Dulquer Salmaan says people praised his script selection only till that one film flopped: ‘Doesn't know how to select’

While promoting his upcoming film Kaantha in Kerala, Dulquer Salmaan was asked by a fan how he selects such good scripts. Here's how he responded.

Actor Dulquer Salmaan is busy promoting his upcoming Tamil-Telugu bilingual film Kaantha. The actor recently visited LuLu Mall in Kerala as part of his promotional activities to interact with fans. When the topic of his script selection was brought up, the actor mentioned how the tide turned when he delivered that one flop, hinting at King of Kotha (2023). Here’s what he said.

Dulquer Salmaan, who will soon star in Kaantha, was praised for his script selection.

Dulquer Salmaan on delivering a flop

A fan took the mike and praised Dulquer, asking him how he selects such good scripts. In response, the actor indirectly reminded him about King of Kotha and said, “It is good only when they work out, not when they don’t. If my movies become hits, my script selection is great. And when one film of mine flops, they say, he doesn’t even know how to read and select a script. I hear them say they want to teach me. But now, it’s hopefully okay. My effort is always to make good films.”

When Dulquer Salmaan took a break after King of Kotha

King of Kotha, in which Dulquer starred and produced, was released amid high expectations but failed to make a significant mark. The film grossed ₹31.35 crore worldwide during its lifetime, despite being made on a budget of ₹50 crore. Talking to IE in October last year, Dulquer spoke about the break and said, “I needed a short break. It’s nobody’s fault; some films fell through. I also faced health issues.” However, Dulquer bounced back well after the disappointment.

Recent work

After King of Kotha, in 2024, Dulquer played a cameo in Kalki 2898 AD and delivered a hit with the Telugu film, Lucky Baskhar. This year, he produced Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra, which is the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time, with over ₹300 crore in collections. Kaantha is releasing in theatres on November 14. Dulquer also has Aakasamlo Oka Tara in Telugu and I’m Game in Malayalam lined up.