Prithviraj Sukumaran's latest film Vilaayath Budha opened to many negative reviews from audiences online, in addition to those from critics. Recently, the film's star Shammi Thilakan vouched for the quality of the film and questioned the relevance of these reviews. Subsequently, Prithviraj's actor mother Mallika Sukumaran also opened up about what is now being billed as a planned cyber attack from those in the industry against the former and his film. Speaking to Manorama News, Mallika said that not enough people and film unions stand with Prithviraj amid such situations. She disclosed that people are abusing Prithviraj and making bad comments about the film as a form of vendetta against the actor. "Prithvi is their main target," she stated.
She expressed her sadness at the stance of these unions, underscoring the importance of them treating all artists equally, which she said is not the case now. She also addressed the speculation about the opposition from within the film industry against "the strong comeback of Shammi Thilakan" with the film. "He is an expelled actor, after all," Mallika said, alluding to Shammi Thilakan's ousting from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists. The actor also questioned the silence of the unions after the ousting of Thilakan from AMMA, when she faces flak for certain comments, and amid attacks against Prithviraj. "Does no union take any sort of responsibility?" she asked.
She also said that the negative opinion of Prithviraj's performance in the film, including from those within the industry, is a calculated move to end his career. "Even when Thilakan chettan's son says he has done his role well in the film, people are calling his performance "a big bore". It is an agenda to end Prithviraj the actor and is not the film's fault," she said. She referred to a film discussion following the release of Vilaayath Budha that concerned not the film but L2: Empuraan. The actor ended on a positive note by saying that none of these will affect Prithviraj and that he is here to stay.
