Mouli‘s first film Little Hearts became a big success, and he became a popular star among younger audiences. When a YouTuber made personal comments about him, many felt that he was being unnecessarily targeted and showed a lot of sympathy for him. His journey from a social media content creator to a successful young actor had earned him a certain amount of goodwill.
However, that goodwill seems to have gone down after his second film’s release. Recently, some of his comments in interviews and social media interactions did not go down well with audiences.
Now, with Donga Naa Koduku (DNK) receiving negative talk after its release, the reaction towards Mouli has become even harsher. His old interviews and statements are resurfacing, but this time, instead of defending him, several social media users are using those clips to troll and mock him.
The film itself has given critics plenty to bash. The first half revolves around the lead pair’s love story, but the writing has attracted heavy backlash for relying on cheap humor and disgusting situations. The heroine falling for the protagonist after seeing him urinating, with his fly open, has become one of the most discussed examples of the film’s vulgar taste in comedy.
The comedy involving a gay character has also been thrashed as outdated and insensitive. Many viewers feel that the humor depends heavily on crude jokes rather than genuinely entertaining writing.
Many netizens are expressing their frustration more bluntly, saying that Mouli need not necessarily make refreshing films like Dorothy and Baththa, which received appreciation for their daring and different storytelling. However, he should at least stop relying on cheap jokes such as the hero urinating, the heroine seeing his private parts. Many are questioning what kind of films are being made in the name of entertainment and asking Mouli to stop such attempts.
Mouli once received sympathy for being targeted by online trolls. Now he himself has become a favorite subject for trolls. The film’s negative reception has made the situation worse.
DNK has exposed how quickly public perception can change when a film disappoints and a star’s own words begin working against him. Mouli now needs more than another hit. He needs to win back the audience’s trust.
