Prithviraj Sukumaran's Mother, Mallika Slams Film Industry For Targetting Her Son, Says, 'When...'

The Malayalam film, Vilaayath Budha, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, was recently released in theatres on November 21, 2025. Unfortunately, as soon as the film premiered, it opened the gates to a flood of negative reviews from not only social media users but also film critics. Actor, Shammi Thilakan, who also starred in the film alongside Prithviraj, publicly came out to vouch for the quality of the film and wondered what could be the reason behind the hoards of negative reviews. Aside from his co-star, Prithviraj's mother, Mallika Sukumaran, also came to the film’s defence, and subsequently, her son's defence, as she opened up about what is now being billed as a planned cyber attack by those in the industry.  

Mallika says that cyberattacks are trying to destroy Prithviraj and his new film 

Prithviraj Sukumaran's action-thriller, Vilaayath Budha, has been facing constant cyberattacks since it hit theatres on November 21, 2025. This affected the movie's box office performance to such an extent that the producer was bound to take legal action, including filing an FIR against a YouTube channel for allegedly misrepresenting the film's content. According to the producer, the channel was also reportedly promoting narratives that aimed at communal tensions. Following the blatant negative reviews of the film, veteran actress, Mallika Sukumaran, who is also Prithviraj's mother, has stepped forward not only to defend her son and his film but also to accuse certain factions within the industry of consciously trying to destroy her son's career. During a conversation with Manorama Online, she stated: 

“When there is an attack on Prithviraj, there are only a few organisations or individuals who speak out against it. They are blatantly abusing him online, mostly targeting only him. Prithvi is their main target. If you ask organisations about it, nobody has any answers. The attempt is to eliminate Prithviraj as an actor from the industry, and those in the Malayalam film industry are the ones doing it. They are also unhappy with actor Thilakan's son, Shammi Thilakan, making an upward rise in Malayalam cinema.” 

Mallika further stated that this was because Shammi Thilakan had previously been ousted from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). While she did not mention the association's name directly, it became clear to viewers which organisation she was referring to as she urged them to take appropriate action against such cyberattacks and to stand by its members during challenging times. Additionally, she stated that she will not shy away from speaking out about these cyberattacks if they continue to harm Prithviraj in any way. Urging the film industry to support her son, she also said she has collected the IDs of the individuals behind the cyberattacks.  

Prithviraj's recent work and controversy  

Luck has not been on Prithviraj's side this year, as the actor-filmaker found himself amidst controversy due to Mohanlal-starrer, L2: Empuraan, which he directed and starred in. This was because the film allegedly contained scenes depicting the Gujarat riots, which they neither removed nor altered after its March 2025 release. Despite the backlash over this issue, the film went on to become the second-highest grosser in Malayalam cinema. Prithviraj also starred in the film, Sarzameen, a few months later, in July 2025, alongside Kajol and Ibrahim Ali Khan.  

What are your thoughts on the cyberattacks that Prithviraj Sukumaran is currently facing? Let us know.

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