10 years in the industry, Dulquer wanted to change his image from boy-next-door to an action hero.”

Dulquer Salmaan is Still At An Enviable Stage in His Career

He delivered a blockbuster in Telugu with the period romantic drama Sita Ramam (2022), did his third Hindi film Chup (2022), and has also played one of the lead roles in Raj and DK’s Netflix gangster comedy Guns & Gulaabs (2023).